After nearly eighteen months into their historic journey, which began May 14th 1804 from Wood River near St. Louis, thence to the mouth of the Columbia River, the Corps of Discovery reached the westernmost extent of their travels.  On November 16th 1805 Gass wrote in his journal: "We are now at the end of our voyage, which has been completely accomplished according to the expectations of the expedition, the object of which was to discover a passage [the fabled Northwest Passage] by way of the Missouri and Columbia rivers to the Pacific ocean..."  On that same day, Whitehouse wrote: "We are in now plain view of the Pacific Ocean.  the waves rolling, & the surf roaring very loud...We are now of opinion that we cannot go any further with our Canoes, & think that we are at an end of our Voyage to the Pacific Ocean, and as soon as discoveries necessary are made, that we shall return a short distance up the River & provide ourselves with Winter Quarters."  Lewis traveled on that day, through Baker Bay, to explore Cape Disappointment and the (Long) beaches to the north.  He returned the following day to a place called Station Camp, to rejoin the remainder of the Corps encamped there.

The location of Station Camp, where these above journal entries were written, has been established as being across from present-day Astoria, on the Washington side, near the Astoria/Megler Bridge -- crossed by the old Nomad the next-to-final day during Odyssey 2004. At Station Camp, the Captains took a vote to decide where best to locate winter quarters.  All members of the Corps had a say.  Historically, and although not within the then bounds of the United States, this was the first vote cast by either a woman or a black -- many years before either would suffer that privilege of citizenship.  Of the twenty-eight or so votes cast, the majority chose to cross the Columbia and seek a suitable camp from that upriver side, the belief being that the most elk were to be found there.

On November 26th 1805 the Corps turned and proceeded up the north shore of the Columbia, seeking a point to cross that vast body of water.  Later that day, and under the most dreadful conditions they successfully made the crossing. Weather conditions continued to worsen.  Of that time and experience, and on November 28th 1805 Clark wrote: "rained all the last night  we are all wet our bedding and Stores are also wet, we haveing nothing which is Sufficient to keep ourselves bedding or Stores dry...this is our present Situation; truly disagreeable.  about 12 oClock the wind Shifted around to the NW. and blew with Such violence...O! how disagreeable is our Situation dureing this dreadful weather."  The following day Lewis wrote: "the wind being so high the party were unable to proceed with the perogues. I determined therefore to proceed down the river...in surch of an eligible place for our winter residence and accordingly set out early this morning in the small canoe accompanied by 5 men."

On December 1st 1805 and still searching for a suitable winter campsite, Clark wrote: "The emence Seas and waves which breake on the rocks & Coasts to the SW. & NW roars like an emence fall at a distance, and this roaring has continued ever Since our arrival in the neighborhood of the Sea Coast which has been 24 days Since we arrived in Sight of the Great Western; (for I cannot Say Pacific) Ocian as I have not Seen one pacific day..."  On December 5th 1805 Gass wrote: "There is more wet weather on this coast, than I ever knew in any other place; during a month, we have had three fair days; and there is no prospect of a change."

On December 7th 1805 the Corps arrived at the place they named Fort Clatsop.  On that day, Clark wrote: "...we assended a river [Lewis and Clark] which falls in on the South Side of this Bay [Youngs]...on a rise about 30 feet higher than the high tides leavel...this is certainly the most eligible Situation for our purposes..."

From December 7th 1805 to March 22nd 1806 the Corps remained at Fort Clatsop.  During that three and one-half months Clark noted that there had been only six days with any sunshine, and only twelve without rain. Once the fort was built, they settled in to occupy their time with routine chores and activities.  The better hunters hunted, others made salt, put in needed provisions, made/repaired clothing and gear.  All traded with the Indians.  Gass noted on March 13th, 1806 that "I this day took an account of the number of pairs of mockasons each man in the party had; and found the whole to be 338 pair."

During the winter at Fort Clatsop, Clark worked his maps and Lewis expanded the field notes he'd gathered concerning zoological, botanical and anthropological data.  The Captains also toiled much over their detailed plans for the Corps' return. The Captains had intended to break winter camp no earlier than the first of April.  However, due to the uncertain weather, they determined to set out for the mountains much earlier, there to wait out the snowmelt.

And so, on March 23rd 1806 the Corps began their return journey.  On that day Clark wrote: "This morning proved So raney and uncertain that we were undeturmined for Some time whether we had best Set out..."  Later in the morning "...the rain Seased and it became fair about Meridean, at which time we loaded our Canoes & at 1 P.M. left Fort Clatsop on our homeward bound journey."  In that same entry Clark also noted that "...at this place we had wintered and remained from the 7th of Decr. 1805 to this day and have lived as well as we had any right to expect..."

Odyssey 2006: Journey of Discovery, the Return. The "Final Nine Days" Itinerary On Wednesday, September 13th, the Nomad returned to the Katy Trail, by the mighty Missouri River, at Jefferson City, from there he hiked the remainder of his 5,700 mile round trip journey o’er the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. From the Katy trailhead at North Jefferson, and on Wednesday the 13th, he passed the Osage River, where the Corps encamped June 1-2, 1804, and again on September 19th 1806, thence on to the village of Steedman, a distance of 22.0 miles.  On Thursday the 14th, he continued along the Katy to McKittrick, a distance of 20.7 miles.  On Friday the 15th, it’s on to Marthasville (La Charrette, the then gateway to the American frontier), a distance of 22.7 miles.  That day he passed the site of the old Daniel Boone settlement. After the weekend off, the Nomad resumed his hike on Monday the 18th, along the Katy, from Marthasville to Matson, a distance of 17.3 miles.  Tuesday the 19th he hiked from Matson to St. Charles, a distance of 21.9 miles.  Wednesday the 20th it’s St. Charles to West Alton, where he picked up the West Alton Trail, a distance of 20.2 miles.  Thursday the 21st, he crossed the Mississippi River into Illinois (the last of eleven states along the trail) o’er the Clark Memorial Bridge, to pick up the Levee Top Trail along the Great River Road to Camp Dubois at Wood River and the Lewis and Clark State Historic Site near Hartford, a distance of 19.4 miles.  On Friday the 22nd, and continuing along the levee, he crossed the Mississippi River once more o’er the old US66 Chain of Rocks Bridge, to end the day at the gravesite of William Clark, Bellefontaine Cemetery, a distance of 13.4 miles.  The final day, Saturday the 23rd, and with friends and family, he hiked the remaining 7.7 miles to the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial at Gateway Arch in St. Louis (for the Final National Signature Event), 200 years to the day of the Corps’ return.

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