The Clearwater Story: A History of the Clearwater National Forest

Trapping is the oldest use made of what is now the Clearwater National Forest. The Forest Service kept no records of the trappers, so it is very difficult to trace their history.

The trappers entered the back country of the Clearwater from both the Montana and Idaho sides. Those from the Idaho side went in from Pierce, Weippe and Kooskia. From the Montana side they went in from Superior, Lolo Hot Springs and Hamilton. Frequently those who lived in Montana and trapped in Idaho would not admit that their traplines went into or were in Idaho. Out-of-state licenses were costly, and after 1920 a large area along the border in Idaho was in a game preserve where trapping was illegal. They said they were trapping in Lapland; that is, where Montana lapped into Idaho. It is a big country and few were ever caught trespassing.

They trapped marten, mink, fox, beaver, otter, lynx, wildcat and coyotes during the winter and black and grizzly bear during the early spring. The marten was the animal trapped the most. When made into fur, it sold on the market as sable and commanded a high price.

In addition to being trappers many of these men worked for the Forest Service during the summer months. Some of them were prospectors when there was no snow to interfere with their work.

Lawrence, commonly called Lu Lu, Lo Lo, or Lolo, was likely the first trapper of the Clearwater. Almost all trappers had a base camp or headquarters. Lolo's base camp was at the meadows on Grave Creek on the Lolo Forest. David Thompson mentions him in his diary of 1809. There is no proof that he trapped in the Lochsa County, but he likely followed the Lolo Trail over the divide. He was killed by a grizzly bear about 1852 and was buried near his cabin on Grave Creek. In 1939 I went to his grave, but a bulldozer has now erased all markers.

From the time of Lolo until trapping practically ceased there were some trappers on the Clearwater Forest, but there are no records to show who the early trappers were. Pete Thompson is credited with being one of the earliest. He homesteaded on Lolo Creek and ran a trap line in both Idaho and Montana in the 1880's but that is about all that is known of him.

Two of the oldest trappers in the Powell Country were the Albury brothers. They covered a lot of country. Their headquarters cabin was where the Lolo Trail crossed Crooked Creek. They also had cabins on Brushy, Storm, Crooked Creeks and elsewhere. They started trapping before 1889.

Franz Koube (or Kube) started trapping in the 1880's and continued until 1912. His headquarters cabin was at Kooskooskia Meadows. He had a cabin at Kube Park and others. (See a further account of him under "Mountain Tragedies").

Franz Kube's cabin in about 1902.

Frank Meeks trapped around Big Sand Lake. When he started is not known, but Westley Phales took over his area in 1898 and trapped until about 1910.

Trappers were few and far between until about 1892 when the so-called Cleveland Panic hit the United States. There was little work, wages were low, the farmers received little for their produce. There was no unemployment compensation at that time. Men turned to trapping and prospecting. As a result almost every area had its trapper. Here are some of the trappers that started trapping in the 1890's (starting at the north part of the Forest and going south):

Chamberlain trapped in the head of the North Fork and in Skull Creek. His area burned over in 1910.

Charlie Smith trapped Isabella and Collins Creeks. His homestead at the mouth of Milk Creek was his base. He had a cabin at the mouth of Isabella Creek and another on Isabella Creek at the mouth of Jug Creek. He had another on Collins Creek near the mouth of Heather Creek. When he became too old to trap Frank Larkin took over his trapline.

Jack Sprague had the Pot Mountain area with cabins on Sprague Creek, Cold Springs and Twin Cabins Creek. After Jack drowned, Ike Dunlap took his area for two years and sold out to William Nesheim. Nesheim abandoned the area after the fire of 1919.

Eugene (Deadshot) Smith trapped Orogrande Creek and the branches of Weitas Creek from the west. He had the Hunch Cabin on Cabin Creek, Leanto, McGerry, which he shared with George Englehorn, and others. He did a lot of talking about his shooting ability and was nicknamed "Deadshot", but actually he was a poor shot.

Jack McGerry trapped around Cook Mountain. He had cabins at the mouth of Fourth of July Creek, Camp George, McGerry and on Gravey Creek. He sold out to George Englehorn in 1906.

The Hansen Brothers were prospectors but they did some trapping in Cayuse Creek from 1902 to 1914.

William Martin had a homestead at Musselshell, but he trapped a little in Lolo Creek. In addition to his homestead buildings he had cabins at the forks of Lolo and Yoosa Creeks and at Camp Martin on the Lolo Trail at the head of Camp Creek.

Frank Peters trapped from Musselshell east along the Lolo Trail. He sold out to John Austin in 1901.

John Austin had a very long trapline and a series of cabins. He headquartered at Musselshell with cabins on Cedar Creek, head of Eldorado, Weitas Meadows, Bald Mountain, Skookum Creek and on the Lochsa above Bald Mt. Creek. He worked for the Forest Service during the summer for many years. He died of cancer.

