LoLo Pass: In the Footsteps of Lewis & Clark

Ever since I was a kid I've always been fascinated by explorers.  It might have started when my Dad told me bedtime stories about Jim Bridger. It could have been going to an elementary school named after Sacajawea.  Whatever it was, I love explorers.  A great area to visit, as an explorer lover, is LoLo Pass in Northern Idaho, along the Bitterroot mountains, where the Lewis & Clark expedition passed twice (once there and once back).  Here's some detailed information about it if you are interested (http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/lewisandclark/lol.htm).

Along the Lewis & Clark trail we have a good idea of where they went but we don't always know exactly where they went and which trails (i.e., which side of the river) they took.  Along the LoLo pass area, however, we know exactly where they went because they were following well established Nez Perce trails and camps!  There are official markers historians have placed to show these trails and camp areas.  I loved the idea that I could hike a trail and be in an area where Sacajawea, Lewis, Clark and all would have walked way back in 1805. I could image their awe of the beauty and yet the shear terror of the ruggedness of these mountains.  In fact, the party barely survived. I was glad to have a four wheel drive car to travel in and Mom's cooking each night! 

Here's one trail area which you can access and what the trail markers look like.

Here's right where the Lewis & Clark party camped - maybe even where they ate some pancakes or something (okay, probably more like camas roots but you get the idea)

In this area there isn't a ton of hiking (except for the trails mentioned above) but there are a lot of forest service roads which give you access to the trails, wildflowers, really huge cedar, grand fir and spruce trees, and vistas. 

One of the many "vistas"

Surprisingly there were lots of little waterfalls still flowing.

The Lochsa River turns into the Clearwater - I see why it gets it's name!

Looking up some cedar tree skirts

This was a small (but easily accessible) cedar tree. 

At Packer Meadows the stream runs through it.

You always have to find some animal on the trip right?

As the road was dry just about any decent car could have made the day drives but if it rained it would have quickly become a tough four wheel drive road.  It was great for my parents who are a bit on the aged side of things and not as agile as they once used to be.  The other cool thing is that even on a summer weekend there was only a handful of people in the area.  In some ways I was glad about that (who wants crowds in the mountains?) and in other ways not (why aren't more people exploring this amazingly beautiful area?).

Enjoy some of the other pictures from our drive along the Lewis & Clark trail below.  You can find these pictures posted in the NEW gallery until my next post.  After that, you can find them under their respective "location" or "type" gallery. 

Thistle can actually be pretty!

Pictured for my Mom - Indian Paintbrush is her favorite flower!

There were a ton of purple flowers out at the time. 

Amazing how colorful and delicate Columbine can be up in the mountains.

My first Bear Grass in bloom (I've seen a lot of it dead). Check out the bug flying in the top left corner of the picture.  Total skill and photographer patience (or more likely luck).



Another flower showing the diversity of flowers in these mountains. 



These fern plants were so cool as the sun would filter through them.