Home August 10

August 10

Camp Name

No Name

Daylight

13 hours / 49 minutes

Brightness of the Moon

13%

Distance Traveled

4.25 leagues / 11.8 miles

Weather

Heavy & severe downpour, rain & cold

Water Resources

La Plata River, East Fork of Cherry Creek, East Fork of the Mancos River

Journal Description for August 10th

On the 10th—although Padre Fray Francisco Atanasio awoke in bad condition because of a rheumy flow62Father Domínguez had caught a bad head cold with its attendant runny nose. in his face and head which he had begun experiencing the day before, and it was necessary to tarry awhile until he could breathe better—the steady rains, the weather’s inclemency, and the great humidity of the place forced us to leave it by heading north; after going a little more than a league we turned northwest. We traveled one league and turned west through very pleasant narrow valleys with woods, very abundant with pastures, with different blooms and flowers, and after about two leagues a very thick downpour caught us again. Padre Fray Francisco Atanasio got worse, the trail became impossible [sic], and so, after very painfully traveling another two leagues to the west, we found our¬selves obliged to halt at the edge of the first rivulet of the two which make up the San Lázaro63The Mancos River. Campsite was on the East Mancos River just before its confluence with the main Mancos River. — or the Mancos by another name. The pasturages continued in great abundance. Today four leagues and a half.64About 11.8 miles..

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Notable Event

Padre Fray Francisco Atanasio was very sick with what apparently was a bad cold, and the weather was wet, cold and miserable, making the trail nearly impassible toward the end of the day.

D&E and Crew Activity

“Padre Fray Francisco Atanasio awoke in bad condition because of a rheumy flow in his face and head . . .

Miller Report Summary

Colorado State Highway 160 parallels the course of the trail most of the way between Hesperus and the East Mancos River. The expedition reached that stream just upstream from its confluence with the West Mancos—the two branches form the Mancos River. The camp was some three miles east-northeast of the present town of Mancos. The Spanish party remained there two days, August 10 and 11, because Father Dominguez was ill.

DEEEP’s Field Notes
Copyright © 2024, DEEEP Colorado. All Rights Reserved.
August 10, 1776
By Robert McDaniel: DEEEP Team Member

As mentioned in my analysis for August 9th, I believe the expedition camped on the La Plata River about two miles south of Hesperus, CO. Their direction of travel on the 10th, as written in the diary, was initially north, then northwest, then west. It’s important to keep in mind that their compass would have been oriented to magnetic north, which was several degrees declination from true north.

Not far from where the expedition turned northwest, the travelers would have crossed a low divide between the La Plata River and Cherry Creek, and with high hills on their left (south) and the La Plata Mountains on their right (north), the terrain dictated that they follow Cherry Creek into what’s now known as Thompson Park. Proceeding west across this broad park, the expedition would have ascended Mancos Hill and crossed that divide into the drainage of the Mancos River. Despite Dr. Delaney’s confusing statement that the expedition “probably skirted Mancos Hill to the west . . .” there’s little doubt that they crossed Mancos Hill about where Highway 160 does today since it’s the low spot in the line of hills that separates the drainages of Cherry Creek and the Mancos River.

Because they got caught in another heavy downpour, the trail became nearly impassable, and Father Domínguez’s condition worsened, the expedition likely camped on the East Mancos River (which is actually a small creek) as soon as they reached it. As Dr. Delaney wrote, “There is a sense of urgency in Escalante’s words, suggesting that they would have camped at the first water and good pasturage.” Their camp would have been about three miles ENE of the town of Mancos, and they remained in this camp the following day (August 11th) because of Father Domínguez’s condition.

A stream with clear, flowing water is surrounded by trees with golden autumn leaves under a partly cloudy sky. The stream's banks are lined with rocks and greenery, while mountains appear faintly in the distant background.
On August 10th, after tarrying awhile in camp waiting for Father Dominguez to feel better, the constant rains and chilly weather compelled the expedition to leave camp on the La Plata River. Traveling north a little more than a league put them in the area of present-day Hesperus, CO, where they turned northwest. This photo looks north-northwest up the La Plata River just north of Hesperus, about where the expedition made this change of direction. Photo by Robert L. McDaniel October 8, 2022
A lush, green valley with rolling hills and scattered bushes stretches into the distance. A few houses and buildings are visible near a winding road that cuts through the landscape. The sky is clear and bright blue, indicating a sunny day.
After traveling a league northwest and crossing a low divide that separates the La Plata River drainage from that of Cherry Creek (a tributary of the La Plata River), the expedition followed the valley of Cherry Creek to Thompson Park. This photo looks down the Cherry Creek valley, which Escalante described as a “very pleasant narrow [valley] with woods, very abundant with pastures, with different blooms and flowers . . .” U.S. Highway 160, visible in the photo, follows this same route today. Photo by Robert L. McDaniel July 8, 2023
A rural landscape featuring a few small houses and barns scattered across a vast, green field. The field is bordered by a wire fence and surrounded by rolling hills covered with trees and vegetation under a clear, blue sky.
This view of Thompson Park looks west to Mancos Hill, the low pass that separates the drainage of Cherry Creek and the Mancos River on the far side of the pass. The road cut of Highway 160 runs diagonally from the upper right to upper left center in the photo. Menefee Mountain, with communications towers visible on top, is seen in the distance beyond Mancos Hill. At this point, the expedition was again caught in a heavy downpour, making the way forward nearly impassable. Photo by Robert L. McDaniel July 8, 2023
A panoramic view of a lush green valley with scattered bushes and trees, bordered by rolling hills under a clear blue sky.
The expedition likely crossed Mancos Hill about where Highway 160 crosses, although in the pouring rain, they may not have been able to easily discern the path of least resistance. This photo looks north-northwest down the valley of a minor southern tributary of the Mancos River. The East Mancos River runs from right to left in the distance beyond the hills on the left. Escalante has the expedition traveling west at this point, but they would have traveled in a more northerly direction to follow this valley between high hills. In the pouring rain through terrain that was nearly impassible, Escalante may not have easily been able to determine directions. Photo by Robert L. McDaniel July 8, 2023
Mancos River with bushes and trees along the banks and hills in the background.
With Padre Fray Francisco Atanasio getting worse and the continuing rain and cold, the expedition camped on the Rio San Lazaro (Mancos River, east fork) as soon as they reached it. This photo is taken from Montezuma County 44 Road where it crosses the East Mancos. The expedition likely camped just upstream from this location. The view is about southeast, looking back toward where the expedition traveled down the valley from Mancos Hill. The expedition remained in this camp on August 11th despite the cold and damp conditions because Padre Fray Francisco Atanasio was exhausted, sick and feverish. Photo by Robert L. McDaniel October 8, 2022
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