In January 1827, Canadian fur trader-explorer Peter Skene Ogden and his men reached the Klamath River and California. They discovered hot springs just south of the Oregon line.
Turning southwest to Cottonwood Creek north of Hornbrook, Ogden noted good soil and a navigable river. He regretted there was no well-marked trail over the Siskiyous that could link Fort Vancouver with the Klamath River by way of the Willamette. He wrote: “It is to be regretted this country has been allowed to remain so long unexplored.” He admonished his men to avoid stealing from nearby tribes and making enemies.
In February, Ogden and his men crossed over “The Mountain” and arrived at the Little Applegate River. A light coating of snow made their journey easy. He wrote, “The first Mountain since my sojourn…that I have succeeded in crossing without sacrificing horses…”
Ogden named several local landmarks. For example, he wrote, “This river I have named Sastise River, also a mount(ain) equal in height to Mount Hood or Vancouver I have named Mount Sastise…I have given these names from the tribe of Indians who are well known by all the neighboring tribes.” Sastise has since become Shasta.
Source: Dillon, Richard. Siskiyou Trail: The Hudson's Bay Company Route to California. First Edition ed. San Francisco: McGraw-Hill, 1975. 17-93. Print.
