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The Snake River Trail shim John & Kristie

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hikes :: Thursday, April 10, 2008
The Snake River Trail
HELLS CANYON NATIONAL RECREATION AREA, ID :: I drove across the state to backpack along Idaho's bank of the Snake River. The roadtrip was long, but enjoyable. I appreciate any opportunity to cruise through the beautiful, rolling landscape of the Palouse and the small, farm towns of Eastern Washington. After a night in Grangeville, I woke up to falling snow and carefully proceeded along icy roads to White Bird, the town nearest to the trailhead.

I intended to hike from Pittsburg Landing to Bernard Creek, which is 42 miles out and back. To cut down on some mileage, I arranged for a jet boat ride with Beamers to take me 15 miles upriver to Sheep Creek. The outfitter also serves as a US mail boat, delivering parcels once a week to ranches alongside the river. I met up with five other backpackers at Pittsburg Landing, who were friendly enough to invite me into their group, but their trip would be shorter in distance and longer in duration.

The jet boat roared through the canyon, hopping over white water rapids that will be enjoyed by rafters in late-Spring and Summer. We made a couple stops to deliver mail and I noted landmarks I would pass on the way back. It was raining and cold, so we were given paper towels to wipe the fog off the boat's windows. The ride was about an hour to Sheep Creek, where we said goodbyes and wished each other a safe and drier trip. I was heading further upriver, they were heading back down.

Hells Canyon is the deepest in North America. Deeper than the Grand Canyon. Although the walls of the canyon are more V-shaped, if the highest points are measured across the Snake, it is narrower and higher than at any point on the Colorado. I quickly gained a sense of this as the trail climbed and dropped considerably to negotiate the rugged hillsides, at times hugging along dynamite-blasted rock walls and at other times opening up to vast grasslands, high above the river. The variety was thrilling, and the sun battled with the rain all day, creating a moody atmosphere that contributed to the sense of the Wild. Fresh carcasses of deer and elk were seen, victims to cougars or wolves. We spotted a couple canine forms high along the hills on the boat ride, although they may have been coyotes.

I made my way to Bernard Creek, about six miles from Sheep Creek, where I originally intended to camp in a century-old cabin. But the shack was littered with the obvious occupation of rats and bats, so I decided to head back after taking shelter from the rain for a while and reading through the interesting articles and old Saturday Evening Post ads plastered on the walls. By the time I was done exploring the cabin, the sun had proven it's victory over the rain and I headed back towards Sheep Creek.

Just 600 yards upriver from Sheep Creek is Johnson Bar, perhaps the best campsite along the entire trail: a nice beach, easy access to the river, sandy tent sites, plenty of flat-topped rocks for benches and tables, a fire pit, and great canyon views. As the sun set behind snow-capped peaks on the Oregon side, I setup camp and got a good fire going using some dead branches that had washed up on shore. I had a chance to try out a couple new toys, including a light-weight solo tent, the MSR Hubba, and my Spot Messenger, a GPS and Globalstar communicator (endorsed by Survivor Man!) that can be used to broadcast my location in an emergency, but also lets me send an "I'm okay!" signal to Kristie to ease her mind. I sent her an OK message every morning, afternoon and night. It worked great, and her email notifications included a link to Google Maps to show my precise location. As expected, there is absolutely no cell phone reception in the canyon.

From Johnson Bar, it's 15 miles to the trailhead. I decided I could do it and reduce my three-day trip to just two. I woke up to a chilly morning, but the sky was clear and deep blue. It would be very sunny and about 75 degrees today. A welcome change.

I hadn't seen anyone most of the first day, except for the people on the mail boat and a couple other jet boats on the river. On the second day, I passed the mail boat group again and met about a dozen other people on my way back, mostly at Kirkwood Ranch, a popular day-hike and camping spot just six miles from the trailhead.

Unfortunately, this stretch of trail has many more ups and downs. My legs were pretty tired after climbing several hills leading to Suicide Point, a prominent outcropping of rock 400 feet above a horseshoe bend in the river. The steepest climb is right after Kirkwood Ranch, a relentless switchback that I cursed with every obscenity I know - I think I even created a few new ones. It probably didn't climb more than 500 feet, but after 27 miles with 35 pounds on my back, I was ready to just be done.

Several more climbs through much greener hills finally restored my good spirits and brought me back to my car. It was a unique and gorgeous hike, offering plenty of peaceful solitude this time of year. Spring or Fall are the best times to enjoy this area, when the temperatures are still mild. During the summer, Hells Canyon rightfully earns its name with 100+ degree days.

Trip report posted with additional discussion at nwhikers.net.

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