An afternoon with Jim

An Afternoon Work Party on the Oregon Trail

What I find amazing about Idaho are the people. I run into more accomplished dedication people who just “Get It!”

I just finished reading the diary of Diary of James Akin, JR. his notes are posted online at the Idaho State University’s website.

On the Oregon Trail near what I interpreted as South East of what was to be Mountain Home;

Monday August 23, 1852 “Mother was buried about 10 o'clock in the morning about 200 yards above the crossing of the river. Travel eight miles to a spring.”

Tuesday, August 24 “Lay by 'till noon; Moses Rhodes died in the morning. Travel 11 miles; good roads; camp on Dry Creek; water scarce; grass plenty.” Wednesday,

August 25 "Travel 15 miles; good roads, but hilly; plenty grass all the time; wood and water plenty; passed boiling hot springs; camp on beautiful creek."

What possessed pioneers to travel for months to an unknown destination, realizing that many of their fellow travelers would perish along this journey? What call to action could be so intense?

I have a fascination about the Oregon Trail that is bordering on an obsession. My grandparents settled near the Cherokee trail during the Oklahoma land run; perhaps that spirit of adventure has been passed down.

When I had a chance to attend the board of directors meeting for the Idaho Chapter of the Oregon California Trails Association (I-OCTA) in Fairfield on October the 13th I jumped at the chance. After the organizational work was completed I offered my assistance to James W. McGill I-OCTA Trails Preservation Officer. He immediately offered me an “invite” for the trail marking party the next day. It’s amazing how often I get my foot in the door with great people by just asking to assist. Nancy and I left mountain home the next morning looking in our rear view mirror to see this.

http://marsman.smugmug.com/photos/209990824-M.jpg

We caught up with Jim at the rest stop near highway 20 and 75 about 100 miles down the road; he and Patty were busy preparing markers for the day. Being a map nut myself I was way impressed with his preparation.

http://marsman.smugmug.com/photos/210012026-M.jpg

Jim had studied the BLM maps of the area, they showed what he thought was the Jeffery Goodale cutoff of the Oregon Trail.

http://marsman.smugmug.com/photos/210013391-M.jpg

He had then studied satellite views of the area and with his keen eye could tell where the swells were.

We passed a bit of private farm land but as soon as we hit BLM land the markers started to hit the ground.

http://marsman.smugmug.com/photos/209996947-M-1.jpg

They use a simple fence post driver adapted for the Carsonite markers that are amazingly rigid and withstand incredible forces, as they get driven into the ground.

http://marsman.smugmug.com/photos/210005901-M.jpg

Jim took the time to explain what and why we were marking the trail as we continued.

http://marsman.smugmug.com/photos/210013836-M.jpg

Many of the swells are quite evident, if you know what to look for. Jim was a few years my senior and I insisted on carrying the heavy marker driver as we hiked out onto the first unmarked areas, I didn’t always win.

http://marsman.smugmug.com/photos/210019299-M.jpg

Jim strode along like a mountain goat on rocky ground, carrying the post driver like some member of a military drill team. It was also very evident that he had the endurance to walk me into the ground in just a few minutes, I consider myself to be better than normal physical condition. I now have another person to file away was a mentor, some one that I can reflect on when making decisions.

http://marsman.smugmug.com/photos/210013836-M.jpg

His description of the Goodale Cutoff was superb. Looking at this picture you can see the trail as a “swell” as Jim calls them. Hearing some one with that much knowledge standing on the trail in an informal setting has got to be the closest thing, other than being on the trail 150 years ago, there is. He explained, “Some historians claim the Goodale Cuttoff extended the westward immigrant expansion 7 to 10 years.” He went on to say that many had tried to establish this route but Goodale was the only one who could navigate the area consistently, marking the trail as he went, just like Jim was doing.

http://marsman.smugmug.com/photos/210008254-M.jpg

Standing on the old trail and looking towards Fairfield and viewing the next Butte was awesome. I continue to hear different stories but Jim said the death rate was measured per mile, I have heard figures that up to twenty percent of these pioneers lost their lives along the Oregon Trail. I-OCTA has continued to find gravesites along the route and mark them.

http://marsman.smugmug.com/photos/210016783-M.jpg

At one point Jim thought the current map was way off course. We started exploring the area and then found the trail in the most unlikely place! To see the look of excitement on Jims face when he realized we were on ground that most likely had not been used since the migration made the trip even better.

http://marsman.smugmug.com/photos/210019136-M.jpg

The swells had eroded into 6 foot deep ruts in some places but other areas were intact. Jim said this is pristine class one Oregon Trail rutting. His enthusiasm grew as we hiked into the area. I volunteered to carry the steel marker-driver, I realized what great condition he was when I started to feel my pulse rate climb. I could tell he wasn’t feeling the effort at all. After setting 3 markers in the new area we headed back so that we could drive to the other side then hike in from the other direction with more markers.

http://marsman.smugmug.com/photos/210022795-M.jpg

We set another 5 markers we called it a day, we could see highway 20. Jim had marked that area to Fairfield the day before.

http://marsman.smugmug.com/photos/210013061-M.jpg

Patti the other half of McGill team kept a keen eye out for evidence and is a big part of their successful work parties.

We headed back and ended another great afternoon adventure.

A few weeks before Jim, Patti and other volunteers placed new markers through an area that drops into Syrup Creek, not far from Mountain Home. I look forward to finding them on one of our future outings.