Lewis and Clark Slip Through Climatic Window to the West

[zavvy]

<b>Lewis and Clark Slip Through Climatic Window to the West</b><br /><br />LINK<br /><br />They hadn't planned it, but Meriwether Lewis and William Clark picked a fine time for a road trip when they set out to find a water route across the American Northwest two centuries ago. <br /><br />Leading a small group of explorers, known as the Corps of Discovery, Lewis and Clark experienced favorable climatic conditions from 1804 to 1806 in search of an inland "Northwest Passage," according to a Georgia State University professor. <br /><br />The timing of the trip was crucial because had the pair embarked just a few years earlier or later, the results of the journey – and subsequent U.S. expansion into the West – might have altered the historical outcome. <br /><br />"Although the Corps of Discovery did have a few weather setbacks, such as a wet winter at Ft. Clatsop and some deep snowpack on their return trip, overall they traveled across the new frontier at an opportunistic time – four years after and two years before a major drought," says Georgia State University geography professor Paul A. Knapp. "Had the expedition encountered such a drought, their journey might have been significantly different." <br /><br />"The Corps of Discovery suffered tremendously from want of food and a balanced diet," says Knapp. Even during an ideal climatic window, food was sometimes painfully scarce – and nowhere was the problem more acute than when crossing the Lolo Trail in the fall of 1805. According to the travelers' journal entries, some days the group ate little, if anything. Drought conditions would only have made things worse. Wild game, the group's daily staple, would have been harder to find, as would berries and roots, he says. <br /><br />Likewise, rivers and streams would have been shallower during a drought, slowing travel along some routes. Lewis and Clark paddled, pulled and poled their canoes

 

[CalliArcale]

Awesome! Thanks for sharing that. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /><br /><br />Interest in Lewis & Clark has risen a lot with the bicentennial of the Corps of Discovery, but really, it's always a good time to learn about their trip. It was one of the greatest voyages of exploration ever attempted, and in many respects more ambitious than some of the great sailing expeditions, because at least on sailing ships you have some idea of your travel conditions -- you know you'll be going by ocean the whole way. But Lewis & Clark went over land, slogging much of the distance on foot. One of the most extraordinary things about the expedition, to me, is at Thomas Jefferson's residence, Monticello. If you visit Monticello, take the time to look at the skulls, skins, stuffed animals, and plant specimens stored there, originally collected by the Corps. The voyage is easy for us today, but it's mind-boggling to think of how much effort was invested in bringing those specimens home. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>

 

[alexblackwell]

Amateur Lewis and Clark historians, like me, may be interested in a special session titled <b>P7. The Science of Lewis and Clark: Historical Observations and Modern Interpretations</b> from the Geological Society of America's 2003 Annual Meeting, which was held November 2–5, 2003 in Seattle, Washington.<br /><br />See also some related press releases:<br /><br />"200 years later, geologist re-orients Lewis and Clark's compass readings"; this press release refers to a cover story from the October 2003 issue of <i>GSA Today</i>.<br /><br />"Lewis and Clark data show a different Missouri River"<br /><br />"There's more than meets the eye in Lewis & Clark's journals, say two historians" <br /><br />"Lewis and Clark notes reveal history of human impacts"