George Bimerick trapped the drainages that run into the Middle Fork of the Clearwater and the Lochsa Rivers. He must have had a number of cabins, but the only ones I know about were at Bimerick Meadows and on Deadman Creek. Bimerick also served as a Ranger. He farmed in the Kooskia locality when he became too old to trap.

In the Crags was Martin Stanley. I know of only two cabins, but no doubt he had others. One cabin was near Mud Lake and the other at the forks of Surprise and Boulder Creeks. The cabin at the Forks burned in 1910. He failed to return one spring and many suspected that Baliski (see below) murdered him. Later Andy Hjort trapped some of his country and also served as a local game warden.

Baliski was called a Russian although the name is Polish. He was a powerful man. He had a long trapline running from Fish Lake to Elk Summit. He trapped until about 1908. He once swam the Lochsa River at Powell at high water. A man at Powell saw him do it. He took off his clothes and put them in a packsack on his back. He entered the water above the station with the intent of swimming to the island where he would rest before completing the crossing. However, the current was so strong that he missed the island and came ashore about a quarter of a mile below Powell.

Generally speaking trappers did not follow the profession very long. Trapping the high country is extremely hard work. By the time a man reached middle age, he looked for something to do that required less physical exertion. Then there was the trouble these men had with forest fires. Their loss ranged from a cabin or two to being almost completely wiped out. Of course, fires not only destroyed their cabins, but also made their trapping areas non-productive. It was particularly bad on marten areas since the marten live only in mature timber country. Upon leaving an area a trapper would either sell his cabins and traps to a new trapper or just move out and let someone take over or let his buildings fall apart.

Joe Ebberly was a trapper, prospector and Forest Ranger. He had a Nez Perce wife, Margaret Hill, for whom Maggie Creek was named. He dug a tunnel near the Brushy Creek cabin. He had cabins at Crooked Creek and the Fishery. He trapped from about 1902 to 1915.

Westly Phales trapped from 1897 to 1908. He headquartered at Big Sand Lake. He trapped Big Sand and Hidden Creeks.

Charles Powell, an uncle of Ranger Powell, built the first cabin at Powell Station in 1903. He did not stay long.

Fred Shot trapped from about 1908 to 1915.

Bill Bell was a trapper, then a Forest Ranger at Elk Summit, and then a packer at the Remount Depot for many years.

Andrew and Carl Erickson trapped in the Powell country in 1912.

Milt Savage, Bill Woodman, and Elmer Pence were in the Powell Country about 1914. Trappers in the Powell Country in the 1920's were Bill Wionsic and Jay Turner.

Those who trapped in Lapland were Earl Malone, Liege Burrell, and Joe Alkire.

Trappers in the 1930's were Homer McClain, J. Turner, and Bud Moore.

Bud Moore was likely the youngest of all the trappers. Just out of high school, he trapped Crooked Creek and the head of Cayuse Creek. He started working for the Forest Service as a Lookout on McConnell Mountain. In a few years he quit trapping and worked for the Forest Service. Through the years he rose in rank until when he retired he was Assistant Regional Forester in charge of Fire Control in Region One.

Following the huge fires of 1910 and 1919, the North Fork of the Clearwater, the Lower Lochsa and the Middle Fork had few trappers. George Englehorn continued to trap for a few years. The fire of 1919 not only burned several of his cabins, but also ruined his area for trapping. He did extend his area eastward and built the cabin at Saddle Camp in 1920.

Ike Dunlap trapped the Pot Mountain area after Jack Sprague drowned. He sold out to Bill Nesheim but he quit the area after the fire of 1919.

Frank Larkin trapped in the Isabella Creek country from about 1918 to 1923 after Charley Smith became too old to trap.

"Silent" Joe Klukey trapped along the river below the mouth of Isabella Creek from about 1930 to 1954. He died in his cabin opposite the mouth of Benton Creek.

Frank Altmiller took over a part of John Austin's area after Austin died. He confined his trapping to the Lolo Creek Drainage. He headquartered at the old Pioneer Mine.

Joe Fix trapped a winter or two in the canyon of the North Fork of the Clearwater. He had a cabin at the mouth of Fix Creek.

Burt Botts and Bill McDougal worked for the Forest Service during the summer months. They wintered around Bald Mountain and did a little trapping.

Starting in about 1929 the price a trapper could expect for his furs began to decline. Some people attributed the decline to the establishing of fur farms. No doubt this had some effect, but a change of styles probably was the real cause. The number of trappers dropped rapidly. Soon there were only a few trappers who trapped the choice areas. Joe Clark, who trapped predatory animals for the Wildlife Service, continued until about 1954 when he retired. I know of no professional trappers today. Gone are these hardiest of mountaineers; men who struggled through the snow, enduring loneliness, cold, hunger and mountain storms for months, trapping marten, mink, fox and lynx that some unknown lady in a far away city might revel in finery.