Lewis and Clark’s expedition passed through Packer Meadows in 1805 on their way to the Pacific Ocean via Lolo Pass. On their return eastward in 1806 they camped there. We visited a couple centuries later in a rental car, stopping for a few hours that morning so I could do a field painting before we continued west into Idaho. It was a beautiful, quiet spot, and delightfully warm after the frost melted. I enjoyed the challenge of rendering the elongated pyramidal tree forms receding into the smoky atmosphere.
