Salida in Chaffee County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Christmas 1806
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 11, 2010
1. Christmas 1806 Marker
Frustrated in their attempt to climb Pikes Peak on November 27, 1806, Zebulon Pike and his party of 15 trudged on through South Park looking for the Red River, southern boundary of the Louisiana Purchase. After crossing Trout Creek Pass, the explorers came again to the Arkansas River, with food perilously low. On Christmas Eve two hunting parties shot eight buffalo, and Christmas Day was spent near the mouth of Squaw Creek (one-half mile to the south) feasting on buffalo and repairing equipment.
Early in 1807 Pike crossed into the San Luis Valley at the Great Sand Dunes and built a log stockade (reconstructed as a State Historical Monument) on the Conejos River near present La Jara, where he was taken prisoner by the Spanish.
Erected 1964 by State Historical Society of Colorado. (Marker Number 130.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Exploration • Indigenous Peoples and Communities • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the History Colorado series list. A significant historical date for this entry is December 25, 1806.
Location. 38° 35.527′ N, 106° 5.101′ W.
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Colorado’s Arkansas River Valley, in the Colorado High Rockies and on the Continental Divide. It is also in the American Mountain West. Globally, it is in North America, the Rocky Mountains, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Pike Explores the Valley (a few steps from this marker); Finding Our Roots (a few steps from this marker); New Faces Along the River (a few steps from this marker); The Faces of Industry (approx. 4.3 miles away); Remnant of an Era (approx. 4.3 miles away); A Valley Landmark (approx. 4.3 miles away); The Roof of the Rockies (approx. 4.9 miles away); Cities in the Wilderness (approx. 4.9 miles away).
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 11, 2010
2. Christmas 1806 Marker
The top edge of the marker is carved and painted to represent the mountain peaks seen in the background.
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker.
Also see . . . Pike Expedition (Wikipedia).
Excerpt: The Pike Expedition (July 15, 1806 July 1, 1807) was a military effort authorized by the United States government to explore the south and west of the recent Louisiana Purchase. Roughly contemporaneous with the Lewis and Clark Expedition, it was led by United States Army Lieutenant Zebulon Pike, Jr. (He was promoted to captain while on the trip.) It was the first official American effort to explore the western Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains in present-day Colorado.(Submitted on November 28, 2013, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 17, 2026. It was originally submitted on November 28, 2013, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 16,566 times since then and 538 times this year. Last updated on December 27, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on November 28, 2013, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
