On September 17, the expedition arrived at the Green River Valley, where he resupplied himself from his caches. From there they went south and on October 25 reached Liberges Fork, then Jane's Fork, tributaries of the Colorado. Then he followed the Bear River, which flows into the Great Salt Lake. The explorers met some Bannock Indians with whom they went buffalo hunting. Then they continued to the Snake River, until they reached the Portneuf River, where Bonneville established a winter camp.
Captain Bonneville and three others set out to explore the Columbia to scout the Hudson's Bay Company forts and trading operation. He returned to the Portneuf River in March. The next spring he followed the Snake River through basalt lava cliffs and reached American Falls. From there crossed more rough country until they reached the Powder River on January 12, 1834. They followed the Snake River and passed through the Grande Ronde Valley. Eventually they ran out of food and went without for three days. Finally they ate a mule that died. A friendly band of Nez Perce Indians came along and saved them from starvation.
After recovering their strength, the explorers continued on to the Imnaha and then to the Snake where they met a band of lower Nez Perce that led them to Fort Walla Walla. They traded with Nez Perce, Walla Walla, and Cayuse tribes. Bonneville was convinced that American fur trading here would work. On March 6, he headed back the way they came.
He returned to the rest of his men on the Portneuf on May 12. But they were so late their party was gone. This was dire because Bonneville really needed provisions. They went hunting for several days and he was able to restock his larder. Finally he found a few of his men out hunting and learned the rest of his party was camped on the Blackfoot River. The two groups reunited and proceeded to the rendezvous at Bear River Valley.
On June 13, they arrived at Little Snake Lake (Little Lake) on the Bear River. He explored there for several days. A short distance away he met the group he had left behind to study the Great Salt Lake. This small group went around part of the lake and decided there wasn't much of interest there. So they trapped along Ogden's River. They had watch out for the Diggers, who constantly stole their equipment. They went all the way to California and spent the winter at Monterey. Bonneville was greatly disappointed that the Great Salt Lake was never explored and that his trade goods had been wasted at Monterey. He resolved to explore the Columbia and Multnomah Rivers.
