The Snake River and Hells Canyon, The Clearwater River, Idaho
Dislodged by gusts of a refreshing fall wind, blazing-yellow leaves of cottonwood swirled, twirled, and settled onto the Clearwater River. The leafy-confetti rafts were now ready to shoot the rapids of the Clearwater River, and ultimately decompose into oblivion.
Great blue herons stood at water’s edge. Still as a stick they prowled the river with imperceptible eye movements, springing to life when a hapless fish came within stabbing range.
Such was the setting for our travels upriver today. For some, zipping up the Snake River into Hells Canyon, for others investigating with renowned historian Lin Laughy the Lewis and Clark sites that abound along the Clearwater River.
With Lin at the helm, the trials, tribulations, and tribunals of the Corps of Discovery were brought to life. We stood in the vicinity of Treaty Camp. We most assuredly stood in their pathway at Long Camp, and possibly could have watched the canoe incident, which turned into a reluctant swimming event, from where we stood this morning. The “indifferent” swimmer noted in Clark’s journal may have come sputtering and muttering up the bank, we could have been dripped upon.
The basaltic cliffs admired by both excursions have helped hem in the Clearwater and maintain the rivers route through its canyon confines. On the Missouri River, with its rambling watercourse over the last 200 years, this would not be possible. Here, the basaltic limitations have preserved the rapids, the route and the islands drawn by William Clark in the Fall of 1805.
The journals noted on October 10, 1805, “gusty winds” at the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater Rivers. With historical accuracy not only with the dates, as we will soon catch up with the Corps, we can also note an accuracy of atmospheric conditions. What a lovely fall day to explore two historic rivers.
