Guided by Twisted Hair and several other Nez Perce, Capt. William Clark chose this place as a camp because many large ponderosa pines grew here. Canoe makers chopped out small portions of the pine logs and then used fire or hot coals to char the wood, making it easier to chip out the insides of the canoes. Clark wrote in his journal on September 25, 1805, “I set out early with the Chief and 2 young men to hunt Some trees Calculated to build Canoes, as we had previously determined to proceed on by water.” Lewis and Clark built four large canoes and one small one to carry the 34 members of the expedition. The large canoes were about 50 to 55 feet long and could carry at least seven men and 800 to 1,000 pounds of gear. After 10 days, the Corps of Discovery left with five canoes, marking an important turning point as the expedition shifted from arduous overland travel to travel by water toward the Pacific.