tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8144412872099377367.post1750221622395798938..comments2024-03-12T17:35:28.786-06:00Comments on South Fork Companion: Mountain Man Osborne Russell Becomes a "Free" Trapper [otd 12/20]Revue Guruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10925903211294652386noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8144412872099377367.post-73200032534200605942016-12-22T11:23:34.176-07:002016-12-22T11:23:34.176-07:00Marcus: I think you’ve nailed it! Took me awhile t...Marcus: I think you’ve nailed it! Took me awhile to find it on my topo map (I was looking too close to Lava), but the knoll shows up clearly when I found it. (It is also very obvious on the Google satellite image.) According to the elevations, the high point of the hill is about 150 feet above the river plain. Of course, the likely connection between Mutton Hill and “Sheep Island” is pretty suggestive. On my topo map, the sloughs left from the older river course also show up very clearly. But here’s the clincher in my mind: That spot is very close to 40 miles from the location of Old Fort Hall. Osborne Russell was often amazingly accurate in his estimations of distance -- I spent a lot of time with his Journal and my topo maps proving it for several other cases.<br />Revue Guruhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10925903211294652386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8144412872099377367.post-37894284932989056432016-12-22T09:54:33.226-07:002016-12-22T09:54:33.226-07:00There is some uncertainty about the location of th...There is some uncertainty about the location of the Mutton Hill but it is my opinion that it is just downstream from Lava Hot Springs near East Topaz Rd. off of Hwy 30. There is a pretty good-sized juniper-covered hill that rises between the main highway (Hwy 30) and the Old Oregon Trail Highway just to the north. The river meanders a lot there and the east side of the hill, along the river, would have probably have been a good place to camp. You can see it on the drive between McCammon and Lava. I have been told it was called sheep island because it was surrounded by an oxbow that is now barely visible. Jim Bridger is also said to have used it for a camp. This is about the most sheltered and advantageous place to camp for a long way around. And I suppose this would be about 40 miles southeast of where old Fort Hall stood. I can't think of a better candidate for the site of old Mutton Hill. <br />Marcus9957https://www.blogger.com/profile/08447435153694718855noreply@blogger.com