How did Zebulon Pike contribute to the westward espansion of the United States?

General Zebulon Montgomery Pike (1779-1813) was a contemporary of Lewis and Clark and he was an early explorer of the territory of Louisiana and the area around the Arkansas and the Red rivers. He also trekked across the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains, and he published his findings in a book. Pikes Peak, in Colorado, was named in his honor, although he was not able to reach its summit.