Hells Canyon
Today our adventure continued on the waters of the Pacific Northwest, but by a different method of watercraft conveyance. We all boarded a powerful jet boat for a 55 mile trip south along the Snake River. The area we visited is known as Hells Canyon, getting the moniker from a side tributary which was difficult to hike in, and has some wild water and wildlife that make it a premier spot to visit in North America. Sightings of great blue herons, migrating ducks, raptors, and songbirds were had from both shore and watercraft. The animal that really caught our attention though was the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. The story of their presence in the valley is remarkable. The domesticated sheep that were introduced into the area carried a parasitic lungworm that killed off most of the bighorns’ numbers. After the domesticated sheep were removed, bighorns were introduced back into the canyon from Montana and flourish today, helping to make Hells Canyon a great wildlife spot in the Pacific Northwest.
Today our adventure continued on the waters of the Pacific Northwest, but by a different method of watercraft conveyance. We all boarded a powerful jet boat for a 55 mile trip south along the Snake River. The area we visited is known as Hells Canyon, getting the moniker from a side tributary which was difficult to hike in, and has some wild water and wildlife that make it a premier spot to visit in North America. Sightings of great blue herons, migrating ducks, raptors, and songbirds were had from both shore and watercraft. The animal that really caught our attention though was the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep. The story of their presence in the valley is remarkable. The domesticated sheep that were introduced into the area carried a parasitic lungworm that killed off most of the bighorns’ numbers. After the domesticated sheep were removed, bighorns were introduced back into the canyon from Montana and flourish today, helping to make Hells Canyon a great wildlife spot in the Pacific Northwest.
