Monday, October 22, 2007

Hells Canyon

Last weekend was Hells Canyon Gem Club's show in Lewiston, Idaho. The club did a phenomenal job and had a good turnout in the heart of Lewis and Clark country. Clarkston, Washington is Lewiston's sister city just across the Snake River.

Lewiston is Idaho's only seaport. Ocean going vessels can reach it via the Columbia and Snake rivers.

The drive from Lewiston to Boise was five solid hours of mountain roads including a hellacious drop in to Hells Canyon. The road plummeted 3,500 feet down to the Salmon River in less than ten miles. My truck and Airstream handled it fine, but my nerves were tested.

My first trip ever to the West was to this area with my brother John in 1983 when we floated the Middle Fork of the Salmon River--six days on a world class river and an introduction to the region where I've spent most of my adult life.