Clearwater & Snake Rivers
Where the river forks, decisions were made. One group set off by coach to follow in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery up the Clearwater River. Their hosts for this expedition (Lewis and Clark not being available at this time) were Lin and Lee. As people stood where the Corps members stood on the exact same day of the year 203 years ago, Lin read from the journals what Clark wrote at Saddle Cache. Lin is an expert at getting one to think hard, imagine what they would have done, what the Corps would have felt like at that time, in that place, under those circumstances.
The jet boats meanwhile were zipping up-river at 30 mph and thrilling everyone when we had to lean into turns and whitewater sprayed the windows. Mule deer, bighorn sheep, geese, kingfishers and even a snake at Cache Creek were seen during the day’s outing; towering basalt columns with crackled entablature above, layer after layer. Fishermen were out, lines set for sockeye salmon. For the first time in 30 years, the salmon run up the Salmon River was big enough for a season to be declared; steelheads move over. An interesting fact is that some Frazier River salmon from British Columbia have been among the tagged fish caught. Lost? Wrong river? A lot of theories abound, including temperature changes of significance in the river water up north.
At sundown, all were aboard our home docked in Clarkston. Stretching our legs on a walk along the river path before drinks and dinner rounded up a full day.
Where the river forks, decisions were made. One group set off by coach to follow in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery up the Clearwater River. Their hosts for this expedition (Lewis and Clark not being available at this time) were Lin and Lee. As people stood where the Corps members stood on the exact same day of the year 203 years ago, Lin read from the journals what Clark wrote at Saddle Cache. Lin is an expert at getting one to think hard, imagine what they would have done, what the Corps would have felt like at that time, in that place, under those circumstances.
The jet boats meanwhile were zipping up-river at 30 mph and thrilling everyone when we had to lean into turns and whitewater sprayed the windows. Mule deer, bighorn sheep, geese, kingfishers and even a snake at Cache Creek were seen during the day’s outing; towering basalt columns with crackled entablature above, layer after layer. Fishermen were out, lines set for sockeye salmon. For the first time in 30 years, the salmon run up the Salmon River was big enough for a season to be declared; steelheads move over. An interesting fact is that some Frazier River salmon from British Columbia have been among the tagged fish caught. Lost? Wrong river? A lot of theories abound, including temperature changes of significance in the river water up north.
At sundown, all were aboard our home docked in Clarkston. Stretching our legs on a walk along the river path before drinks and dinner rounded up a full day.
