wh[en]ever we get a view of the lofty summits of the mountains the snow presents itself, altho' we are almost suffocated in this confined vally with heat. ... this evening we entered much the most remarkable clifts that we have yet seen. these clifts rise from the waters edge on either side perpendicularly to the hight of (about) 1200 feet. every object here wears a dark and gloomy aspect. the tow[er]ing and projecting rocks in many places seem ready to rumble on us. the river appears to have forced it's way through this immence body of solid rock for the distance of 5 3/4 Miles and where it makes it's exit below has th[r]own on either side vast collumns of rocks mountains high. ... from the singular appearance of this place I called it the gates of the rocky mountains.

Capt. C. feell in with a gang of Elk of which he killed 2. and not being able to obtain as much wood as would make a fire substituded the dung of the buffaloe ... prickly pear of the leveler part of the rout much less painfull; they have now become so abundant in the open uplands that it is impossible to avoid them and their thors are so keen and stif that they pearce a double thickness of dressed deers skin with ease. Capt. C. informed me that he extracted 17 of these bryers from his feet this evening after he encamped by the light of the fire. I have guarded or reather fortigyed my feet against them by soaling my mockersons with the hide of the buffaloe in parchment ...

July 19, 1805
William Clark

my feet is verry much brused & cut walking over the flint, & constantly stuck full [of] Prickley pear thorns, I puled out 17 by the light of the fire to night. ... Musqutors verry troublesom.

July 19, 1805
John Ordway

a clear pleasant morning.   we Set out as usal and proceeded on.  Capt. Lewis and one hunter walked on shore & Shortly killed a cabberee or antelope     we took on board the Skin and some of the meat.   the current Swift.   the Mountains high.  some Spots of pine ceeder, and bolsom-fir trees &C.   one of the men killed an otter with a Socket pole they are pleanty &C.  some beaver also along these mountains.   passed the mouth of a Small river on the South Side. [Willow Creek.]    in the afternoon we passed through a verry high part of the Mountain, which is Steep on each Side & about 6 or 700 feet perpinticular up from the Surface of the water & a Solid rock this curious looking place we call the gates of the Rocky Mountains.  Several fine Springs Issues from under clifts or in md. near the edge of the River.   about one oClock P.M. we had a Thunder Shower which lasted about one hour    a little hail attended it.  Saw Some Spots of pine Spruce ceeder and bolsom fer timber on the Sides of the Mon. and in the vallies &C.    we Came 19 miles this day through verry rapid water & Camped on a narrow bottom on the Lard. Side.

July 19, 1805
Patrick Gass

A fine morning.  At 9 we came to high parts of the mountains, which had a good deal of pine, spruce and cedar on them, and where there were not so many rocks; but no timber in the bottoms except some small willows.  About 1 o'clock we had thunder, lightening and rain, which continued as hour or two, and then the weather became clear.   This afternoon we passed parts of the mountains, that were very high, and mostly of solid rock of a light colour.  The mountains are so close on the river on both sides that we scarcely could find room to encamp.  We went 20 miles and encamped on the south side. After night some rain fell.

July 19, 1805
Joseph Whitehouse

a clear pleasant morning.   we Set out as usal, and proceeded on.  Capt. Lewis and one hunter walked on Shore Shortly killed a large goat or antelope     we took on board the Skin and Some of the meat.   the current very Swift.   the mountains verry high & covered with pine & bolsom fir trees many places verry thick.  we went on untill about 11 oClock without breakfast expecting to overtake Capt. Lewis as usal.   the cause we know knot with Some thing has happened.   one of the men killed an otter with his Shocked pole. ["Socket'"]    they are verry pleanty.   some beaver also in these narrow bottoms.    proceeded on.   Shortly found Capt. Lewis.   passed the mouth of a Small river on the S. Side. [Willow Creek.]   in the afternoon we passed a verry high part of the mountain & Steep up from the River on each Side about 600 feet from the Surface of the water, which we name the gates of the rockey mountains. [The Gates of the Mountains, named by Lewis.]   Several fine Springs come out under these clifs of light couloured rocks.    about one oClock their came a Thunder Shower which lasted 1 hour.  Saw pine Spruce & ceeder bolsom fer also on the top  & vallies of Sd. Mountains.    the bottoms on the points verry narrow along the Shores.   we Came 19 miles this day through verry rapid water and Camped o the South Side. [A short distance downstream from Upper Holter Lake.]  a light Sprinkling of rain this evening.--

July 19, 1805
Joseph Whitehouse

A Clear pleasant morning, We set out as usual, and proceeded on, Captain Lewis & one of the hunters walked along the Shore, & shortly killed a large Antelope.  We stopped, and took the Antelope on board of one of the Canoes.  We found that the current still run very strong against us, The Mountains appear'd very high as we passed them, and had Pine & Balsam fir trees growing on them, & in some places they were very thick, We proceeded on 'till about 11 o'Clock, without breaking our fast, expecting to overtake Captain Lewis and the hunter, who wee on shore, & as we expected before us, but it not being the case, we are fearful of some accident having befel them--   We found the Otter plenty in the River, one of our party killed one of them with the Socket of his setting pole.--  We found beaver also tolerably plenty in the narrow bottoms of the River--  We proceeded on our way; at 12 o'Clock A.M. [crossed out, illegible] we overtook Captain Lewis & the hunter; who came aboard of our Canoes.  We passed shortly after the Mouth of a small River lying on the South side of the River which we called the Gun brook River--  In the afternoon we passed a very high part of the Mountain running up Steep from the River on both sides of it, which appeared to be <200> 600 feet high from the surface of the Water.  Our Officers named this place, the Gates of the Rockey Mountains, We found several very fine Springs of water which came out from under the Clifts of these high Rocks, which rocks, are of a lightish colour.--  About 1 o'Clock P.M we had a thunder shower, which lasted about One hour.--  The Mountains & Valleys here, have Pine, Cedar & Balsom fir, growing on them,--

The bottoms on the points of land that lay along the River shore, is very narrow, The current of the River, run very strong the whole of this day, and the Water very Clear, we encamped in the Evening on the South side of the Mesouri, having 19 Miles this day, shortly after we had encamped we had a light shower of Rain--