Early in May, 1806, Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, with a 30-man party and 23 pack horses, passed eastward through this roadless area after wintering near the ocean at the western terminus, Fort Clatsop. They were short of food, horses, and trade goods, living on the land from day to day. From the Snake River Crossing, these intrepid explorers crossed the Rocky Mountains and were boisterously welcomed at St. Louis on September 23. Their overland trip to the Pacific Ocean was a factor in establishing American claims to the Oregon County.