ro f ino ▁and ▁Pier ce . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁Clear water ▁River ▁and ▁L olo ▁Pass , ▁in ▁the ▁sout heast ▁corner ▁of ▁the ▁county , ▁were ▁made ▁famous ▁by ▁the ▁expl oration ▁of ▁Lewis ▁and ▁Clark ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 th ▁century . ▁Following ▁an ▁ar du ous ▁tre k ▁through ▁the ▁B itter root ▁Mountains , ▁suffering ▁through ▁a ▁mid - Se ptember ▁snow st orm ▁and ▁near ▁star v ation , ▁the ▁Corps ▁of ▁Disc overy ▁expedition ▁camp ed ▁with ▁the ▁Ne z ▁Per ce ▁tribe ▁on ▁the ▁Wei ppe ▁Pra irie ▁outside ▁of ▁present - day ▁Wei ppe ▁in ▁ 1 8 0 5 . ▁ ▁With ▁the ▁assistance ▁of ▁the ▁Ne z ▁Per ce , ▁the ▁expedition ▁recuper ated ▁and ▁constructed ▁burn ed - out ▁can o es ▁at ▁C ano e ▁Camp ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 8 0 5 ▁and ▁then ▁p add led ▁down ▁the ▁Clear water , ▁S nake , ▁and ▁Columbia ▁rivers ▁and ▁met ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Ocean ▁a ▁month ▁later ▁at ▁present - day ▁Ast oria , ▁Oregon . ▁ ▁E lias ▁D . ▁Pier ce ▁and ▁Wil bur ▁F . ▁Bass ett ▁made ▁the ▁first ▁discovery ▁of ▁gold ▁in ▁Id aho , ▁on ▁O ro f ino ▁Creek ▁( Can al ▁Gul ch ) ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 0 , ▁ ▁north ▁of ▁present - day ▁Pier ce . ▁ ▁Until ▁ 1 9 0 4 , ▁Clear water ▁County ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁Sh osh one ▁County ▁to ▁the