The Snake & Clearwater Rivers
Today we divided our explorations between two wonderful options. About half the group went off to Idaho to plant their feet in some of the same places as our two fine captains, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. The rest boarded a swift jetboat and headed up into the far reaches of the Snake River Canyon.
The fall run of steelhead is on right now and from the jet boat we watched several fishermen pulling in those beautiful silvery salmonids. Steelhead are a sea-run rainbow trout that, like the Pacific salmon, migrate upstream to spawn. Soon we left behind the twin towns of Lewiston, Idaho and Clarkston, Washington and the canyon walls began to rise above us. As the river narrowed and the walls steepened, Pat, our boat captain, told us stories about paddlewheeler mishaps, mining, and the early days of settlement in this rugged and remote place.
We thoroughly enjoyed our good fortune in finding Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep in two places along the river banks. These elusive high altitude animals are getting ready for the fall rutting season and a mixed gender herd of mostly young animals were contentedly munching leaves near the water.
Over in the Clearwater River Valley, local historian Lin Laughy led us by bus through the land of the Nez Perce and explained their culture and history and the large role they played in the success of Lewis and Clark as they passed this area in both 1805 and 1806.
We stopped at seven places, including Saddle Cache Camp (where the Expedition stored their saddles while further west), on the bank of the Clearwater just across from where Lewis and Clark camped with the Nez Perce on their return journey while waiting for the snow to thaw in the Bitterroots, and Treaty Council Camp (Chief Broken Arm’s lodge site).
After lunch in the picturesque town of Kamiah, we learned surivial skills such as rope and fire making from Lee Hamilton at the legendary location of the origin of the Nez Perce (Heart of the Monster) before stopping at Canoe Camp where the Expedition fashioned dugouts from huge ponderosa pine trees.
Both groups converged at the headquarters of the Nez Perce National Historic Park where we learned more about the culture and history of the Nez Perce, and their role in helping Lewis and Clark in their historic journey.
