Due to health issues this year, we planned our trip a little differently without the focus on hiking. It turned out great with a few surprises. We started up the 5 toward San Francisco and after visiting and dinner with a relative, spent our first morning in San Francisco Wharf, an area we greatly enjoy, especially the crab and lobster sandwiches.
We found a quiet spot and indulged in brunch and a beautiful clear summer day on the wharf. Not wanting to reach our next destination after sunset we started out for Winnemucca, Nevada, our first stop before arriving at Whitebird, ID for our planned jet boat ride and Hells Canyon adventures.
Getting out of San Fran and over to Sacramento proved to be quite a chore on a Saturday. A less than 100 mile jaunt took over 3 hours and we were glad to break free into the Sierras and over into the Nevada dessert preferring the heat and open landscapes to city traffic and congestion.
Its a long sleepy ride through mostly wide open desert driving through and past rare and barely noticeable small towns with casinos in gas stations. We make an evening stop and enjoy sunset along with cooling temps. We are almost at our destination. These rides allow the mind to open and stress of more congested environments to blow away in the desert wind. There is enough landscape here to absorb or create any amount of anxiety. Balance is always key.
We are pretty tired once we get to the next hotel and its just about twilight, so in for the night and an early breakfast next day to continue on the long journey to Whitebird encountering small towns like Jordan Valley, OR and the local interest that punctuate the journey.
We arrive at Whitebird at about 5pm, check in
and look around at the Salmon River then early rest, supper in the room and we are ready for what highlights the next day.. The dirt road to Pittsburgh Landing where we will launch is quite scenic and well maintained.
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| Road to Pittsburgh Landing |
Interesting views and geological points along with the morning light and cool temps make for an enjoyable ride to the launch. We have 2 hours to explore before the jet boat ride is scheduled and its fun to linger here. Hell's Canyon was supposedly named for a woman taking a ride through the rapids and exclaiming, "that was a hell of a ride". We figure its the day time temperatures which on average are in the 100's. Too hot for our planned walks along the river with little shade, but quite perfect for a boat ride and getting wet!
The itinerary is about 6 hours with about 20/30 mph through calm and swift water, stopping along the way at the historic sites, museum and visitor center for lunch and then for a final swim. The ride going with the current is easy and not much of a splash, but on the return we put our cameras away and enjoyed getting as wet as we wanted, choosing to take seats with best splash.
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| Snake River~Hell's Canyon |
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| Museum Stop |
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| Old Hunter/Fisherman's Cabin | |
The next day we head for 7 Devils for some good views and to cool off at a higher elevation. The road up is not great and pretty narrow and as we ascend the top, we expect to walk towards Heaven's Gate as the road is impossible. It's not a whole lot cooler and the sun is baking the narrow dirt road towards Heaven's Gate, so we attempt a drive. Very bad idea as road narrows severely and drop offs are deep and scary. We continue on a bit until we find a part of the road wider than a few feet of the car and with some shaky maneuvers turn the car around. Whew, enough already and we go back and enjoy a rest in the shade sacrificing any ideas of shady and not too strenuous walks.
The horses and mules hanging out there as we head back look at us curiously and we envy their sure footed comfort in the hills.
Hell's Canyon is in Idaho's "Banana Belt" and the heat away from the river and its cooling beaches explains why we see so few on the trails and in the upper elevations. Time for another swim, checking out Riggins for a cool drink and an early night in preparation for some more exploring tomorrow.
Our next stop is the small town of Grangeville where we check out some of the local sights and catch some R&R. After 3 days of long and hot driving, we are up for a couple of easy days and absorbing some local color. Driving from Whitebird is only about 30 miles, so we take it slow taking in the site of the Battle of Whitebird, where the Nez Pierce tribe won the battle, but eventually lost the war.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdX_XxY2NVE
The land is unspoiled here and we can imagine what life must have been like back then and how not so long ago this land belonged to a different people and a different age. The descendants of the Nez Pierce Nation are here, but not so visible off their lands and businesses. They have a more Asian appearance than southern native peoples and a defined sense of pride. Their roots are in the land.
