Islands in Hell’s Canyon
Clear skies meant a balmy day as we boarded jet boats this morning and sped into Hell’s Canyon. With the crisp fall weather, the leaves of the few trees able to get a waters edge foothold were starting to turn. Offset against sun baked hillsides were trees blazing brilliant gold and sumac igniting fiery red.
While we started with basaltic columns lined up as neat as fence posts (shown in the first photo), the geology changed, and abruptly at that. Limestone, and then pillow lava’s. Ancient island arcs had docked onto the coastal beaches of Idaho millions of years ago, today this aberration in the geologic landscape is known as “exotic terrane.”
We traveled as far as Dug Bar. In 1877 Chief Joseph and his band crossed the Snake River here as they left their homes in Oregon for the reservation in Idaho. Upon our return to the Sea Bird, we had the opportunity to visit the Nez Perce National Historical Park. At the Park, our Interpretive Ranger answered our many questions and shared with us a variety of finely crafted items from the Park’s collections. A pair of gauntlets made by Viola Morris is a part of the collection (modeled in the second photo.) These are patterned after gauntlets obtained from traders. The intricate beadwork portrays Appaloosa horses. In the early 1700’s the Nez Perce acquired the horse, they soon became well known for selective breeding of their herds.
When the Corps of Discovery crossed the Bitterroots and entered Nez Perce territory, the Nez Perce people graciously received them. This was fortunate for the expedition, as they were quite low on food supplies. Unfortunately, the radical change in diet of dried salmon and camas root played havoc on the digestive systems of the men. Dr. Rush’s “thunderbolt” pills were dispensed with a near abandon, much to the continued distress of the recipients. Their ills were soon overcome and they were able once again to proceed on.
