Bret Harte Union High School - Sierra Vista Yearbook (Angels Camp, CA)

Page 46 text:

The Fremont Party HE FREMONT PARTY left the Mississippi basin in 1843 to make observations under the direc- tion of the United States Topographical So- ciety. Their trip took them northwest through Oregon and then. southward across the Modoc Lava Bed-s and the Bflack Rock Desert of Nevada to a desert lake which Fremont named Pyramid Lake. After spending the early part of December here, they made their way south to what is now Carson Valley. The Indians here advised them to turn west if they expected to cross the summit of the Sierras into California. At that time it was a common belief that the Sacramento River had its source in Nevada or Utah, and this party had set out to chart its course through the mountains. It was the dead of Winter and the depth of the snow forced them to abandon much of their equipment, including a small cannon which, it is reported, may still be seen where it was discarded. Due to the indeliniteness of their route they were forced to scale several subsidiary mountains before they reached the main range near the Carson Pass. From here they followed the American River and eventually arrived at Sutter's Fort. After a few months of recuperation the Fremont Party was able to resume its exploration of California. -qt 20 ig..-