Zebulon Pike had next intended to travel…
January 1807 CE
They are not equipped for a mountain expedition, nor for hard winter weather.
Heading north, the party had found the South Fork of the Platte River and, following it upstream, came to what they thought were the headwaters of the Red.
Turning back downstream, they return to the point at which they had left the Arkansas originally.
They have executed a large loop, taking weeks of precious travel time.