Joseph, Oregon to Boardman, Oregon

We got home from our trip on October 17.  I just realized that I haven't told you about the end.  Here is what happened in the last week....

Saturday, October 10 - There has been rain forecast for today, so when Mom and Dad planned the week, they saved this drive on paved road for today.  

First they drove north of Enterprise to the Joseph Canyon Overlook. 
Chief Joseph was a leader of the Wallowa Band of Nez Perce Indians
that lived in this part of the Northwest.  There is a lot of stuff named
after him.  Today we are happy that the haze is rain and fog, which
is much easier on the lungs than the smoke we have been having.  

After the Joseph Canyon overlook,
they went to the ghost town of Flora.  I think
it's been a while since this car moved.  

The Flora School.  Must have been quite a town to
have a school this large!

Sunday, October 11 - Today we leave Joseph and travel to Boardman, Oregon.  Before we go, a few more photos from our Campground...

We can see these mountains from the Campground.  When we
arrived on Wednesday, there was no snow.  Here in Joseph, we
are at an elevation of 4,200', so we got rain yesterday.  On the
mountain peaks around us, that same precipitation
came down as snow at 7,000-9,000 feet. 

This is the same angel that I showed you in the last blog,
except now there is snow on the mountain over our motor home
and the owner of the campground has taken down the teepee in
preparation for closing the Campground on October 15.  A big
change in only a few days.

Joseph Mountain, taken from our Campground. 
The peak is over 9,600'

We have a nice view of the Columbia River from our campsite. 
Our picnic table is out of view behind the Jeep.

Monday, October 12 - Today we are mainly hanging out at our campsite at the Boardman Marina RV Park.  There is a nice walking path along the river and we've been making use of it!

Tomorrow, we will move to Cle Elum, Washington to meet up with our RV club.  We will be there for four nights and then home on Saturday.

Love,

Doolin

Joseph, Oregon

Thursday, October 8 - Today Mom and Dad drove from our Campground in Joseph, Oregon to the Hat Point Fire Lookout on the edge of Hells Canyon.   It was about 55 miles from here.  The first 30 was on paved road and then it turned to gravel.  

Looking back toward Joseph.  Smoke is worse today.

Did I mention that the road is basically one lane with
pullouts for meeting oncoming cars?

This pullout was larger and provided a good photo stop.

Hat Point Fire Lookout overlooking Hells Canyon.  The lookout is staffed
during fire season and normally you can climb to the top and see what is
happening.  Unfortunately, during Covid-19, the section above that mid-level
deck is closed to the public to protect the Forest Service workers from
exposure to the virus.  Mom and Dad climbed the stairs to the deck
that is a little more than 1/2 way up.  It's 93 stairs to get that far.

More smoke today.  You can barely see the Snake
River in the bottom of Hells Canyon.  It's just to the right of the
dead tree in the middle of the photo.

Speaking of dead trees, it's somewhat ironic that there was
a fire, caused by a lightning
strike, at the base of the Fire Lookout, a few years ago.

From here, you should be able to see the Seven Devils (mountains) in
Idaho, but today they are barely visible through the smoke.  The Seven
Devils are on the far side of Hells Canyon.  It's hard to say
where the smoke is coming from, but probably from the fires in California. 

The curves are a little scary, because you can't see what is coming
and not enough room to pass.  Fortunately, it's not a busy road.

Another view of the road ahead.

Did I mention that it was steep, as well as narrow?

Friday, October 9 - Today Mom and Dad left me and went for a hike in the Eagle Cap Wilderness.  It was a total of 6.2 miles with about 1000' of elevation gain.

The trail they chose mostly followed the Lostine River and was in
forest with understory trees and shrubs that are starting to show some
nice fall color.  The water in the river was incredibly clear.  The rocks
in the foreground are underwater.  The lighter gray on the left is a gravel
area that is above water.  Other than the change in color of the wet
gravel vs dry gravel, it was hard to tell them apart.

About 3 miles in, they came to this area where there had been an
avalanche.  It's been years since the avalanche, based on the trees
growing in the middle.  It made it possible to see mountain
peaks all around, except for the smoke.

Looking up from the trail, there were many small shrubs with nice
fall color, that have grown back, since the avalanche.

Another one of the nearby peaks.

Looking the opposite direction

More views of the Lostine River
on the way back to the Jeep

A waterfall on the Lostine River

We have one more night in Joseph, Oregon.  I'll tell you about that next time.

Love,

Doolin

Idaho - Part 4

Monday, October 5 - Today we drove to our new campsite in the Woodhead Campground in the Hells Canyon on the border of Idaho and Oregon.  I think it sounds ominous to plan to spend a couple days in a place called Hells Canyon, but I gotta go where Mom and Dad take me.

