Hells Canyon
Today we would venture into North America’s deepest river canyon; Hells Canyon. The morning was very cold but bright and clear. We boarded jetboats for a 60-mile trip south from Clarkston, Washington to the National Recreation Area of Hells Canyon. Along the way we caught sights of the biological and geological wonders of the canyon. The rocks of the canyon span the ages from the very “young” ash from a cascade mountain eruption some 7,000 years ago to the old limestone beds aged over 300 million. The biology was in the form of great blue herons, Canada geese, ducks, loons, mule deer, wild turkeys, and the prize of the day rocky mountain big horn sheep. There were two groups of these majestic animals on the Idaho side of the river. One group walked calmly along the shore as our boat approached. The other group was farther up the hillside and down stream. These sheep were wiped out in the canyon by communicable diseases from domesticated sheep that were grazed on the same hillsides. Once the domestic sheep were removed the bighorns have thrived here after they were reintroduced into the canyon from other parts of the Rockies.
Once we returned to the Sea Bird some of us ventured further with a trip to the Nez Perce historical site at Lapwai, Idaho. The exhibits there tell the story of the Spalding collection that was taken to Ohio from Idaho many decades ago. The Nez Perce were able to buy the collection of precontact art back a few years ago and return them to the reservation. The rest of the day was spent warming back up on the toasty Sea Bird.
Today we would venture into North America’s deepest river canyon; Hells Canyon. The morning was very cold but bright and clear. We boarded jetboats for a 60-mile trip south from Clarkston, Washington to the National Recreation Area of Hells Canyon. Along the way we caught sights of the biological and geological wonders of the canyon. The rocks of the canyon span the ages from the very “young” ash from a cascade mountain eruption some 7,000 years ago to the old limestone beds aged over 300 million. The biology was in the form of great blue herons, Canada geese, ducks, loons, mule deer, wild turkeys, and the prize of the day rocky mountain big horn sheep. There were two groups of these majestic animals on the Idaho side of the river. One group walked calmly along the shore as our boat approached. The other group was farther up the hillside and down stream. These sheep were wiped out in the canyon by communicable diseases from domesticated sheep that were grazed on the same hillsides. Once the domestic sheep were removed the bighorns have thrived here after they were reintroduced into the canyon from other parts of the Rockies.
Once we returned to the Sea Bird some of us ventured further with a trip to the Nez Perce historical site at Lapwai, Idaho. The exhibits there tell the story of the Spalding collection that was taken to Ohio from Idaho many decades ago. The Nez Perce were able to buy the collection of precontact art back a few years ago and return them to the reservation. The rest of the day was spent warming back up on the toasty Sea Bird.
