Fort Clapsot

While they were at Station Camp, the Captains decided they must establish the site for wintering over. The Indians had informed them that there were more elk on the south side of the river. They needed a supply of fresh water, protection from the winter storms and access to the ocean in case of arrival of supply vessels. The had a vote, and included Sacajawea, an Indian and a woman, and York, a black among in the voters. They extended suffrage to those groups many decades before the country did. The results of the vote were that they should cross the river and build a winter camp on that side.

These are two views of the north side of the river from the south side.

This view includes the sites of Station Camp to the left of the bridge, Dismal Nitch on the right side of the bridge. Once the decision was made, the corps went up river for a day and camped directly across the river and made crossing there.

After spending some time in the vicinity of present day Astoria, they made their way west along the south side of the river along here.

After crossing a wide bay they entered the mouth what is now known as the Lewis and Clark River seen past the bridge in the picture.

Here is a bridge across that river,

This is a view up that river.

And here is the canoe landing where they came to build their winter quarters.

And here, at long last, is FORT CLAPSOT. (with the ubiquitous teenager with a smart phone)

and more views showing some construction details.

The Fort was, of course built among the tall pines;

Members of our Corps were greatly pleased after reaching this long sought after goal.

During their stay at Fort Clapsot the Corps put a lot of work into procuring salt for the return trip. They had to travel about 18 miles to find a proper camp site close to the salt water, with a stream providing fresh water, and adequate fuel for the fires of their oven

Down the coast, near Seaside, OR the town has replicated the salt works.

Which Doc enjoyed immensely

After their long journey, our Corps enjoyed a much deserved time at the beach south of Seaside.

We are now at the end of our voyage, which has been completely accomplished according to the intention of the expedition, the object of which was to discover a passage by the way of the Missouri and Columbia Rivers to the Pacific Ocean, notwithstanding the difficulties, privations and dangers, which we had to encounter, endure and surmount.

Well that should have been in quotes, because it was written by Sergent Gass, but it sort of sums up our feelings too. We have chased sunsets for many days, but this is the last one, for we will be chasing sunrises from here on out.

Dimal Nich, Station Camp, and Cape Disappointment

The last quote from Clark we used was from Dismal Ditch. He goes on;

CLARK November 9, 1805  "our camp entirely under water during the hight of the tide. every man as wet as water  could make them all the last night and to day...at this dismal point we must spend another night as the wind and waves are too high to proceed.

CLARK November 11, 1805  "we are all wet as usial and our Situation is truly a disagreeable one, the great quantities of rain which has loosened the Stones on the hillsides, and the small stones fall down upon us, our canoes is at one place at the mercy of the waves and our baggage in another and our Selves and party Scattered on floating logs and Such dry Spots as can be found on the hill sides and crevices of the rocks....

CLARK  November 12, 1805  It would be distressing to See our Situation, all wet and Colde our bedding also wet, (and the robes of the party which Compose half the bedding is rotten,) and we are not in a Situation to supply their places in a wet bottom Scercely large enough to contain us. our baggage half a mile from us and Canoes at the mercy of the waves...

Lewis proceeded by land to see if a safe camp site could be found nearby and found that indeed, right around a point near to them was a sand beach and level ground.

CLARK  November 15, 1805  "About 3 o'clock the wind luled, and the river became calm, I had the canoes loaded in great haste and Set Out, from this dismal nitch where we have been confined for 6 days passed, without the possibility of proceeding on, returning to a better Situation, or get out to hunt."

They did find a good place to stay and did so until November 25.

This is a very old bronze plaque designating this place as "Dismal Nich."

And this is the Nitch itself

And this as well

This flat space is where they found the sandy beach (now washed away).

Another shot of the new camp, called Station Camp and a church built when a cannery occupied the spot.

This is a view of Astoria, across the river from Station Camp.








