This morning we temporarily disembarked the Sea Bird at Clarkston and continued our exploration up the Snake River by jet boat. We ventured about 60 miles and another 300 feet of elevation into the wild and scenic Hells Canyon. It was a pleasant, sunny day. Along our journey, the jet boat captain explained the history and geology of the area. We stopped to see some ancient petroglyphs that had been pecked into smooth rock faces, the meaning of which still remain a mystery. Bright red sumac bushes and yellow cottonwood trees accented tawny golden grasses and impressive basalt cliffs.
A buffet lunch awaited us at the lodge at Heller Bar. We proceeded further on afterwards, past the mouths of the Grand Ronde, Imnaha and Salmon Rivers to the place known as the Nez Perce Crossing, where we turned around and headed back downstream.
The canyon provides habitat for many species of animals and some unique plants. Today we were lucky to see a a bald eagle, some mule deer and many bighorn sheep. Male and female sheep come together at this time of year, when the rams look their finest in preparation for the rut. We returned to the comfort of the Sea Bird after a very fulfilling excursion.
