A Cloudy morning, horses verry Stiff    Sent 2 men back with the horse on which Capt Lewis rode for the load left back last night detained us untill 8 oClock at which time we Set out.   The Country is timbered with Pine Generally the bottoms have a variety of Srubs & the fur trees in Great abundance.   hills high & rockey on each Side, in the after part of the day the high mountains closed the creek on each Side and obliged us to take on the Steep Sides of those Mountains, So Steep that the horses Could Screcly keep from Slipping down, Several Sliped & Injured themselves verry much, with great dificuelty we made [blank] miles & Encamped on a branch of the Creek we assended after Crossing Several Steep points & one mountain, but little to eate I killed 5 Pheasants & The hunters 4 with a little Corn afforded us a kind of Supper, at dusk it began to Snow at 3 oClock Some rain. The mountains to the East Covered with Snow.   we met with a great misfortune, in haveing our last Thmometer  broken by accident, This day we passed  over emence hils and Some of the worst roade that ever horses passed our horses frequently fell   Snow about 2 inches deep when it began to rain which termonated in a Sleet our genl. Courses nearly North from the R

[Gary E. Moulton: The travels of the Corp of Discovery and the encampment for this day is one of the most disputed subjects of the trip through the mountains. The controversy surrounds the party's trip with respect to references to hills and streams and to the apparent errors in Clark's course and distance tables (which were included with his entries of September 2). 

• John J. Peebles plots the course as following the North Fork Salmon to the entrance of Moose Creek, then move northeasterly on the west side of that stream before crossing the state line into Montana west of Lost Trail Pass, then turn northwest along the state line, and finally camp at the head of Shields Creek southwest of Saddle Mountain. 
• James R. Wolf & Robert N. Bergantino believe that the party followed the North Fork Salmon to the entrance of Coal Gulch (Wolf) or Moose Greek (Bergantino) and then moved northeasterly along Moose Creek. 
• Wolf has the group on the east side of Moose Creek to the Continental Divide, then follow the divide along the Montana-Idaho border, go through Chief Joseph and Lost Trail passes, continue along the state line, then cross into Montana, and camp on Shields Creek.
• Bergantino has a similar course for the party but on the west side of Moose Creek to a little beyond the entrance of Little Moose Creek, then northerly to hit the ridge and state line about one-quarter mile west of Lost Trail Pass, and camp farther west on a southwesterly flowing tributary of North Fork Salmon River, ID and almost due south of Saddle Mountain.
• Fred Crandall has the Corps follow the North Fork Salmon to the entrance of the West Fork, pass between the streams in a northwesterly direction, then turn due north before camping somewhat west of Bergantino's proposed site.
• Majors argues for a route considerably to the west of other researchers, based on the assumption that Clark's compass readings were off.  He concludes that for Clark's fourth course of the day the captain meant "N. 18^o W." instead of "N. 18^o E." (Wold also thinks that Clark made an error, but in his last course, which he says should probably read "N. 80^o W" not "N. 40^o W".  Majors would have the party pass between Twin and Vine creeks, follow a route to the west as they crossed over Hughes Point in Montana, and then camp at the head of Colter Creek in Montana, south of the Shields Creek camp of Wolf.]

September 03, 1805
John Ordway

we Set out as usal, and proceeded on up the branch a Short distance further up the branch then took the mountain and went up and down rough rockey mountains all day. Some places So Steep and rockey that Some of the horses fell backwards and roled to the bottom. [one] horse was near being killed. crossed a nomber of fine Spring branches. Some places oblidged to cut a road for to git along thro thickets &C. Some of the balsom fir trees on the branches are about 100 and fifty feet high, and Strait.   the most of them are covred with warts filled with the balsom &C.  we dined at a branch  eat the last of our pork &.C. Some of the men threaten to kill a colt to eat they being hungry, but puts it off untill tomorrow noon hopeing the hunters will kill Some game.  toward evening we assended a mountain went Some distance on the top of it  then went down in to a cave near the head of a branch running nearly an opposite course from the branch we dined on at noon.  we Camped in this cove. Several Small showers of rain. So we lay down wet hungry and cold  came with much fatigue 11 miles this day

September 03, 1805
Patrick Gass

The morning of this day was cloudy and cool. Two men went back with a horse to bring on the load, which had been left behind last night; and we breakfasted on the last of our salmon and waited their return. Two hunters were sent on ahead, and on the return of the two men, who had been sent back, we pursued our journey up the creek, which still continued fatiguing almost beyond description. The country is very mountainous and thickly timbered; mostly with spruce pine. Having gone nine miles we halted for dinner, which was composed of a small portion of flour we had along and the last of our pork, which was but a trifle. -- Our hunters had not killed any thing. We staid here about two hours, during which time some rain fell and the weather was extremely cold for the season. We then went on about 3 miles over a large mountain, to the head of another creek and encamped there for the night. This was not the creek our guide wished to have come upon; and to add to our misfortunes we had a cold evening with rain.

September 03, 1805
Joseph Whitehouse

Cloudy.   we Set out as usal after the load was brought up which was left last night.   we proceeded on up the branch a Short distance, then took the mountains and w[ent] up and down the mountains all day.    passed and crossed an a bundance of fine Springs and Spring runs.    Some of the mountains was So Steep and rockey that Several of the horses fell back among the rocks and was near killing them. Some places we had to cut the road through thickets of bolsom fer Some of that kind of timber in the vallies of these mountains is verry high about 100 & 60 feet, and verry Strait and handsom.   the most of them are covred with warts full of the bolsom   towards evening we crossed a dividing ridge went some distance on the top of it which was tollarable good and Smoth going.   then passed down a Steep hill in to the head of a cove and branch where we Camped [The location of this campsite is of some controversy] after a dissagreeable days march of only 11 miles with much fatigue and hunger as nothing has been killed this day only 2 or 3 fessents, [Most likely some species of grouse] and have no meat of any kind. Set in to raining hard at dark So we lay down and Slept, wet hungry and cold. Saw Snow on the tops of Some of these mountains this day.--

September 03, 1805
Joseph Whitehouse

We had a cloudy morning, & set out as usual, we brought the load up the hill on our backs, that was left there last night, and then we proceeded on up the Creek a short distance, and then took to the mountains, and went up & down them the whole of this day, and crossed abundance of fine Springs, & spring runs, some of the mountains that we crossed was so steep & Rockey, that several of the horses fell backwards among the rocks & was near being killed.--  We had to cut Roads, through thickets of balsam fir timber, for our horses to pass through.  We found some of that kind of timber in the Vallies which were very high many of them being 160 feet long & very strait & handsome, a number of them full of warts, & full of balsam.--  towards evening, we crossed a dividing ridge, we went some distance on the top of it, which was tolerable smooth & good travelling, We then passed down a steep hill, at the head of a Cove and branch.--  We encamped at this place after a most disagreeable days travel of only 11 Miles, being much fataigued & very hungry, our hunters having killed only 3 Pheasants this day.--  and we had no fresh meat with us.  At dark it began to Rain hard, We lay down to sleep being Wet, hungry & Cold, We saw Snow on the Top of these Mountains this day.--