Palouse River And Palouse Falls
It was a classic and perfect fall morning as we proceeded with an aquatic exploration of the calm waters of the Palouse River. With a crispness to the air and mirror like water, our fleet of kayaks gracefully sliced through the stillness. The quiet and solitude added to the visual experience of gliding through the surrounding canyons and basalt rock formations. Others of our expeditions opted to use the Zodiacs for their examination of this beautiful area. Several species of birds including red-tailed hawks, northern harriers, black-billed magpie, and raven were seen along with some small groups of mule deer. In addition to the Palouse River we all had the opportunity to visit the dramatic Palouse River Falls which is quite the remarkable waterfall in the middle of the isolated Palouse region of Washington.
Following a delicious deck barbeque, complete with build your own ice cream sundaes, it was time for a leisure cruise down the final 60 miles of the Snake River. Guillotine gates were again in vogue at our locks at Lower Monumental and Ice Harbor lock and dams, both of which lowered us 100 feet. Our time on the Snake River has been well spent and many memories of canyons and grand vistas have been formed.
