BUST - Part 3 : The California Emigrant Trail / Crossing the Great Divide

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
With the Great Platte River Road behind us, we made our way up into the Rockies and to the point where the east and west are truly divided. I am of course talking about the Continental Divide or what many emigrants referred to as, the Great Divide. It would be on this length of trail that the once flat and featureless landscape would give way to a much rougher but more scenic one. In this 3rd Episode of BUST, you'll get to see us visit to the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center in Casper, Wyoming, make a stop over at Red Buttes Crossing and Ryan Hill before climbing our way to the top of Independence Rock and to read the countless names that have been carved into it. You'll also get to see geological wonders such as Devil's Gate, Split Rock and the Ice Slough and all before taking a replica of a Mormon hand cart for a pull over at Martin's Cove. Finally, you'll get to see us crossing the Great Divide at South Pass and then end our day at the Parting of Ways. We hope you enjoy.


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It's hard to imagine but, up until the 1830's, there were only a handful of people in America who had successfully traveled to California and across what was then only known as, the Great American Desert. Most of these people were trappers, traders and missionaries and it wouldn't be until the 1840's that a more defined route was established by early settlers and given the name, The California Trail. Thanks to the discovery of Gold in 1848, there would ultimately be tens of thousands of people who would make the arduous four month journey, one that started along the banks of the Missouri River and ultimately ended in the goldfields of California. Along the way, they would cover over 2,000 miles, cross deep rivers, tall mountains and an unforgiving desert and all at a time when there were no roads, no stores, no hospitals, no laws and no second chances.

For years, Cindy and I had been wondering if it was possible to retrace the California Trail from beginning to end, as closely as possible to the original route and as much as possible, all on dirt. Along the way, we would make stops at historical sites, see deep ruts carved into the hillsides from the thousands of wagons that passed through before us and follow geological landmarks that early pioneers used to guide their way. After two years of extensive research, careful planning and plotting a viable route, we finally set off to make that trek, in our Jeep Wrangler and this video series chronicles our journey.


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UPDATE: And, the person who came the closest to guessing how long Episode 4 would be is...

2 much fun! ��. Awesome video!

Part 4: 26:30

Congratulations Rachel! :thumb:
 

rubiDave

Active Member
Another excellent episode! Very cool you got to drive some of the trail off pavement. Can't wait for the final installment, I'm going to watch them all again back to back when its released.

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TrailHunter

Hooked
This series just gets better and better. So much History.... and “Trail Bud” to keep everyone laughing.

Part 4 - 18:31
 
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USMC Wrangler

New member
Very fun to watch and each episode makes me want to make this trek someday. The ice slough was particularly interesting to me.

Part 4 guess, 20:01

Thanks again for another great video! [emoji1303]
 

Clearskies

Caught the Bug
Just as I was thinking it wouldn't be a Wayalife video without a night time breakdown you said it. Perfect.
Glad it was minor.
I've always been fascinated with the travel west of the wagon trains. Glad you did it, the only thing that would make it better is me doing it..

:thumb:
 

Trail Bud

Hooked
Man I’m lovin’ it!!! The continental divide!!!, the Oregon Trail split!!! The grass lands!!!
It was such a magnificent trip/ life event!!!
I’m smiling. :).

And Tony and everyone it was SOOO much fun!

I still love you Tony. ;)
 
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Edwrds

Caught the Bug
Part 4 -23minutes.

So amazing how the trail is still visible and some of the markers are still there and haven’t been vandalized.


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WJCO

Meme King
Very cool. Hard to believe that what they went through was just a little over one century ago.
 

cozdude

Guy with a Red 2-Door
Awesome video! Leave it to Doug to have something go wrong to make a night wheeling trip take even longer lol
 

Brute

Hooked
I love history. George Santayana said it best...”Those that do not study history are doomed to repeat it”. I love history.
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Really tempted to fire this up on my drive home from South Lake this evening lol

LOL - hope you were able to watch our video safely and that you enjoyed it :)

Another excellent episode! Very cool you got to drive some of the trail off pavement. Can't wait for the final installment, I'm going to watch them all again back to back when its released.

Awesome! Glad to hear they're interesting enough to watch again :)

This series just gets better and better. So much History.... and “Trail Bud” to keep everyone laughing.

Part 4 - 18:31

LOL - good times with Trail Bud for sure :)

Very fun to watch and each episode makes me want to make this trek someday. The ice slough was particularly interesting to me.

Part 4 guess, 20:01

Thanks again for another great video! [emoji1303]

It's a trip that every American should want to make if only so that they can get a glimpse of what it took for this country to become what it is today.

Love the history! Thanks guys!

So glad to hear it :)

Just as I was thinking it wouldn't be a Wayalife video without a night time breakdown you said it. Perfect.
Glad it was minor.
I've always been fascinated with the travel west of the wagon trains. Glad you did it, the only thing that would make it better is me doing it..

:thumb:

LOL - you had to know it was coming :)

2 much fun! 🤣. Awesome video!

Part 4: 26:30

Having been on trips with us, you know we can't make this shit up. Good times always :)

Man I’m lovin’ it!!! The continental divide!!!, the Oregon Trail split!!! The grass lands!!!
It was such a magnificent trip/ life event!!!
I’m smiling. :).

And Tony and everyone it was SOOO much fun!

I still love you Tony. ;)

I'm sure he loves you TWO ;)
 

wayoflife

Administrator
Staff member
Part 4 -23minutes.

So amazing how the trail is still visible and some of the markers are still there and haven’t been vandalized.

The trail is officially a part of the Nation Parks Service and great effort is made by many non-profit groups to help preserve it. It really is nice.

More and more memories. Love it!! Looking forward to Part 4.:clap2:

Good times for sure :)

Very cool. Hard to believe that what they went through was just a little over one century ago.

Hard to believe how much hasn't changed since then or at least, in terms of what the landscape looks like today.

This is so cool. The fact you can still see the swells from the wagons is amazing.

I think the wagon swales you can still see today is what Cindy and I love the most.

Awesome video! Leave it to Doug to have something go wrong to make a night wheeling trip take even longer lol

LOL - I think it was because of it and the fact that we didn't pull into town until 3am that made this day the most memorable. :yup:

I love history. George Santayana said it best...”Those that do not study history are doomed to repeat it”. I love history.

And that's what troubles me the most. Not only do so many people not know their history, so many are so eager to erase any and all traces of it and all because they are offended by it.
 

pop2tu

Active Member
What an awesome video yet again. In one part of the video you where looking at the swells from the wagons, it looked like the vegetation still hadn’t fully grown back after all these years. Thank you for sharing next video I’m guessing to be 19:21


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