Martin Plamondon II

After crossing the Bitterroot Range and canoeing down the cataract-filled Snake River, the Corps of Discovery finally reached the long-sought Columbia River in the autumn of 1805. Volume III continues the cartographic reconstruction of the explorers' trek as they set out from the Snake-Columbia junction, October 18, 1805, on the final leg of their journey to the sea. In addition to intricately mapping the Columbia's great rapids, desert and rain-forest shorelines, spectacular mountain gorge, and broad estuary, Volume III reveals the vast number of Native American villages that lined the River of the West in Lewis and Clark's time. Additional maps and illustrations depict the Fort Clatsop winter quarters, Cascade volcanoes, coastal explorations, compares the modern beds of streams to their courses at the time of the exploration, and more. Though having reached their primary goal, the Pacific Ocean, the expedition's investigation of new terrain in western North America was far from over. Volume III outlines the significant discoveries recorded as they returned eastward in 1806 through the broad Columbia, Marias, and Yellowstone watersheds. Volume III concludes when the Corps of Discovery, long given up for dead by most Americans, paddled up to the St. Louis waterfront on September 23, 1806, to an arousing reception by the local population. Of further special interest in this volume are the many excerpts from the expedition diaries. This careful cartographic reconstruction is a captivating and never-before-seen record of the American West. Martin Plamondon II of Vancouver, Washington, is a former chairman of the Governor's Washington Lewis and Clark Trail Committee. His long-term research in exploration history and twenty-eight years of experience as a professional cartographer have provided the unique set of skills required to complete the trail maps.

In Volume II, Martin Plamondon presents a cartographic reconstruction of the Corps of Discovery's trek across the northwestern United States in 1805-06. Beginning a short distance above Fort Mandan, 190 maps depict the explorers' route on the Missouri River in North Dakota and Montana, over the continental divide to Idaho, and down westward-flowing waters to the Snake-Columbia confluence in central Washington.The maps contrast modern riverbeds to their courses at the time of the exploration. Also included are pertinent excerpts from the journals and depictions of significant geographical features. Plamondon has utilized the actual traverse measurements and notes recorded by William Clark for each day that the expedition was on the move.This is the second of a three-volume set published by the WSU Press delineating the Corps' entire journey, both outbound and return, in 1804-06. Volume I, published in September 2000, includes 153 full-page maps of the explorers' route on the Missouri River from Illinois to North Dakota.

The Lewis and Clark Expedition bicentennial is producing an unprecedented flurry of interest in the United States, and an array of commemorative activities are being planned in the regions visited by the Corps of Discovery.During the 28-month trek (1804-06), Captain William Clark dutifully surveyed the expedition's route by taking continual compass readings to determine directions while estimating distances between geographic points. Clark assumed that his painstakingly recorded "surveyed traverse" would be converted into well-crafted, accurate maps by cartographers soon after the journey's completion. For a variety of reasons, this did not occur--until now.By using measurements, notes, maps, and sketches in Clark's records as well as other sources, Martin Plamondon II has accomplished the cartographic reconstruction that Clark expected upon the expedition's return. Volume I is the first of a three-volume set delineating the Corps' journey.The first volume includes 153 full-page maps of the Missouri River from Illinois to North Dakota. In addition to presenting key geographic and historic features, the maps compare the modern beds of rivers to their courses at the time of the exploration. The contrast is striking between what Lewis and Clark saw and what we see today. The ever meandering Missouri River, in particular, has changed its channel hundreds of times since the men of the expedition fought its currents. Even Clark commented on the return trip in 1806 that some sections fo the river were barely recognizable compared to when they passed by two years earlier. Modern America likewise has wrought great change.Of further interest in Volume I are the many excerpts from the expedition diaries, an insightful essay on frontier surveying, and cartographic indexes. Plamondon's years of careful cartographic reconstruction have resulted in a captivating and never-before-seen record of the American West.