Perspective A LAND OF HISTORY OF THE FLOAT TRIPS DOWN THE PEOPLEWHO CAME TO CONTRASTS MINING CAMPS, "RIVER OF NO RETURN," TAME THE FRONTIER: RANGES OF TAR-PAPER SHACKS, FI.Y-FISHING ON A EXPLORERS,TRAPPERS, SPECTACULARLY LEWISAND CLARK, RUSHING MOUNTAIN MISSIONARIES, PINNACLED PEAKS, I.NDIAN WARS, STREAM, BACK-PACKING MINERS, FARMERS, VAST EXPANSES IRRIGATION TRACTS, IN THE SAWTOOTHS RANCHERS, OF RAW, EXPOSED VAST CATTLE AND OR TETONS. ENTREPRENEURS, LAVA FORMATIONS, SHEEP RANGES. OPPORTUN I STS . SAGEBRUSH-COVERED DESERTS AND PLATKAUS, BROAD IRRIGATED FERTILE RIVKR VALLEYS, AWESOME MAJESTICALLY CARVED RIVER CANYONS. Snake Basin The Snake River, a major tributary of the mighty Columbia southern Idaho, the river flows across the River, is itself one of the largest Snake River Plain. From 10 to 15 million rivers in the United States.Larger years ago, a massive successionof lava flows than the Colorado and Sacramento createdthe Snake River Plain area, an area of combined, the Snake delivers an 8,500 square miles, As mountains rose across averageof about 50,000 cubic feet of those plains, the Snake began cutting the Hells water into the Columbia every se- Canyon, which now has a maximum depth of cond. This provides one-fifth of the 7,900 feet, exceeding that of the Colorado's Columbia's total flow, Grand Canyon. The Snake and its tributaries drain The Snake has a number of cataracts and a basin of over 109,000 square miles, waterfalls, of which Shoshone,260 feet high, including most of Idaho, as well as is one of the most beautiful. An unusual and western Wyoming, northern Utah and striking feature of the river is a seriesof crystal- Nevada, easternOregon and south- clear springs pouring down precipitous banks, eastern Washington. sometimescarving deep side canyons, From its origin on the western slopes of Surfaceand underground water resourcesof impor- Continental Divide in Yellowstone Nationa roughout the Snake'swatershed include hot as weH Wyoming, the Snake flows some 1,000 miles through ascold water.Geothermal power, exploited in a modestway mountain ranges, narrow canyons, forested hills sagebrush-covered since 1890, is available on a considerable scale in a terrain affected desertsand plateaus,lava plains and broad irrigated river valleys until by extensiverecent volcanic activity. Ice cavesalso develop in other it joins the Columbia River near Pasco, Washington, spots in the Snake's lava fields, All of these curiosities attest to a Annual precipitation rangesfrom about 7 inchesin the south and diverse and challenging environment with a variety of natural wonders. southcentral plains area to more than 60 inches in the mountain ranges. Gradual changesin climate and in topography continue to affect the Seasonal variations in runoff can be extreme, depending on the depth Snake and its basin. Snow and ice, heat and water, crustal movements of the winter snowpack stored in the higher elevations. In spite of a which imperceptiblyraise and lower mountainsand plains,and shifting large total supply, water is not always available where and when it is coursesof streamand riverscontinue to alter an alreadyvaried land- needed. Numerous dams along the Snake system now control the scape.Dams and reservoirsprovide sudden changeswhich speedup river's floods. 1hese storagereservoirs have also reducedthe effects of some of those long-term effects. No one can be sure when another ice drought and have enabled large-scale irrigation projects to take place sheet may advancetoward the Snake River's large basin,or whether a within the basin. hotter and drier climate is emerging just now. But over a period of Most of the Upper Snake River Basin is mountainous with its waters thousandsof years, remarkable changeswill continue to transform an flowing through such familiar ranges as the Rockies, the Grand Tetons, area which has a spectacularreceipt natural history of dramatic and the Bitteroot and the Sawtooth mountains, But in its passage across sometimes cataclysmic events. History The Snake River has been a river of White men appearedin the region with was an inhospitable place they had to mystery to the white man untfl recent the Lewis and Clark expedition. On pass through on their journey along the times. But for the Indian tribes, such as August 12, 1805, Lewis and three Oregon trail. the Nez Perce, Shoshone-Bannock, and rnernbers of his party crossed the Con- In 1861, gold was discovered in the Paiute, the river has been a focal point tinental Divide at Lernhi Pass where they Basin and suddenly attracted thousand» for their culture and traditions for more met 60 Shoshone Indian Warriors on of settlers to the mountains and valleys than 14,000years, horseback, Provided with horses and which had seemedquite forbidding only The early