Pacab Hells Canon

Before we entered the Canyon we stopped at the visitor's center in Lewiston (right near Clarkston, no joke). There have been about 70 wildfires this season so there were places in the park that were still closed to the public.

We ended up driving for a good five or six hours looking for a spot. Finally we decided to try to reach a point that one of the visitor's center ladies had suggested. However, we weren't sure where it was. So we were driving along the Snake river at about midnight (though I am not sure because we kept going in and out of Pacific time) and Jim stopped in the middle of the road so that we could look at the map. A dude, his wife, and their young daughter pulled up next to us in their pickup and asked if they could help. They gave us directions to Big Bar (where we were headed) and drove off.

I love that we have just stumbled onto random awesomeness and great people throughout this trip.

On our way to Big Bar we puled off to the side of the road and set up the tent. In the dark. Not so bad with the help of the headlights on the car. But it did make it that much more awesome when we woke up the next morning. Hopefully Jim will post that video podcast soon.

That morning we drove up to the Hells Canyon Dam (and visitor's center). Took a short mile hike along the Snake River then chilled for a bit in the visitor's center.

At four we went down to the dock below the visitor's center to catch the tour boat. By the time we got there the boat had been purchased in its entirety by a German-American couple because they wanted to take their dogs along. We paid them and got to come along. By an interesting twist of fate the only other couple on board was from Germany. We toured the river for a couple of hours, saw a lot of the canyon, some good rapids (though we stopped before going down the class four rapids), saw some bald eagles, saw some early American pictographs, and Jim and I wet our feet in the water. Overall a very enjoyable time.

Drove the next couple of hours up some very winding dirt roads. We traveled through a town called Cuprum (science geeks will understand this because there used to be copper mining in the area). Jim snapped a shot of its sign because the sign was awesome. Also, they have a registered population of 12.

Made it to Sheep Rock late that night so we set up in the dark again. Again it was amazing to wake up to, though I don't think I shot anything there. We were 6800 feet above sea level and could see all over the place. There was a half mile loop out to a scenic overlook (that was amazing, Jim should have pics). I thought that Jim had started the loop so I walked the other direction figuring we would meet up at the overlook. He hadn't, so I ended up walking the loop alone. Oops. We went back after I got back but Jim was bummed I had gone without him. Oops.

Drove to a couple of other overlooks on the way out. At Horse mountain there was a fire watch tower manned by a fellow named Derrick. He invited us up to look around the tower, chatted with us for a bit and showed us how he did what he did. Very neat. Apparently he works there in the summers and then travels around for the rest of the year. I think Jim is trying to figure out how he too can do this.

Drove back down the mountain and went to the Hells Canyon Overlook in Oregon. We thought it was less exciting than the overlooks on the Idaho side, like Sheep Rock. But it was pleasant. I peed off the side of a cliff, while Jim became too scared to urinate. He claims that he peed off the cliff later, but I don't know.

Found a spot to camp while it was still light out this time. It was in the woods by a creek (read crick because that is how they say it here). There was another guy camping out there last night. Possibly drunk. He had a campfire going, though I was convinced that that was illegal as the fire warning level was "extreme." We didn't mention it to him though in case he was a serial murderer. We put up our tent on a dusty field that was full of holes. Jim tried to convince me that they were breathing holes for an underground rattlebear, the infamous cross between rattlesnake and bear.

We watched the Perseid meteor shower for a bit and then went to bed. Now we are here. The end.