Hells Canyon and Nez Perce Country
On the last day of October, Halloween (All Saint’s Eve - did you know that Toussaint Charbonneau’s first name means All Saints?) We’re still on the track of Lewis and Clark, even those of us who took the jetboat into Hells Canyon. The spring of 1806 while the expedition was living at Long Camp on the Clearwater River, the captains sent three men overland to buy salmon from Indians fishing at Wild Goose Rapid at the lower end of Hells Canyon. The big fish had started to run up the Snake, but they hadn’t yet reached the Clearwater.
The Hells Canyon contingency stayed dry in the jetboats as they powered deep into the declivity that separates Oregon and Washington from Idaho. Three groups of bighorn sheep appeared along with numerous bird species and we saw a few lucky fishermen reeling in steelhead (sea-run rainbow trout) on our journey up the Snake River.
The bus trip up the Clearwater River into Nez Perce Country followed the Lewis and Clark route more directly. Ray Bloom led the group to several expedition sites, traced the Corp of Discovery’s travels through the land of the Ni Mee Poo, and shared local myths with his captive audience. He told the Nez Perce creation myth and introduced us to Itsee-ya-ya, the trickster coyote and his tales (tails?). We learned how the native people made fire and rope and where the heart of the monster lives.
It rained for much of the morning along the Clearwater, leaving a skiff of snow in the high country but cleared after lunch. We visited Canoe Camp where members of the expedition cut down ponderosa pines and hollowed out five canoes to negotiate the rapids of the Clearwater, Snake, and Columbia rivers (when the latter two were still rivers) on their way to the Pacific.
The two parties met at the Nez Perce National Historic Park for a ranger presentation and a guided walk through the museum. On the first day of standard time (after months of daylight savings time), it grew dark before we returned to the ship to find the Sea Bird decorated for a Halloween Party and dinner. Staff and crew appeared in costume as did several of the guests on a festive evening brightened by a waning moon.
A poetic summary:
Captain’s on the bridge;
Snow’s on the ridge.
Weather’s kinda fridge.
Clearwater River
Makes you wanna shiver.
Freezes up your liver.
Extra hour’s sleep
Canyon walls are steep,
Lotsa bighorn sheep.
Halloween party,
Sea Bird kinda arty,
Folks’ ‘er feeling hearty.
Striking up a tune,
Brightly shines the moon
Some will sleep ‘til noon.
On the last day of October, Halloween (All Saint’s Eve - did you know that Toussaint Charbonneau’s first name means All Saints?) We’re still on the track of Lewis and Clark, even those of us who took the jetboat into Hells Canyon. The spring of 1806 while the expedition was living at Long Camp on the Clearwater River, the captains sent three men overland to buy salmon from Indians fishing at Wild Goose Rapid at the lower end of Hells Canyon. The big fish had started to run up the Snake, but they hadn’t yet reached the Clearwater.
The Hells Canyon contingency stayed dry in the jetboats as they powered deep into the declivity that separates Oregon and Washington from Idaho. Three groups of bighorn sheep appeared along with numerous bird species and we saw a few lucky fishermen reeling in steelhead (sea-run rainbow trout) on our journey up the Snake River.
The bus trip up the Clearwater River into Nez Perce Country followed the Lewis and Clark route more directly. Ray Bloom led the group to several expedition sites, traced the Corp of Discovery’s travels through the land of the Ni Mee Poo, and shared local myths with his captive audience. He told the Nez Perce creation myth and introduced us to Itsee-ya-ya, the trickster coyote and his tales (tails?). We learned how the native people made fire and rope and where the heart of the monster lives.
It rained for much of the morning along the Clearwater, leaving a skiff of snow in the high country but cleared after lunch. We visited Canoe Camp where members of the expedition cut down ponderosa pines and hollowed out five canoes to negotiate the rapids of the Clearwater, Snake, and Columbia rivers (when the latter two were still rivers) on their way to the Pacific.
The two parties met at the Nez Perce National Historic Park for a ranger presentation and a guided walk through the museum. On the first day of standard time (after months of daylight savings time), it grew dark before we returned to the ship to find the Sea Bird decorated for a Halloween Party and dinner. Staff and crew appeared in costume as did several of the guests on a festive evening brightened by a waning moon.
A poetic summary:
Captain’s on the bridge;
Snow’s on the ridge.
Weather’s kinda fridge.
Clearwater River
Makes you wanna shiver.
Freezes up your liver.
Extra hour’s sleep
Canyon walls are steep,
Lotsa bighorn sheep.
Halloween party,
Sea Bird kinda arty,
Folks’ ‘er feeling hearty.
Striking up a tune,
Brightly shines the moon
Some will sleep ‘til noon.
