On August 12, 1805, Meriwether Lewis crossed a dividing ridge, saw immense ranges of high mountains to the west with their tops partially covered with snow, then descended about 3/4 of a mile on a steeper slope to a handsome bold running creek of cold clear water, where he first tasted the water of the great Columbia River. After a short halt, the party continued along an Indian road over steep hills and deep hollows to a spring on the side of a mountain, where they found enough dry willow brush for fuel and camped for the night after traveling about 20 miles.