Clarkston, Washington
Our arrival in the twin cities of Clarkston, Washington and Lewiston, Idaho was greeted with partially clearing skies and sun through the breaking clouds! The weather in the rain shadow east of the Cascade Mountains, that is so typically more arid than the ocean side, has been heavily influenced to gray and moisture by a huge Pacific storm front, behind us on the coast.
But history awaits us; and off we go!
Some guests and staff set off to speed upstream on the Snake River into Hell’s Canyon. History here is written in the rocks and the exotic terranes that have accumulated over millions of years; formed by the collision of planetary tectonic plates over the eons. The erosive force of the free flowing Snake River has exposed prehistoric ocean floor limestones that were created in the southern hemisphere millennia ago.
Wildlife abounds in this wilderness that borders along civilization’s edge. Today at least 26 big horn sheep were seen! And mule deer approached us at Cache Creek as if they knew our peaceful intent to only observe. Pictographs at Buffalo Eddy stand in silent testament to ancient native peoples with a message and meaning still little understood. Observing all of this made possible by our incredible jet boat craft.
The more recent history of the exploration of the Corps of Discovery was the subject for another set of guests and staff. Meeting up with local Lewis and Clark historian, Lin Laughy, these National Geographic Sea Bird explorers stood in some of the very spots that Corps of Discovery members stood two hundred and five years ago, almost to the day! Canoe Camp, where their dugout canoe that carried them to the sea was fashioned under the instruction of the Nez Perce, was a highlight along with a visit to the Heart of the Monster, a traditional tribal site.
The two parties rejoined at afternoon’s end for a presentation by park rangers and a special viewing of the Nez Perce collection at the Nez Perce Historical Park.
