In need of stronger horses to assist with the mountain crossing, the Corps was grateful when they encountered the Salish tribe near present day Sula. The captains negotiated for fresh horses, and the expedition moved down the Bitterroot Valley to a spot they called Travelers' Rest to prepare for the next portion of the arduous journey. They ascended the slippery slopes of the Rockies, stumbling upon harsh terrain and nearly succumbing to starvation. Sgt. Patrick Gass' September journal entry portrays the hardship:
"None of the hunters killed anything except 2 or 3 [grouse] on which, without a miracle it was impossible to feed 30 hungry men and upwards…. So Capt. Lewis gave out some portable soup, which he had along, to be used in cases of necessity. Some of the men did not relish this soup, and agreed to kill a colt; which they immediately did, and set about roasting it; and which appeared to me to be good eating."
The following are a few of the stops in the journey:
