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Lewis and Clark at the End of the Road

© Gregg Pasterick

Lewis and Clark arrived "in full view of the ocien" near what we now know as Fort Columbia State Park, on the coast of Washington (I drive by it whenever I go to Astoria,) on November 15, 1805. They camped there for ten days before crossing the river into Oregon, where they built Fort Clatsop, which is just west of Astoria. There they remained throughout the winter, departing for home on March 23, 1806.

It rained 106 of the 128 days Lewis and Clark called the west coast "home." (Not all of the west coast is sunny, star-studded southern California.)

This area - the Pacific Forest, stretching from southeastern Alaska to northern California - is unlike any of the other environments through which they traveled. Its climate is controlled by the Pacific Ocean and its westerly oceanic winds. It's wet. It's humid. It's foggy. It rains. A lot. Mostly during the winter, though no season is far from a good, torrential downpour (to which I can attest.)

The land along the Columbia River Gorge rises from sea level to the glacier-clad peaks of the volcanic Cascades, topping out at the 14,410-foot peak of Mt. Rainier. It - this land - is covered with a variety of conifers, streamside deciduous trees, a host of ferns, flowering shrubs, and mosses. And of course there are all the marine plants that wash ashore; Lewis and Clark must have been in a botanical 7th heaven.

Nearer the ground, and closer to my heart are the wildflowers. One of the showiest - in my opinion - they gathered was Arrow-leaved Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata), which covers acres and acres with its sunflower-like flowers. On April 14, 1806 Clark wrote: "after dinner we proceeded on our voyage. I walked on Shore with Shabono on the N. Side through handsome bottom. Met several parties of women and boys in Serch of herbs and roots to Subsist on maney of them had parcels of the Stems of the Sun flower." In his notes, Frederick Pursh later added: "The stem is eaten by the natives, without any prepartation."

They also collected the beautiful Checker Lily (Fritillaria affinis). Lewis wrote: "Specemin of lilliacious plant obtained on Brant Island 10th apl. 1806. the root of this plant is a squawmus (scaly) bulb and is eaten by the natives. The Clah-clel-lar (Indians) opposite this Island call it tel-lak-thil-pah."

Lewis collected a specimen of Silverweed (Argentina anserina) near Fort Clatsop on March 13, 1806. By this time they were well into their preparations to turn around and strike out for home. Pursh later wrote about this specimen: "The roots are eaten by the natives, & taste like Sweet Potatoes, grows in marshy ground."

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