Carson Pass - History

History

The 1844 Frémont Expedition turned south from northern Nevada. When encamped at Nevada's Carson Valley on January 31, 1844; guide Kit Carson suggested the expedition detour west during the winter conditions to Sutter's Fort in California for supplies. Local Washoe Indians told them of a route through the mountains, but warned them not to proceed through the snow. Frémont duly ignored the advice and directed the group westward. The Washoe were right in that they would not be able to find food or game, and they ended up resorting to eating dog, horse, and mule just to survive. On February 14, Frémont and his cartographer Charles Preuss made it up Red Lake Peak and became the first white men to see Lake Tahoe in the distance. On February 21, the expedition made it through the now-named Carson pass west of Red Lake and arrived at Sutter's Fort on March 6 with no fatalities.

In 1849, Mormons built a wagon trail (Carson Trail) through the Carson Pass from Sly Park, California to the Carson Valley. The road was later extended through the Carson Spur around the north shore of Silver Lake, and southwest to Jackson (California State Route 88 through the pass uses this southern route).