Canyon Passage

Logan Stuart, an ambitious freight company owner, prepares to escort Lucy Overmire from Portland to Jacksonville, a rugged mining settlement in the Oregon Territory. The journey begins with the shipment of goods, highlighting Logan’s role as a freight operator. Lucy, engaged to Logan's best friend George Camrose, accompanies him on this expedition.

Logan is attacked in his hotel room overnight, which he defends himself against, suspecting Honey Bragg as the assailant due to previous encounters. Logan later finds the burglar thrown out of a broken window, fueling his suspicion that Bragg might be involved in criminal activities related to murdered miners.

During their overland trek, Logan and Lucy stop at Ben Dance’s homestead, where Logan introduces Lucy to Caroline Marsh, his girlfriend. The journey showcases the rough frontier life along with developing romantic tensions and the bonding of the travelers.

In Jacksonville, Logan attempts to intervene in George’s gambling pursuits, even giving him money to settle his debts. Meanwhile, George secretly steals gold dust from miners' pouches, revealing his hidden greed and mounting moral compromise.

Bragg continues to provoke Logan, leading to a midtown fight where Logan emerges victorious but avoids killing Bragg. Humiliated, Bragg later tries to run Logan down with his horse, escalating the animosity between them.

George, dealing with his theft and secret flirtations, plans to leave town to start anew. Lucy and George set a wedding date, although George’s actions lead to growing suspicion among the townspeople.

Logan proposes marriage to Caroline Marsh, who accepts, causing disappointment for Lucy and complicating the romantic triangle. Meanwhile, Logan's loyalty to his freight business remains central to his character.

While traveling to San Francisco to buy a wedding dress with Lucy, they are ambushed by Bragg. Their horses are shot dead, but they manage to escape and return to Jacksonville, discovering George is in trouble for his crimes.

George kills a miner to hide his theft when confronted about gold deposits. His crimes are uncovered, leading to a makeshift town trial, where guilt is established. He is then imprisoned, and a lynch mob forms to execute him.

As tensions with local tribes escalate, Logan refuses to ally with Bragg, who had previously attacked a woman. Bragg is killed by the Indians, and Logan and his posse fight to defend the settlers, suffering losses along the way.

With George dead and Caroline choosing Vane Blazier over Logan, Lucy and Logan realize their love for each other. They decide to leave the frontier life behind and ride into the sunset, accompanied by Hi Linnet singing 'Ole Buttermilk Sky'.