Clarkston, Washington
Overcast skies greeted us this morning as we navigated the Snake River towards our destination of Clarkston, Washington. This was a day of breathtaking geology and memorable wildlife sightings. We boarded our jet boats and were whisked away, further up the Snake River and into the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area. We stopped for a brief coffee and juice break at Cache Creek. This brief stop gave the red-winged blackbirds a chance to serenade us with their chorus of "konk-la-ree" and a male Lazuli Bunting to impress us with a song and his flashy turquoise plumage. The youngest member of our expedition, eleven year old Christina Lighter, is shown in the top photo, enjoying the abundant bird life. The Corps of Discovery had a very young member among their party. Born at Fort Mandan on February 11, 1805, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, son of Sacagawea and Toussaint Charbonneau, affectionately called "Pomp" or "Pompy" by William Clark. Meriwether Lewis assisted with the birthing.
Further into the canyon the silhouettes of big horn sheep were sighted against blue skies and craggy canyon walls. One young ram decided to come to the rivers edge for a drink, as captured in the lower photo. We craned our necks periodically and pointed binoculars skyward in search of golden eagles. Meriwether Lewis wrote of the golden eagle as "the most butifull of all the family of the Eagle of America." Lewis also noted "the tails of this bird is esteemed by Mandans, Minnetares, Ricaras, etc. as worth the full value of a good horse, or gun and accoutrements." Amongst the Osage and Kanzas, where the bird is even more rare, the price is double that already mentioned. In his writings at Fort Mandan on April 8, 1805 Lewis referred to a "calumet bird." The feathers were used as "ornament in the mains and tail of their favorite horses as well as the natives own hair…" and to "deckerate the stems of their sacred pipes or calumets; whence the name of Calumet Eagle." This was later determined to be the Golden Eagle.
While we did find the eagles soaring along the jagged cliffs, we also found one individual sitting on a rock at the waters edge, absolutely soaked and dripping wet. We may have interrupted a bath, or perhaps a watery struggle for lunch. Our own lunch was enjoyed on a small sandy beach along the river. We were once again serenaded, this time by a pair of Lazuli Buntings joined by a Canyon Wren and, keeping a background beat, a few clucking Chukars.
As our jet boats brought us back down river to the Sea Lion, we met a pair of common mergansers flying parallel to our jet boat. This pair managed to easily catch up, cross our bow and pass us. Our jet boat driver approximated our speed at 45 mph.
Upon our return we took a short break and then left for a visit to the Nez Perce National Historical Park. This site, administered by the National Park Service, has a museum containing artifacts as well as exhibits portraying traditional Nez Perce foods, crafts, and clothing.
It has been an altogether full and satisfying day as we travel through the landscape and history "In the Wake of Lewis and Clark."
Overcast skies greeted us this morning as we navigated the Snake River towards our destination of Clarkston, Washington. This was a day of breathtaking geology and memorable wildlife sightings. We boarded our jet boats and were whisked away, further up the Snake River and into the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area. We stopped for a brief coffee and juice break at Cache Creek. This brief stop gave the red-winged blackbirds a chance to serenade us with their chorus of "konk-la-ree" and a male Lazuli Bunting to impress us with a song and his flashy turquoise plumage. The youngest member of our expedition, eleven year old Christina Lighter, is shown in the top photo, enjoying the abundant bird life. The Corps of Discovery had a very young member among their party. Born at Fort Mandan on February 11, 1805, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau, son of Sacagawea and Toussaint Charbonneau, affectionately called "Pomp" or "Pompy" by William Clark. Meriwether Lewis assisted with the birthing.
Further into the canyon the silhouettes of big horn sheep were sighted against blue skies and craggy canyon walls. One young ram decided to come to the rivers edge for a drink, as captured in the lower photo. We craned our necks periodically and pointed binoculars skyward in search of golden eagles. Meriwether Lewis wrote of the golden eagle as "the most butifull of all the family of the Eagle of America." Lewis also noted "the tails of this bird is esteemed by Mandans, Minnetares, Ricaras, etc. as worth the full value of a good horse, or gun and accoutrements." Amongst the Osage and Kanzas, where the bird is even more rare, the price is double that already mentioned. In his writings at Fort Mandan on April 8, 1805 Lewis referred to a "calumet bird." The feathers were used as "ornament in the mains and tail of their favorite horses as well as the natives own hair…" and to "deckerate the stems of their sacred pipes or calumets; whence the name of Calumet Eagle." This was later determined to be the Golden Eagle.
While we did find the eagles soaring along the jagged cliffs, we also found one individual sitting on a rock at the waters edge, absolutely soaked and dripping wet. We may have interrupted a bath, or perhaps a watery struggle for lunch. Our own lunch was enjoyed on a small sandy beach along the river. We were once again serenaded, this time by a pair of Lazuli Buntings joined by a Canyon Wren and, keeping a background beat, a few clucking Chukars.
As our jet boats brought us back down river to the Sea Lion, we met a pair of common mergansers flying parallel to our jet boat. This pair managed to easily catch up, cross our bow and pass us. Our jet boat driver approximated our speed at 45 mph.
Upon our return we took a short break and then left for a visit to the Nez Perce National Historical Park. This site, administered by the National Park Service, has a museum containing artifacts as well as exhibits portraying traditional Nez Perce foods, crafts, and clothing.
It has been an altogether full and satisfying day as we travel through the landscape and history "In the Wake of Lewis and Clark."
