Snake River, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon
Arrived in Clarkston, Washington, confluence of the Clearwater and Snake Rivers, at 0830, after a night sailing up through the four locks of the lower Snake River, just east of Horse Heaven Hills on the Columbia River Plain. Here, Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery entered the Snake from the Clearwater on October 10, 1805, still over a month's canoeing from their destination, the Pacific Ocean. This is the homeland of the Nez Perce Indians, whose hospitality for the Corps the two captains considered among the finest that they experienced from Native American nations during their more than two-year “voyage” across the continent.
The Sea Lion crew set off in jetboats up the Snake at 0930 under gray skies, light wind, 50 degrees. Nearing the entrance to Hells Canyon (evocatively named for the difficulty of travel through this deepest of gorges in the continental United States), we began to see the areas abundant wildlife. Because of the extremes in elevation of the canyon – some of whose geologic formations drifted from as far away as the south Pacific -- the variety of flora and fauna is profound; over 350 species of wildlife inhabit the Hells Canyon area. Deer, great blue heron, golden and bald eagles, king salmon, gulls, and bighorn sheep were among the wildlife observed on the hills that are turning deep golden and red with the deepening autumn. Lunch at Cache Creek Ranch, near a crossing where Captain Clark and Sargent Ordway traded for salmon on the Corps' return journey in May of 1806. Returned to the ship at 1600 under crystal clear skies and cooling temperatures.
The Snake River and Hells River Canyon have been occupied by humans for more than 12,000 years. Lewis and Clark were the first Euro-Americans to traverse this country, followed by American and British fur trappers. Oregon Trail emigrants crossed nearby, on their way to the Whitman Mission at Waiilatpu. Here, in the Snake River Country, were fought some of the most bitter and tragic Indian wars in American history, as Indians, miners, and soldiers fought over land. Today, the Nez Perce, Cayuse, Walla Walla, and Umatilla tribes have begun to rebuild their cultures in this, their traditional territory. Tonight, the Sea Lion heads back down river towards the Columbia River.
Arrived in Clarkston, Washington, confluence of the Clearwater and Snake Rivers, at 0830, after a night sailing up through the four locks of the lower Snake River, just east of Horse Heaven Hills on the Columbia River Plain. Here, Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery entered the Snake from the Clearwater on October 10, 1805, still over a month's canoeing from their destination, the Pacific Ocean. This is the homeland of the Nez Perce Indians, whose hospitality for the Corps the two captains considered among the finest that they experienced from Native American nations during their more than two-year “voyage” across the continent.
The Sea Lion crew set off in jetboats up the Snake at 0930 under gray skies, light wind, 50 degrees. Nearing the entrance to Hells Canyon (evocatively named for the difficulty of travel through this deepest of gorges in the continental United States), we began to see the areas abundant wildlife. Because of the extremes in elevation of the canyon – some of whose geologic formations drifted from as far away as the south Pacific -- the variety of flora and fauna is profound; over 350 species of wildlife inhabit the Hells Canyon area. Deer, great blue heron, golden and bald eagles, king salmon, gulls, and bighorn sheep were among the wildlife observed on the hills that are turning deep golden and red with the deepening autumn. Lunch at Cache Creek Ranch, near a crossing where Captain Clark and Sargent Ordway traded for salmon on the Corps' return journey in May of 1806. Returned to the ship at 1600 under crystal clear skies and cooling temperatures.
The Snake River and Hells River Canyon have been occupied by humans for more than 12,000 years. Lewis and Clark were the first Euro-Americans to traverse this country, followed by American and British fur trappers. Oregon Trail emigrants crossed nearby, on their way to the Whitman Mission at Waiilatpu. Here, in the Snake River Country, were fought some of the most bitter and tragic Indian wars in American history, as Indians, miners, and soldiers fought over land. Today, the Nez Perce, Cayuse, Walla Walla, and Umatilla tribes have begun to rebuild their cultures in this, their traditional territory. Tonight, the Sea Lion heads back down river towards the Columbia River.
