The Rocky Mountains presented the most significant challenge to the Lewis and Clark expedition.
- When Lewis and Clark set out from St. Louis in 1804, they had heard stories about the impassable mountains that lay ahead. Meriwether Lewis himself had even written that “the Rocky mountains may indeed prove impracticable.”
- Clark, who had already explored some of the northern Rockies, was more confident. “I feel no apprehensions of mountains,” he wrote, “if they can be passed by man and horse.”
- However, it soon became clear that the mountains would not be an easy obstacle to overcome. The terrain was rugged and difficult, and the men were often forced to carry their canoes and supplies overland.
- The cold weather was also a problem. In addition to having to deal with the snow and sleet, the men also had to contend with the wind.
- The expedition also encountered a number of Native American tribes who were initially hostile.
Despite all of these challenges, Lewis and Clark persevered, and they eventually succeeded in crossing the Rocky Mountains. On August 12, 1805, they reached the top of the Continental Divide, and they saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time.
Crossing the Rocky Mountains was not only the most difficult part of the Lewis and Clark expedition, but also the most important. Their successful journey through the mountains opened up the vast western United States to further exploration and settlement.