Missoula, Clarkston - Lewis and Clark Caravan - Part 10 (STR-2022…
Monday, 13 June - Day 34
Today was another travel day - from Dillon, MT, to Missoula, MT, 195 miles away. We woke up to 40 degrees again, and snow falling at the higher elevations. Reviewing the route this morning, Jack saw flood warning along the designated route, and shortly before our departure time, we were advised to take I-15 and I-90 to Missoula, MT. Driving the interstate is usually not Sprinty's preferred choice, but if the backroads were flooded, we would have to backtrack.
We were looking forward to the enroute stop at Big Hole National Battlefield which preserves a Nez Perce War battlefield. The Nez Perce fought a delaying action against the 7th Infantry Regiment on August 9 and 10, 1877, during their failed attempt to escape to Canada. This action, the Battle of the Big Hole, was the largest battle fought between the Nez Perce and U.S. Government forces in the five-month conflict known as the Nez Perce War. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Hole_National_Battlefield)
Sprinty enjoyed a light traffic drive with mostly a headwind to Missoula.
Last blog post, Sprinty commented about making a side trip to Yellowstone only a couple hours away. Looks like it was fortunate we did not go as Yellowstone National Park experienced historic flooding and shut down all entrances due to flooding, rockslides, mudslides. Waters are already twice as high as the flood event of 1918 and still rising. Several roads were washed out or blocked. No one is allowed to enter, and the Park is requiring everyone in the park to evacuate. Campsites nearby are overwhelmed by the evacuees.
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| Flood water damage in Yellowstone |
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| Flooded road in Yellowstone |
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| Rock slide in Yellowstone |
At 5:30, we had our trip meeting for tomorrows travel day in an outdoor pavilion, cloudy skies, 45 degrees, and 15mph wind. Our Wagonmaster shared that last year at this location, it was 90 degrees.
Tuesday, 14 June - Day 35
With an overnight low of 39 degrees, Spring is not giving up without a fight. Sprinty hopes Summer arrives on time, or even a few days early.
Today was another travel day - from Missoula, MT, to Clarkston, WA, 227 miles away on back roads (US12). Weather apps indicated a wintery mix along our route. The drive was very scenic. From Missoula, we climbed to 5,233 at Lolo Pass. As we neared the top,of the pass, it started snowing and the temperatures dropped to 30 degrees. Our plan was to stop in at the Visitor Center, but it was closed.
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| Lolo Pass Visitor Center |
As we followed the Lochsa River, it was moving a lot of water.
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| Lochsa River |
Sprinty enjoyed the drop in elevation as we continued west - and got almost 20mpg. We saw Jack and Jodee at a turnout having lunch. As we were visiting, a police car headed east at a very high rate of speed. We all had the immediate concern that one of our group behind us had a problem. We saw two ambulances and another police car headed east.
We stopped at a riverside pullout to have lunch on the rocks.
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| Lunch on the Rocks |
As we arrived in early afternoon (gaining an hour as we entered Pacific Daylight Time), we went to a glad course in Lewiston, ID to hit on the range. We have not swung a golf club in over two weeks.
When we arrived at the park, we learned that the accident did involve Dan and Sheila of our caravan. A lady traveling at a high rate of speed crossed the centerline near Lolo Pass and hit their motorhome, likely totaling it. Dan and Sheila were unhurt, the lady in the pickup had to be extracted with the Jaws of Life. Eric and Julie, our Tailgunners, were at the scene, and took Dan and Sheila back to Missoula where their motorhome was being towed.
We later got to see a photo of the pickup - it was so smashed up, it was hard to tell it was a pickup. And pretty amazing the driver was not killed. They did bring in LifeFlight for the lady. We got to talk to Dan later in the evening - he was in remarkably good spirits given how their morning turned out. And we are all super grateful for having our very competent Tailgunners looking after us every day.
We gathered at 6pm for a Lewis and Clark Living History presentation where Gary, a local Lewis and Clark historian in period dress, shared the medical treatments of the day during the expedition. Very well done and much more thorough than Stephen Ambrose's "Undaunted Courage". As an example of bleeding, one of the common treatments of the day, Gary even bled Jim our Wagonmaster. Jim was willing for the medicinal spirits used as a painkiller before the bleeding.
Wednesday, 15 June - Day 36
Last night was Sprinty's first night camping in the state of Washington. And he earned his 47th state camped in since February 2017.
Today was designated a free day on the itinerary. The caravan catalog list of activities indicated Deluxe Hells Canyon Guided Jet Boat Cruise. Last week, we confirmed no boat cruise was planned and decided to make our own arrangements. Darrell did the research and organized a group of 12 folks to signed up for a half-day jet boat tour to Dug Bar with Snake Dancer Excursions (snakedancerexcursions.com). Of the four jet boat tour operators in Clarkston/Lewiston, this was one of two operating from the marina that is part of the RV resort. So we get to enjoy a short walk across the parking lot to our cruise.
"Always buy the ticket. . . . . . .
From the Forestry Service webpage: "Hells Canyon, North America's deepest river gorge, encompasses a vast and remote region with dramatic changes in elevation, terrain, climate and vegetation. Carved by the great Snake River, Hells Canyon plunges more than a mile below Oregon's west rim, and 8,000 feet below snowcapped He Devil Peak of Idaho's Seven Devils Mountains. There are no roads across Hells Canyon's 10-mile wide expanse, and only three roads that lead to the Snake River between Hells Canyon Dam and the Oregon-Washington boundary."
Yesterday afternoon, we heard the cruise return to the dock and wandered down to see the boat and disembarking passengers. They all seemed to be dry and had a good time.
Todays cruise had 22 passengers, 11 from our caravan group.
Our boat captain was Tyler, and the boat boy was Boyd. I think we were on the only tour with a boat Boyd.
We left on time.
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| Look who bought the Ticket |
The Snake River was at flood level, as much as 30 feet higher than the dryer months. We enjoyed warmer temperatures and less wind than we had yesterday.
Tyler had to watch for sticks and logs so they did not get sucked up into the impeller. At normal river levels, they don't have this problem.
Along the way, Tyler pointed out some exposed Basalt columns.
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| Another Jet Boat Tour Boat |
We stopped at Cache Creek for lunch. Cache Creek is also the point where you have to have a National Forest permit to continue.
On the way to lunch, we traveled at about 25-29mph over the ground as we went upstream in current of 6-12mph. The river was flowing 10-12 mph at Cache Creek
Tyler said the Snake River was flowing at 113,000 cu ft, normal summer flow is 12,000.
Snake River Canyon has beautiful scenery.
We ran many rapids, including some that would be Class IV rapids at summer flow.
The turn around point was the Dug Bar Ranch. It was also the location where Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce crossed here in 1877 as they evaded the U.S Army Calvary and tried to make their way to Canada.
All in all, a fantastic day to be on the water - great weather, great friends, wildlife sightings, and beautiful scenery.
"Always buy the ticket. . . . . . .
At 5:30pm, we had a pot luck organized by Gail. And just as we were about to get started, in rolls Dan and Sheila in a CruiseAmerica rental RV. Despite having their nice, new Newmar Class A motorhome incapacitated by the collision yesterday, they reorganized and caught back up with us in Clarkston. We all gave them a standing ovation for their resilience.
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