The Snake River
Coming into Clarkston, Washington the sky was gray as a light rain fell. However those on the bow could see there was a ribbon of blue sky to the south. Who would have known that by the time we all boarded the two jet boats the sky would be clearing and end up being a beautiful day? Facing the early morning sun we proceeded up the Snake River. With Lewiston, Idaho behind us we viewed the basalt columns formed by the many Columbia Plateau lava flows. Being above the area affected by the backwaters of the Lower Granite Dam the jet boats skimmed through rapids ranging from class one to four, sometimes in only two feet of water. Passing ranches and sport fisherman for thirty miles the road on the shore ended. Here we entered Hell’s Canyon. As the canyon walls closed around the geology changed to layers of limestone, shale, and sea floor basalt flows showing everyone examples of the exotic terranes docked onto North America over three hundred million years ago.
A few more miles brought our party to the Cashe Creek visitor center for the Hell’s Canyon National Recreation Area. This former sheep ranch was the start of our wildlife encounters. One gentleman was near a group of nine black tailed does when a buck rose out of the grass. He was close enough to see that this young male deer had six points on his antlers. Some of the other folks went up the canyon and were able to find over two dozen wild turkeys. Back in the jet boats the journey continued up river. On the craggy cliffs there was movement. The jet boat captain turned the vessel in a slow circle so that we could all get a good view of a lone Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep. Several more times going up and even back down the river we would be treated with more glimpses of bighorn sheep alone or in groups.
One would think that getting off the jet boats and back onto to the Sea Lion in the late afternoon there would be no more time to explore. There was one more place to go, Nez Perce National Park. Once at the visitor center Ranger Judy brought us into the exhibit hall to share what life was like for a Nez Perce person growing up two hundred years ago. All in all a busy day. What will tomorrow bring?
Coming into Clarkston, Washington the sky was gray as a light rain fell. However those on the bow could see there was a ribbon of blue sky to the south. Who would have known that by the time we all boarded the two jet boats the sky would be clearing and end up being a beautiful day? Facing the early morning sun we proceeded up the Snake River. With Lewiston, Idaho behind us we viewed the basalt columns formed by the many Columbia Plateau lava flows. Being above the area affected by the backwaters of the Lower Granite Dam the jet boats skimmed through rapids ranging from class one to four, sometimes in only two feet of water. Passing ranches and sport fisherman for thirty miles the road on the shore ended. Here we entered Hell’s Canyon. As the canyon walls closed around the geology changed to layers of limestone, shale, and sea floor basalt flows showing everyone examples of the exotic terranes docked onto North America over three hundred million years ago.
A few more miles brought our party to the Cashe Creek visitor center for the Hell’s Canyon National Recreation Area. This former sheep ranch was the start of our wildlife encounters. One gentleman was near a group of nine black tailed does when a buck rose out of the grass. He was close enough to see that this young male deer had six points on his antlers. Some of the other folks went up the canyon and were able to find over two dozen wild turkeys. Back in the jet boats the journey continued up river. On the craggy cliffs there was movement. The jet boat captain turned the vessel in a slow circle so that we could all get a good view of a lone Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep. Several more times going up and even back down the river we would be treated with more glimpses of bighorn sheep alone or in groups.
One would think that getting off the jet boats and back onto to the Sea Lion in the late afternoon there would be no more time to explore. There was one more place to go, Nez Perce National Park. Once at the visitor center Ranger Judy brought us into the exhibit hall to share what life was like for a Nez Perce person growing up two hundred years ago. All in all a busy day. What will tomorrow bring?
