Hells Canyon National Recreation Area
The morning sun brightened our arrival into the Lewiston-Clarkston Basin. Fishermen were already strategically placed at the confluence of the Clearwater River, anticipating a strike from a bright and brilliantly colored steelhead. Following breakfast, guests took two different modes of transportation and traveled in two different directions. Over half the guests traveled by coach retracing both the 1805 and 1806 segments of the Corps of Discovery’s journey from Kamiah to the Snake River. Miguel Inzunza, a local guide and interpreter, revealed encampment sites that Lewis and Clark established in the fall and spring of the above years. By the end of the day, guests had a special appreciation of the rigors the Corps endured and had mastered the survival skill of fire starting.
The rest of the guests traveled by jet boat some 60 miles up the Snake River, spending much of the trip in the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area. Not far south of Lewiston, Idaho we left the ‘lake-water’ behind Lower Granite Dam and saw our first free-flowing water since leaving Portland. During our journey, we left the layered-basalt flows behind and traveled into exotic terranes dating back more than 200 million years. The day was highlighted by the spotting of a small group of Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep a short distance above the bank of the river. Key tributaries(Grand Ronde, Salmon, and Imnaha) that support a threatened salmon fishery on the Snake River were passed before the boat turned and started its 230 foot descent back into Lewiston.
The day was concluded with a visit to the Nez Perce National Historic Park in Spalding, Idaho. A beautiful autumn day that will be remembered by all.
The morning sun brightened our arrival into the Lewiston-Clarkston Basin. Fishermen were already strategically placed at the confluence of the Clearwater River, anticipating a strike from a bright and brilliantly colored steelhead. Following breakfast, guests took two different modes of transportation and traveled in two different directions. Over half the guests traveled by coach retracing both the 1805 and 1806 segments of the Corps of Discovery’s journey from Kamiah to the Snake River. Miguel Inzunza, a local guide and interpreter, revealed encampment sites that Lewis and Clark established in the fall and spring of the above years. By the end of the day, guests had a special appreciation of the rigors the Corps endured and had mastered the survival skill of fire starting.
The rest of the guests traveled by jet boat some 60 miles up the Snake River, spending much of the trip in the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area. Not far south of Lewiston, Idaho we left the ‘lake-water’ behind Lower Granite Dam and saw our first free-flowing water since leaving Portland. During our journey, we left the layered-basalt flows behind and traveled into exotic terranes dating back more than 200 million years. The day was highlighted by the spotting of a small group of Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep a short distance above the bank of the river. Key tributaries(Grand Ronde, Salmon, and Imnaha) that support a threatened salmon fishery on the Snake River were passed before the boat turned and started its 230 foot descent back into Lewiston.
The day was concluded with a visit to the Nez Perce National Historic Park in Spalding, Idaho. A beautiful autumn day that will be remembered by all.