ancestorsof these tribes led supplies,Lewis and Clark traveledNorth a year or two before. Emigrants se tling a nomadic existence in the Snake River recrossingthe Continental Divide, down along the river began farming the flood Basin, subsistingon hunting, fishing, and the Bitteroot River, and over Lolo Pass plain areas. With the hungry miners pro- foraging. Bartering was active among the where they met the Nez PerceTribe on viding a sure market for their products, Indians who lived within the Basin. The September20, 1805. With the assistance thriving farmers began searchingfor river and its extensive plains offered an of the Nez Perce, they traveled down the methods of increasingthe farming poten- avenue of communication, travel, and Lolo Trail to the Snake River. The Nez tial of the area. Small irrigation projects cultural exchangethat affected all Basin's Percealso provided supplies to the ex- were begun-projects that would bring a inhabitants. pedition, drew maps, and gave informa- new era and prosperity to this Basin. Prior to white contact, Indians from a tion on the different tribes Lewis and Two twentieth century developments- vast area met each summer for a great Clark would encounter on their irrigation and power-have made rich trade festival in a Snake River area where westward trip. farmlands out of once barren deserts. numerous other streams Payette, Boise, For many years, there was peace bet- Reclamation projects such as the Boise Owyhee, dreiser, and Majheur! converg- ween the Indian tribes and the white Project, completed in 1908, and the ed in an excellent salmon fishery. Lower men. Not until the hordes of white set- Minidoka project in 1906 brought cheap Columbia peoples, Nez Perce, Cayuse, tlers began usurping the Indians' lands electrical power and "liquid gold" to Northern Paiute, local and regional Nor- did the Indians become belligerent and southern Idaho. Irrigated farming and thern Shoshone,and more remote plains resort to retaliation, with numerous at- railroad transportation has Ied to the peoples such as Arapaho horsemencame tacks on lone wagon trains. development of a string of new com- in from all directions. This gathering, The white settlement of the Snake rnunities along the Snake River over the comparable to similar annual events River Basin did not come easy. Explorers, past century. around The Dajles and Cascades of the trappers, and missionarieswere the first For the past 14,000years the river and Columbia <rr at Missouri River's Mandan inhabitants. These people found a harsh its resourceshas been a major influence villages, provided increasedcultural con- environment, as evidencedin their early on the people living within its basin, tact for Indian travelers through the namesgiven the Snake. "The Accursed snake country. Mad River." For early settlers the Basin 1 Ameficajt life, with water- pejarftyv'The Snake-River pp r p;itsr'ushjng clear water streams,roaring rivers, sparkljng jakes and large,resjrvcijrs. ' h!fanufacturingis the fastest grctw'in sectoi in the"Snake sternwheeterschajjengetf ihe ttnprtdtctab'je wars caerying The Basm offers~tionaj acjventttrefor: boaters, river rafters, Rjverjjasin, 'input in its cojnpositjap,it stijl reflectsthe im- passengers,agricultural products and freight. portanceof abundantwater and tertiie agricultural janet. With the construction of the dams on the lower Snake in ~ater sjciers,river "tubers,"camgers,,snojvsklers,! crctss-country skiers, Foodprocessing arid lujnbe'r are the dominant industs!es the 196tysand 197irs,an economical,safe and practical mountaincIimbers, bird watchers, huntets, anglers, camera buffs, rock navigational careidor openedup the inland Empire. FISH ANll%ILSLIFK hounds,hlkers, backpacktjrs, sand "duneys," and sunbatfters. fn theeconotnic development activities of the Basin. 'nearly'1200 mites jo the head aieas has safeg'uardedmajor J.ft. Simpjbtset the fatedprocessing in'dustry an its way Lewlston;tdaho,' codd now be considered a sea port, hav- Rsh ancl wBdljfe have been ..Recreationon thelower Snake incltades thtt Hells Canyon'National duringWorld Wgr II, Workingin the'BoiseValley area nf ing theability to shipcotnmodities by bargeto thepaafic artintegral part of life in the waters of 'the Snake'River,. wj1dljfe habitat areas. Perhaps: Recreationhrea, administeredby the U.S. ForestService, This areaof- idaho,he devejiiped a dehydration prbcess"w'hicfi, in sIiort Qcea'n,'some'465 river ml1esaway. SnakeRiver Basin since before, Idaho's Saflmoit River artd one of the frost unjqtte is,the fersspectacuja'r' varieiy ranging from the al'pihe mountain peaks of Lhe order, madehun theyrincipajsupplier of potatoesto. tbe Sfupmentsof agriculturalcommodities, wood and paper. products,fertilizers and chemicals,as well. as finishedpro-