John C. Fremont crossed the pass in Jan 1844. His party was surveying the western boundary of the Nevada Basin but due to cold weather they were forced to search for a route across the Sierra Nevada and the warmth of California's central valley. Due to difficult terrain and deep snow (weather estimates indicate snowfall was significantly below normal at the time), he was forced to abandon his cannon on Jan 29, 1844 after crossing the pass (from Fremont's log). It is unclear if the cannon has ever been found.