Clarkston, Washington
This morning we reached the most eastern part of our journey retracing the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The Sea Lion was making her way towards her morning destination of Clarkston, Washington. We would be tied up at a small dock near the Quality Inn located along the Snake River just across from Lewiston, Idaho. After breakfast we would divide into two groups; one group would board high-powered jet boats and make a sixty-mile trip north, up the Snake River into the Hell’s Canyon recreation area. The other group would board a luxury motor coach and make a different kind of journey up the Clearwater River visiting several Lewis and Clark campsites. Led by Linn Laughy a local historian this trip along the Clearwater River would delve into the relationship between the Nez Perce peoples and Lewis and Clark. Once those heading up the Clearwater had departed by bus, the remainder of our group headed down the dock to board our jet boat and begin exploring one of the more scenic areas in the inland Pacific Northwest.
Captain Dan explained the operation of jet boats, demonstrated their maneuverability and then headed up river. During our sixty mile, one way journey we stopped to observe the changing geology, the old homesteads, and one of the highlights of the trip the Rocky Mountain Big Horn sheep who were making the annual fall return to lower ground along the Snake River. Many groups of yews were gathered munching the green grasses near the waters edge. An occasional ram was spotted on a higher ridge, three-quarter curler horns decorating his head as he moved seemingly without fear up the steep basalt cliffs!
We made a lunch stop at Beamer’s Landing and the sun poked out from behind the clouds to add warmth and gorgeous shadows to the cliffs on either side of the Snake River. Once lunch was finished, we boarded our swift jet boats and continued down river making good time. Our last stop was at Buffalo Eddy famous for its rock art. It was here that we learned about the first travelers and residents to this canyon. For thousands of years the Nez Perce people and before them the ancient ones had used this ideal location as a winter campsite. During those winters the available flat surfaces surrounding the area were literally covered with pictographs and petroglyphs or rock art. We stopped long enough to view the most well known panel of rock art, while listening to commentary about this form of highly individualized outdoor home decoration.
We then, resumed our down river trip heading for the Sea Lion in Clarkston, Washington. Once back aboard we had a short chance to refresh ourselves before continuing our day’s activities by journeying by luxury motor coach to the Nez Perce Interpretive Center, also called the Spalding Mission Sight. It was here that our two groups reunited, in order to bring our days experiences full circle, and hear from tribal member and National Park Service Ranger Diane speak about her people and this area of the Inland Northwest called the Plateau Region. Diane’s tribal affiliation is both Nez Perce and Shoshone, giving her a great foundation to speak to us about Indian country. For the next hour we were guided through her heritage as if we to, were wearing a pair of moccasins made by her granny. We learned of the daily life of the Native peoples found in the Plateau region, which is a large territory located between the Cascade Mountains and the Rocky Mountains. Parts of the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Northern California and Eastern British Columbia make up this territory. The Native peoples of this territory were considered very wealthy because of their extensive root digging grounds, and most impressive to Lewis and Clark the enormous herds of horses.
Visually, and through very thorough interpretation, we had all visited an extensive area of the Inland Northwest, that had been touched by Lewis and Clark…. By the end of the day, it became very clear that we had also walked in the foot steps of the elders, stood in places that a Native family still stands today and saw the same beauty stretching out before us decorated in the long shadows of fall light.
This morning we reached the most eastern part of our journey retracing the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The Sea Lion was making her way towards her morning destination of Clarkston, Washington. We would be tied up at a small dock near the Quality Inn located along the Snake River just across from Lewiston, Idaho. After breakfast we would divide into two groups; one group would board high-powered jet boats and make a sixty-mile trip north, up the Snake River into the Hell’s Canyon recreation area. The other group would board a luxury motor coach and make a different kind of journey up the Clearwater River visiting several Lewis and Clark campsites. Led by Linn Laughy a local historian this trip along the Clearwater River would delve into the relationship between the Nez Perce peoples and Lewis and Clark. Once those heading up the Clearwater had departed by bus, the remainder of our group headed down the dock to board our jet boat and begin exploring one of the more scenic areas in the inland Pacific Northwest.
Captain Dan explained the operation of jet boats, demonstrated their maneuverability and then headed up river. During our sixty mile, one way journey we stopped to observe the changing geology, the old homesteads, and one of the highlights of the trip the Rocky Mountain Big Horn sheep who were making the annual fall return to lower ground along the Snake River. Many groups of yews were gathered munching the green grasses near the waters edge. An occasional ram was spotted on a higher ridge, three-quarter curler horns decorating his head as he moved seemingly without fear up the steep basalt cliffs!
We made a lunch stop at Beamer’s Landing and the sun poked out from behind the clouds to add warmth and gorgeous shadows to the cliffs on either side of the Snake River. Once lunch was finished, we boarded our swift jet boats and continued down river making good time. Our last stop was at Buffalo Eddy famous for its rock art. It was here that we learned about the first travelers and residents to this canyon. For thousands of years the Nez Perce people and before them the ancient ones had used this ideal location as a winter campsite. During those winters the available flat surfaces surrounding the area were literally covered with pictographs and petroglyphs or rock art. We stopped long enough to view the most well known panel of rock art, while listening to commentary about this form of highly individualized outdoor home decoration.
We then, resumed our down river trip heading for the Sea Lion in Clarkston, Washington. Once back aboard we had a short chance to refresh ourselves before continuing our day’s activities by journeying by luxury motor coach to the Nez Perce Interpretive Center, also called the Spalding Mission Sight. It was here that our two groups reunited, in order to bring our days experiences full circle, and hear from tribal member and National Park Service Ranger Diane speak about her people and this area of the Inland Northwest called the Plateau Region. Diane’s tribal affiliation is both Nez Perce and Shoshone, giving her a great foundation to speak to us about Indian country. For the next hour we were guided through her heritage as if we to, were wearing a pair of moccasins made by her granny. We learned of the daily life of the Native peoples found in the Plateau region, which is a large territory located between the Cascade Mountains and the Rocky Mountains. Parts of the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Northern California and Eastern British Columbia make up this territory. The Native peoples of this territory were considered very wealthy because of their extensive root digging grounds, and most impressive to Lewis and Clark the enormous herds of horses.
Visually, and through very thorough interpretation, we had all visited an extensive area of the Inland Northwest, that had been touched by Lewis and Clark…. By the end of the day, it became very clear that we had also walked in the foot steps of the elders, stood in places that a Native family still stands today and saw the same beauty stretching out before us decorated in the long shadows of fall light.
