Sagebrushers battle the elements for cannon
The Nevada-UNLV rivalry is epitomized by a cannon, which stays in the possession of the winning team after each game. The winning team then paints it blue, or sometimes red, representing the team’s colors. It’s the largest rivalry trophy in the nation. It’s also complete bullshit.
The trophy is a sham replica of the cannon that American explorer John C. Fremont left in 1843 in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The cannon remains in the mountains—undiscovered.
Emerson Marcus
Julian Rhodes
That is why The Nevada Sagebrush sent two brave, some may say beast-like, journalists to explore the mountains in search of John C. Fremont’s Cannon.
This is The Quest for the Fremont Cannon.
Nevada Sagebrush Arts and Entertainment Editor Julian Rhodes made sure to check his Farmer’s Almanac before planning the trip. He decided, with Sports Editor Emerson Marcus, to leave Reno Friday and head 110 miles south to Bridgeport, Calif., where Fremont said, in his diaries, he left the cannon.
Before heading on the US-395 trail, the explorers set out to a local trading post named McDonald’s and, in accordance with Fremont’s personal morning rituals, began the journey with McGriddles (otherwise known as the sandwich that makes you cream your pants).
After appeasing their ferocious hunger, Rhodes and Marcus began their trailblazing. Immediately upon reaching city limits, Rhodes claimed the land just south of Damonte Ranch. Rhodes’ road was marked to roughly distinguish the beginning point of the journey from the rest of the epic trail.
But land-claiming was not what they set out to do. Fremont’s cannon was still rusting in the mountainous lands of Eastern California.
Fremont’s exploration of the American West was one of the most historic in the nation’s history. Fremont, with Kit Carson and crew, left Missouri with strong hearts and a desire driven by Manifest Destiny. The area out west was crawling with Indians and Fremont didn’t want to simply set out with pistols and revolvers for self-defense. Instead, he set out with a mountain howitzer.
There was a letter sent from Washington D.C., trying to stop Fremont from leaving Missouri with the large cannon, but before the letter denying his request returned, Fremont had already left and officially violated the laws of the United States War Department.
For months, Fremont traveled with the cannon, but in the middle of January 1844 the gang disposed of the cannon in the Sierra Nevada Mountains between the West Walker River and Bridgeport, Calif., because it became too heavy to carry.
And now, Marcus and Rhodes, two of Nevada’s bravest men, ventured through rugged terrains such as Thunder Canyon, Rock Bottom Road and the treacherous Chocolate Nugget, in hopes of reliving the journey of Carson and Fremont themselves. Their journey to Bridgeport proved challenging as wild alpacas cornered them on more than one occasion, Basque sheepherders tried to run them off and valleys of sleeping cattle anticipated their trek with sudden stampedes.
It was not an easy journey, but after two hours of some of the most lethal obstacles known to man, they made it. The River (103.7 FM) had proved a useful tool, staying in reach of the men throughout the trip.
Upon reaching the town, however, new obstacles arose. Rhino’s, the local pub, played host to rugged mountain men, beastly hunters and cowboys. Marcus and Rhodes attempted to make conversation with the locals, but a skirmish broke out after Marcus won a game of dice at the bar. The fight lasted 30 seconds, while Marcus and his flannel-wearing, sleeveless opponent tumbled in and out of the bar with cartoon-like dust surrounding the fight.
Rhodes forced the two fighters to stop and asked the bartender if he or anyone else knew where the Fremont Cannon was. The bartender then dropped the drink he was making and said, “No! There’s no cannon here, never was. I think it’s time for you fellas to leave.”
Rhodes and Marcus left. It was becoming clear that the small town of Bridgeport was hiding something, trying to steer the explorers astray because they were learning something the townspeople didn’t want them to learn.
The Sagebrush writers then headed to their campsite, hoping they could find the cannon before next week’s issue.
Julian Rhodes and Emerson Marcus will search for the Fremont Cannon once a month. If you have clues, hints and tips, e-mail emarcus@nevadsagebrush.com.
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October 14th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Before you two “brave journalists” go calling anything “complete B.S” or “a sham replica” you should do your homework. I have the original documents (dated November 26, 1970) published by Tyson Curtis Wilson, Inc. (Kennecot Copper Company’s advertising agency) when the Fremont Cannon replica was presented to the University of Nevada. This pamphlet includes a condensed history of the original Fremont Cannon, “Instuctions for Mountain Artillery” (from an 1851 US Army manual) and details of how the replica was constructed. Let me know if you want a copy of it, but please show some respect for both cannons.
If you still want to find the original Fremont Cannon, you should start here:
http://www.longcamp.com/pray.html
And visit the Nevada State Museum in Carson City. Good Luck.
John A. Hill
Class of 1973