Clarkston, Washington and Lewiston, Idaho
Just after breakfast the Sea Bird was exiting Lower Granite lock and dam. We were heading for our morning destination of Clarkston, Washington and Lewiston, Idaho. The sun was out and cooler temperatures were bringing the colors of fall to the Snake River. Western Sumac, Black Cottonwood, and Willow were showing off shades of red and yellows, decorating the soft brown hillsides. Due to heavy lock traffic, our drop-off point for the day’s activities had been moved down river to Nisqualmie John boat launch, where a bus was waiting to take us up the Clearwater River....and a jet boat was heading our way ready for its pickup of guests.
Those of us boarding the jet boat made a 60 mile upstream trip (south) on the Snake River, into the Hell’s Canyon National Recreation Area, part of the Wallowa Whitman National Forest. The journey took us into the deepest canyon in North America, averaging 5,500 feet in depth (above water line) and extending about 40 miles in length. Sun, warm temperatures, gorgeous scenery and the sighting of Rocky Mountain Big Horn sheep were the highlights. The remainder of our group boarded a comfortable bus that was under the leadership of Lin Laughy, a local Lewis and Clark historian. He led us on an exploration that followed the Clearwater River, visiting regional historic sites associated with the famous Corps of Discovery expedition as well as the Nez Perce Indians, also known as Ni-Mee-Poo people.
The area that both of our groups traveled in today is part of the traditional lands of the Nez Perce Indians, whose territory covered more than 18 million acres. They were never agriculturalists and enjoyed a semi-nomadic way of life, traveling along the rivers to fish, trade and socialize with tribes as far away as the Columbia River. They were known throughout the Northwest as expert river navigators and superb canoe-builders. Their movements were organized to be in different regions, at appropriate times of the year, for catching and drying salmon, hunting game and digging wild roots. During the early 18th century, horses were first brought into the region and the Nez Perce quickly adapted to a “Horse Culture.” When the Corps of Discovery arrived into the Nez Perce territory, they had just completed a passage through the Bitterroot Mountains, and had it not been for the friendship extended to them by the Nez Perce, the survival of the Corps could have been doubtful. After some time spent with the Nez Perce, Lewis commented on the fine state of their horses, comparing them in condition to any thoroughbreds found in Virginia.
After a morning concentrating on the return trip of the Lewis and Clark Expedition (the spring of 1806), the land group made a rest stop in the small town of Kamiah, located directly on the Lewis and Clark trail. It is said that walking down main street just past a small flower store, and a wall decorated with an American flag there once was a small, but well traveled Indian trail following close to the Clearwater River. Our stop included a hearty lunch, fitting for the sunny but cool day. The remainder of our day would follow the Lewis and Clark Trail as they arrived nearly 200 years ago (fall of 1805), nearly at the same time of year, in the same sights where we stopped....and listened, to our Historian Lin, as he recreated an epic journey that not only changed the lives of the men and one women of the Corps of Discovery, but also changed the face of a growing nation.
Just after breakfast the Sea Bird was exiting Lower Granite lock and dam. We were heading for our morning destination of Clarkston, Washington and Lewiston, Idaho. The sun was out and cooler temperatures were bringing the colors of fall to the Snake River. Western Sumac, Black Cottonwood, and Willow were showing off shades of red and yellows, decorating the soft brown hillsides. Due to heavy lock traffic, our drop-off point for the day’s activities had been moved down river to Nisqualmie John boat launch, where a bus was waiting to take us up the Clearwater River....and a jet boat was heading our way ready for its pickup of guests.
Those of us boarding the jet boat made a 60 mile upstream trip (south) on the Snake River, into the Hell’s Canyon National Recreation Area, part of the Wallowa Whitman National Forest. The journey took us into the deepest canyon in North America, averaging 5,500 feet in depth (above water line) and extending about 40 miles in length. Sun, warm temperatures, gorgeous scenery and the sighting of Rocky Mountain Big Horn sheep were the highlights. The remainder of our group boarded a comfortable bus that was under the leadership of Lin Laughy, a local Lewis and Clark historian. He led us on an exploration that followed the Clearwater River, visiting regional historic sites associated with the famous Corps of Discovery expedition as well as the Nez Perce Indians, also known as Ni-Mee-Poo people.
The area that both of our groups traveled in today is part of the traditional lands of the Nez Perce Indians, whose territory covered more than 18 million acres. They were never agriculturalists and enjoyed a semi-nomadic way of life, traveling along the rivers to fish, trade and socialize with tribes as far away as the Columbia River. They were known throughout the Northwest as expert river navigators and superb canoe-builders. Their movements were organized to be in different regions, at appropriate times of the year, for catching and drying salmon, hunting game and digging wild roots. During the early 18th century, horses were first brought into the region and the Nez Perce quickly adapted to a “Horse Culture.” When the Corps of Discovery arrived into the Nez Perce territory, they had just completed a passage through the Bitterroot Mountains, and had it not been for the friendship extended to them by the Nez Perce, the survival of the Corps could have been doubtful. After some time spent with the Nez Perce, Lewis commented on the fine state of their horses, comparing them in condition to any thoroughbreds found in Virginia.
After a morning concentrating on the return trip of the Lewis and Clark Expedition (the spring of 1806), the land group made a rest stop in the small town of Kamiah, located directly on the Lewis and Clark trail. It is said that walking down main street just past a small flower store, and a wall decorated with an American flag there once was a small, but well traveled Indian trail following close to the Clearwater River. Our stop included a hearty lunch, fitting for the sunny but cool day. The remainder of our day would follow the Lewis and Clark Trail as they arrived nearly 200 years ago (fall of 1805), nearly at the same time of year, in the same sights where we stopped....and listened, to our Historian Lin, as he recreated an epic journey that not only changed the lives of the men and one women of the Corps of Discovery, but also changed the face of a growing nation.