Remembering vaguely a story about a Native American Elder asking of the settlers, "How many are coming?" it gives pause as to how much can change in just a few centuries.
We visit Tolo Lake National Historic Park where in 1994 remains of a mammoth from the Pleistocene Age were found. We expect to see some interesting birds in the area, but they are hanging out safely on the other side of the lake. We do get to see a Turkey Vulture and an Osprey with our binoculars.
Just enjoying the cooling breeze under the picnic dome is pleasant enough though. https://www.nps.gov/nepe/learn/historyculture/tolo-lake.htm
Day 2 here we are resting and walking the town which feels like life in a past pleasant dream. The homes are differentiated by styles of grandness, suburban charm or lack thereof all on the same streets seemingly content to be who they are. The accent is slight, but there along with local colloquialisms if listening closely while interacting. The hotel is staffed by white Americans doing the jobs "that Americans won't do" and the buildings and streets are absent of graffiti. Outside the courthouse is this:
and the day is likely further out in time when it will likely offend somebody and a protest will be conducted to have it removed. I think they likely say "Merry Christmas" here without feeling that somebody may be offended. The restaurant food is generous, delicious and honest and we end our day with a huckleberry milkshake that is truly heaven sent. I am reminded again of the Native Elder that asked the question, "How many are coming?". The only constant we know is change and like it or not we all live with that. Uncertainty is natural to life.
We are heading back west again. We leave early am accompanied by the Salmon River for a few miles and lovely morning light views.
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| Salmon River Morning Light |
As we're driving along we see deer in the road and are delighted until suddenly, a transport truck rounds the corner hitting the adult which turns out to be the mother of a young fawn who darts up into the hills while the unfortunate deer is flown into the air missing our windshield by luck of a few seconds travel time. We pull over horrified to have such an experience dash our quiet morning state. We try to report it in the town and are told the state troopers will take care of the dead animal as they patrol the roads. Its not an emergency since the poor mother is off to the side of the road and we wonder the fate of the fawn. Nature is dynamic attaching no emotion to her constant changes. Its a lesson she teaches, but the heart will always feel and ache; with the next lesson of Nature, to allow flow and healing.
As we approach the town of Riggins again, there is smoke and we see a fire on the high peaks. We learn it started from somebody shooting for target practice. Its been hot and dry and this trip was punctuated by less than what would be normally bright blue sky by the constant fires in the west. Its been an interesting morning.
Our destination today is the International Center for Birds of Prey near Boise. http://www.peregrinefund.org/explore-raptors Started as the Peregrine Fund, this species is no longer endangered and the funds go to research, rehabilitation, retirement and education about some of the most fascinating and gorgeous birds on the planet. For bird lovers or any lover of Natural History, its a great place. Like any learning center or museum, there are educational talks and interactives for kids (and adults). It is a fascinating fact that birds are the direct descendants of dinosaurs; how they evolved into such a diverse and wonder-full animals ranging from the tiny hummingbird to grand harpy eagle and all falling under the same classification of Aves brings the mind to a special place of humility and awe.
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| Retiring Condor |
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| Overlook with condor images |
We enjoy lunch with some great Mac n' Cheese, salad and soup and head for our evening destination in Winnemucca again. We are looking forward to visiting out favorite private swimming spot in Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe.
Here we park high off the lake and walk down to the Rubicon trail which goes around Lake Tahoe.
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| Path from street parking above to Rubicon Trail |
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| Emerald Bay View |
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| Rubicon Trail |
A surprise here marks our favorite little swimming spot.
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| Heart-shaped rock marks our "private" swimming spot |
We decide to leave after only one day as we have had our swim and the crowds are making the roads too congested. The next day we are on our way back taking our time through the Sierras via route 95 past Mono Lake,
past another of the ubiquitous fire images
and on through the eastern Sierra that we enjoy so much.
Homeward bound.
