Goin' Digital

Everyone,




I had an idea last week as I was walking along the Snake River below Hell's Canyon. I had taken some photos, and was having such good time, I wanted to share it with you all. Email for me proves to be exceedingly difficult. So I'm going to try the blog. Think of it as a letter, only with pictures and, hopefully, videos. Links, etc.




I'm sitting at my laptop looking out at another hot summer day. Too hot to be outside, really. I'm waiting for some images to upload. This may be the end of blogging. It's been 5 minutes so far and this is the second time I've written text.




Photos should be uploaded, so let's see -











This is the Snake river in the morning. I drove into a place called Pittsburg Landing, the only road into the canyon between Hell's Canyon dam and somewhere below the confluence with the Salmon. It's quite a place. I was enchanted. I woke early, to beat the heat, and headed upstream on a great trail. It's been maintained for horses for decades and I made it to a place called Kirkwood Bar, 6 miles up, before the sun hit me. I spend some time here. It's now owned by the Forest Service. Cool old house, bunkhouse - museum, tons of ripe cherries, old haying equipment, sheep pens. I walked anothe couple of miles, swam while watching 3 bighorns graze across the water, and headed back. Talked to the Kirkwood caretakers on the way back, snoozed in the shade and trudged on into the heat. Hot it was too.









All of this was after 4 days in Spokane for Mrs. A's 100th. Way to go Mrs. A! Spent a few days in Lewiston for a Tech. Ed. conference, and onto the Snake. Let's try another photo.









This is David Kirk's grave. He owned Kirkwood ranch for 20 years or so. Ran sheep, grew hay, orchards, etc.

I am going to reccomend a book to you all, which I am reading now.

Life Below Hell's Canyon by Grace Jordan

She lived at Kirkwood in the 30's and chronicled life and the people living in the canyon.








The Seven Devils

Amy and I just got back from the Seven Devils mountains, which are the high points of the Hell's canyon area. Never been there before, although John has done some caving up there. We camped up high, where we suffered mosquitoville. Truly horrible. Got up early, again, and strated hiking into the Wilderness. Here's a photo of Amy and what I think is known as the devils throne. Or tooth. Very spectac. up there, but rough and STEEP! Congress has cut the Forest's maintanence funds, so the trails were nearly impassible from downfall in places.

House Completed -



Here's a pic of the outside of the newly completed house. I have some of the inside, but time and space prohibit too much uploadin'. Maybe next year I can chronicle the progress. I did submit next years's plans, which I designed, and will start on that in July.



End of the blog. I have a big backpacking trip scheduled for July 14- 21. I also have cataract surgery scheduled for the 24th. Thanks to Barbara for sending some info on what to expect. Not lookin forward to it at all.

Feel free to post, but I don't know how if I'll ever read this to reply.

Scott