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HWY 93 drops down from Lost Trail Pass to Sula. This highway traverses
western Montana through Hamilton, Missoula, Kalispell, and Whitefish,
to the Canadian border. I'll take it only as far as Lolo, where the
Lewis and Clark Trail turns west. An interpretive sign, top left,
explains Ross's Hole but no mention of Lewis and Clark. The Corps,
hungry and cold, thrashed down the north side of the pass, crossed
the East Fork Bitterroot River, and encountered a new Native American
tribe. Clark calmly recorded this surprising event: " prosued
our Course down the Creek ... where we met a part of the <Flat
head> nation of 33 Lodges about 80 men 400 Total and at least 500
horses, those people recved us friendly...." Their language was
unknown to the Captains. Left and above, the East Fork Bitterroot
River flows from Ross's Hole near Sula. I can imagine the scene here
in September 1805; tepees standing along the river and Salish (Flathead)
men, women, and children, mingling with the Expedition. |
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