On the way there, we drove through an area burned by the Woodhead
Fire.  Wait a minute!  What's the name of that campground where
we are going?!?  Hells Canyon?!? This is starting to look BAD!!

Maybe Woodhead Park will be OK.  This is our campsite. 
What a view! 

Now that I've calmed down a little, let me tell you what I've learned about Hells Canyon.  It's a along a part of the Snake River, which separates Oregon and Idaho.  In the photo above, we are in Idaho, but the hills on the other side of the lake are in Oregon.  The Snake River actually starts in Yellowstone National Park at 9500' and winds across southern Idaho, before turning north to the point where we are staying.  The Snake joins the Columbia near Pasco, Washington.  It drains 109,000 square miles and ranks 6th in volume of all the US rivers.  Hells Canyon is the Deepest Canyon in the US - even deeper than the Grand Canyon.

Another view from the campground.  We are four miles upstream from
the Brownlee Dam on the Snake River.  The Brownlee Dam creates the
Brownlee Reservoir (the lake we are next to), which covers 13,000
acres and is over 50 miles long.

After we got settled, Mom and Dad took a drive in Hells Canyon.

There are three Dams in this part of Hells Canyon and they create
reservoirs with very calm water, almost a mirror.

Mom calls this shot - "First sign of Fall".  Odd that just one tree
was turning yellow and it was SO vivid.

Hells Canyon Dam on the Snake River

Move views of Hells Canyon

Dad hanging out with me and enjoying the view from our picnic table.

That's our motor home down there in the middle of the photo.  There
are lots of fishermen on the row below us, next to the water, but the 
upper part of the campground, where we are, is nearly empty. 
I didn't get a photo, but the night sky was also very dark.  We went
out and saw the Milky Way and more stars than I think I've ever seen before.

End of a beautiful day in the Hells Canyon.

Tuesday, October 6 - Today Mom and Dad took another drive.  They went to this overlook on the edge of Hells Canyon.

The view would be better, if there wasn't so much smoke 😭

They also drove along this nice stream.

I was glad that Mom and Dad came home and took me on this
hike up to the viewpoint above our campground.  It's not as high as
the one they drove to, but plenty high for my old bones.

Wednesday, October 7 - Today we left Woodhead Park on Hells Canyon and moved to Joseph, Oregon.  That's only 80 miles away, as the crow flies; unfortunately, we aren't crows.  Dad decided the Forest Service Road that we would need to take over the mountains was too steep, curvy, and narrow for the RV.  He and Mom were on part of it yesterday to drive to the viewpoint.  Since we aren't going over the Forest Service Road, we will be driving 235 miles around.

We made it.  Our campsite near Joseph, Oregon

Next time, I'll tell you about our stay in Joseph.

Love,

Doolin

Idaho - Part 3

Saturday, October 3 - Today we continued moving south in Idaho.  

This is a view of the Snake River, at Lewiston, Idaho. 
Smoke has moved in, probably from fires in California 😩😭

Coming down the hill into Lewiston was a little exciting.  It's a
steep hill.  Up ahead is the first of FIVE runaway truck ramps!!! 

After Lewiston, we started seeing more hills ahead.

We passed the most awesome B&B. 

Soon, we came into a beautiful canyon and
followed the Salmon River.

It was a really nice drive.

Dad and I checking out our camp site.  We are at the Canyon Pines
RV Resort between Riggins and McCall, Idaho.  We have a nice
site backing up to the Little Salmon River and
fell asleep to the sound of the rushing water.

Sunday, October 4 - Today Mom and Dad decided to drive into McCall.  It's Sunday and time for the weekend campers to go home.  Before they left, we watched our next door neighbors get packed up.  

Oh my they have a lot of stuff!  Hey man, it's called a collapsible trash
can for a reason!!!   Wait, you've got two kids.  Save room for them!! 

This is Payette Lake taken from downtown McCall. 
Yes, it's still smoky today 😢

They also went to Ponderosa State Park and took the scenic
drive.  The park is on a peninsula that extends out into the lake
and there were some nice views.  

Another smoky view from Ponderosa State Park

A nice Birch grove in Ponderosa State Park, showing a little color.

Mom and Dad also went to a place called
Charlie's Garden in McCall.  

Still lots of pretty flowers in the garden.

and some cool fall leaf color

I was glad when Mom and Dad got home.  We are camping in a canyon
and I DID NOT like the looks of this on the ridge above our campsite!! 
We weren't sure what to do and the campground owner wasn't much help.
(She claimed there was no fire?!?!)  Mom decided to call the
non-emergency number at the local Sheriff's office.  They connected
her with the National Forest Service and found that the fire is actually
pretty far from us and they are getting it under control.  What a relief!

Tomorrow we are moving on again.  Even though the National Forest Service told Mom that we are safe, I'll be glad to get away from this fire!

Love,

Doolin