Today, we traveled into hell—Hells Canyon that is. 

Hells Canyon is a magnificent geological treasure and is the deepest river gorge in North America up to 7,993 feet deep in places (the Grand Canyon is only 6000 feet deep) in which the Snake River has created towering canyon walls and powerful, dangerous whitewater rapids that also contain ancient petroglyphs, wildlife and inspiring scenery. 

However, its intense, harsh landscape was considered “hellish” and earned the name, Hells Canyon by 1895 where in a publication called McCurdy’s Marine History of the Pacific Northwest, the author describes a steamboat that “bound off, swinging into midstream, and like a racehorse, shot into Hells Canyon.”

There are other stories of how the canyon got its name, but regardless of its name, the fact is the canyon forged by the Snake River has been inhabited for thousands of years—which is evident by the petroglyphs at Buffalo Eddy. 

This sacred site of mystical etchings tells the stories of the indigenous communities on the rocks along the Snake River so that a cultural tapestry is virtually woven into the very fabric of the canyon. 

Explorers like Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery forged connections with both the land and its indigenous people—the Nimiipuu, also known as the Nez Perce, or “the people.” The Nimiipuu played a pivotal role in the success of the Lewis & Clark Expedition by providing life saving assistance of food during the winter of 1805 as the expedition made its return eastward. 

Wildlife abounded today as we made our trip upriver by traveling southward (a quirk of the Snake River is that its headwaters actually lay to the south rather than the north) so that we traveled more than fifty-two miles from Idaho into Oregon along the boundary of the state of Washington. 

We saw big horn sheep, deer, osprey, blue herons, and white pelicans. 

But a highlight was in seeing not one, but two bald eagles, and the additional joy of watching one take flight. 

It was absolutely amazing to see the delicate balance between nature and the resilience of life in the canyon today and it really helped deepen and enhance my  understanding of the ecological and cultural marvels of Hells Canyon—a place I highly encourage you to visit yourself. 

But I was also struck by how Hells Canyon is a place where the past & present not only meet, but are becoming integrated. I can speak to this truth as I have been spending this time traveling with my mom. 

Because the wonders of Hells Canyon created, rather than a hellish experience, a unique chance to reconnect with history, loved ones, and the natural world around us. 

Know of my prayers that you, too, may spend some time in a beautiful setting and discover the same for yourself.

Tomorrow is an opportunity to learn more about the Nimiipuu, and then to officially embark upon our cruise. Hope you make the choice to join me again tomorrow. 

God bless and AMDG!