Getting Lost

royal gorge

 Eventually, Pike and his crew came to the Royal Gorge.   Because of the narrowness of the gorge, they tried to find another  way west. At this point they began a series of  ineffective treks that basically  led them in circles and got them lost. Eventually, Pike came to the Arkansas River again, mistaking it for the Red River that he was searching for. . From here, Pike and a couple of his men went North to locate and map the headwaters of the river while the rest of the party went South. Four days later Pike returned to the main group. They then spent Christmas near the center of Colorado . Thinking they were now following the Red River, and that their mission was complete, they started moving back downstream. Pike then  came to the Royal Gorge again and realized their mistake. From here they turned south and   struggled up the canyon of Grape Creek and entered the Wet Mountain Valley, which is in South Colorado.