Table of Contents
- 1 How many days would it take to portage or carry their canoes and supplies around the Great Falls of the Missouri River?
- 2 When did Lewis and Clark reach Great Falls?
- 3 Why was the passage of the Great Falls so difficult?
- 4 Did Lewis and Clark ever disagree over any major decision?
- 5 How long was the detour around the falls?
- 6 How long did it take to do the Great Falls portage?
- 7 How big was the Great Falls of Missouri?
How many days would it take to portage or carry their canoes and supplies around the Great Falls of the Missouri River?
On June 13, the expedition finally reached the Great Falls. Impossible to navigate, the 87-foot-high cataracts would force the explorers to carry their boats and supplies overland. Contrary to the Hidatsa’s estimate of a half day for the overland trek, the nearly 17-mile portage would actually take 11 days.
When did Lewis and Clark reach Great Falls?
June 13, 1805
Meriwether Lewis reached the Great Falls of the Missouri River exactly 214 years ago. On June 13, 1805, Lewis came across “the grandest sight” he “ever beheld” during his expedition with William Clark and the Corps of Discovery in the early 19th century.
Why was the passage of the Great Falls so difficult?
As a result, Clark spent five days supervising several men as they felled large cottonwood trees and crafted two dugout canoes. All of these troubles — terrain, weather, animals and mosquitoes, illness, and the failure of the Experiment — added enormous difficulty to the already-trying Great Falls Portage.
How long did it take the expedition to travel the 18 miles over the falls of Missouri?
They soon discovered that the portage around the Great Falls was not the easy half-mile jaunt reported by the Hidatsa, but rather a punishing 18-mile trek over rough terrain covered with spiky cactus. The Great Portage, as it was later called, would take the men nearly a month to complete.
How many miles did they have to carry their supplies to get around the Great Falls?
18-miles
On June 13, 1805, the Great Falls Portage presented Lewis and Clark with one of the most challenging ordeals of the Expedition. The Corps needed to find a way around the falls – a journey that would require all equipment and supplies be carried 18-miles overland.
Did Lewis and Clark ever disagree over any major decision?
It didn’t happen. Lewis and Clark were after a corps with a single spirit, devoted to its mission with one mind. But despite their differences in temperament, Lewis, who was the senior officer, insisted that Clark be treated as his equal, and the two made all the important decisions together.
How long was the detour around the falls?
The Great Falls Portage is the route taken by the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1805 to portage around the Great Falls of the Missouri River during the outbound portion of the expedition. The 18-mile (29 km) portage took 31 days….Great Falls Portage.
| Significant dates | |
|---|---|
| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHLD | May 23, 1966 |
How long did it take to do the Great Falls portage?
The 18-mile (29 km) portage took 31 days. Two portions of the route, which have largely escaped development, are part of a National Historic Landmark District, designated in 1966 to commemorate this achievement. In May 2008 the National Trust for Historic Preservation listed the site on their list of America’s Most Endangered Places.
Where did Lewis and Clark do the Great Falls portage?
Show map of Montana. Show map of the United States. The Great Falls Portage is the route taken by the Lewis and Clark Expedition in 1805 to portage around the Great Falls of the Missouri River during the outbound portion of the expedition.
When did the party reach the Great Falls?
Ascending the Missouri River, the party reached the Great Falls area on July 13, 1805.
How big was the Great Falls of Missouri?
Lewis was thrilled to see the enormous waterfall, the Great Falls of the Missouri. It was 900 feet wide and 80 feet high with a “beautiful rainbow” just above the spray. Lewis called it “the grandest sight” he “ever beheld.”