After John C. Fremont and Kit Carson's first expedition, in the publication of Fremont's

account of the trip, the trail to the west was flooded with immigrants who were eager

to find their piece of the Promised Land.

The settlers were burdened with ungainly conestoga wagons and trailing their livestock behind

them.

They sold their farms and invested all they had in a new life they hoped to find across

the mountains.

Sometimes their journeys were more perilous than they expected.

Fremont's glowing report had filled people's minds with vistas of tranquil pastoral land

that were perfect for farms and ranches and were untouched by human footsteps.

Unfortunately, that wasn't quite the truth.

People already lived in the western territories and they were unaware that white settlers

were coming to claim what they considered their land.

Even though Carson and Fremont had little contact with Native American tribes on their

journey, that wasn't going to remain true for those who came in the future.

Sometimes things resolved peacefully, but not always.

And the weather was another constant concern.

For the slow journeys of heavily loaded wagons, timing of the seasons was crucial.

During the mountain passes was dangerous enough, but facing a snowstorm sometimes made for

a fatal meeting of man versus nature and nature usually one.

But while the migration started, Kit Carson was home in Tauce in the northern part of the

future territory and then state of New Mexico.

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