While the Corps were at Station Camp, Cark took a trip over land to Cape Disappointment.  The Cape was named by English sea captain John Meares who searched for a large river and failing to find the Columbia, named the cape Cape Disappointment,

The cape is now the site of a very important lighthouse marking the entrance to the Columbia River and the infamous Columbia River Bar.

This is that lighthouse








This is an ocean going vessel crossing the bar in very pleasant weather.

and this is the view Clark would have had of the Pacific Ocean.

Now the view includes a rock jetty and a beach that has formed behind it. The fog bank is beginning to burn off.

Humpback and Grey Whales are seen from this place, but not today.

There are wild flowers in view though

Clark camped near the present location of the small fishing village, Ilwaco.

One of places he visited is now called Beards  Bight, named for a Sea Captain whose ship foundered here, all hands lost.



We too are now camped out (in a motel called Heidi's Inn,) in Ilwaco. Tomorrow we plan to cross he river and visit Fort Clapsot, the wintering place of the Corps.

Oh The Joy!

CLARK   November 7th, 1805 "Ocian in view! O! the joy."

It seems that conventional wisdom has Lewis & Clark followers taking the Oregon side of the river after Portland and heading to Astoria. But The Corps camped along the Washngton side, and there were three camp sites we wanted to see. The first was the place where, after all their suffering and travails, they first sighted the Pacific Ocean. That was across from Pillar Rock which is just east of the town of Altoona, Washington.

We found a delightful road east out of Altoona

Complete with wild flowers

\

Which led us to Pillar Rock

CLARK November 7, 1805 "Ocian in view! O! the Joy."

You can see the opening to the Ocean just to the left of the rock, with Cape Disappointment just beyond.






Their troubles were not over, though, at their next camp site;

CLARK November 8, 1805  "we are all wet and disagreeable, as we have been for Several days past, and our present Situation a verry disagreeable one in as much; as we have not leavel land Sufficient for an encampment and for our baggage to lie Cleare of the tide, the High hills jutting in So Close and Steep that we cannot retreat back, and the water of the river too Salt to be used, added to this the waves are increasing to Such a hight that we cannot move from this place, in this Situation we are compelled to for our Camp leaves the hite of the Ebb and flood tides, and rase our baggage on logs - ... The Seas roled and tossed the Canoes in Such a manner this evening that Several of our party were Sea Sick.

Although a road has been built along the coast at this point, it is still apparent the situation was not ideal.

Tomorrow we will check out Cape Disappointment and return here to visit the next two camp sites.

Paddle Wheels and Waterfalls

After The Dalles, we continued down the Columbia River Gorge to Cascade Locks where we booked a two hour cruise on the paddle wheel boat the Columbia Gorge. When planning this trip we had wanted to get on the rivers as much as possible to place ourselves exactly where the Corps traveled, and see the scenery from their perspective. We have been able to do that on the Missouri River at the White Cliffs and Gates of the Mountain, The Snake River in Hells Canyon, and now 0n the Columbia River at Cascade Locks.

This boat is propelled solely by the paddle wheel, which is powered by an electric motor which is powered by a diesel engine. It is a very quiet and smooth set up.

Of course John had to visit the pilot house for a while.







This river provided a good source of salmon before the Europeans showed up. The rights to fish there are a little of that old life the Indians have been able to preserve. They still use platforms over the river to net, spear and catch salmon by hook and line.

The boat provides transportation to more than the paying passengers.

The paddle boarders rode the wake for quite some distance.

Gail and Doc enjoying the view

We passed under the "Bridge of the Gods" as did Charles Lindbergh in September, 1927. As seen by this old poster.

For a while we had a front row seat for a sailboat race.

After the cruise Doc waited patiently while we had lunch at the marina. John loved the steelhead sandwich.

The old highway 30 passes a number of incredible water falls on it's way west.

Horsetail Falls at 176 feet.

Multnomah Falls  at 620 feet, second highest in the United States.














We will spend the night at Troutdale, Oregon and Proceed on to the Pacific on the north side of the river in Washington state.