Hell's Canyon straddles the border between Oregon and Idaho, but neither allows easy access to the depths of this great gorge. Carved by the waters of the Snake River, which flows more than a mile below the canyon's west rim on the Oregon side and 7,400 feet below the peaks of Idaho's Seven Devils Mountains range to the east, then inaccessibility of this region is a major draw.
Come along as we explore Buckhorn Lookout, eventually making our way through Zumwalt Prairie down into the quaint town of Inmaha. From there we venture up - to Hat Point, and then down - to Dug Bar, going as far as we can by truck before hoofing it on foot to the confluence of the Snake and Imnaha Rivers at Eureka Bar. A finale at the Hell's Canyon Dam - the only part of the trip where we venture out of Oregon capped this amazing trip!
Cold Day in Hell('s Canyon) Part 1 (May 2019) - Summer in the Pacific Northwest is hard to beat. So, I wouldn't blame you for wondering why - with a week of sun and 75°F in store before Memorial Day - we were headed for the inclement weather of the Oregon-Idaho border and Hells Canyon. So let's start there. In what I believe to be a tradition that I've stumbled into, Monte @Blackdawg and Mike @Digiratus generally get together for a trip every Memorial Day, and this year the plan was go meet up in Lewiston, ID for a few days of puttering around and enjoying ourselves in the outdoors.…
Zumwalt Prairie to Hat Point | Hells Canyon #2 - It was a chilly night at 5300', but our strategic position behind the ridge line meant that we were unaffected by the bulk of the wind - a knit cap enough to keep me cozy, and @mrs.turbodb wanting only for her earplugs in the morning when the birds started singing. And it was early when they did - sunrise was at 5:07am, and the first light on the horizon started well before 4:30am, spreading across the sky in its glorious trek. Eventually, there was enough light to illuminate Imnaha Canyon below us - the hills and valleys unfolding into the…
Dug Bar, "Gold Mines," and Horses | Hells Canyon #3 - May 23, 2019. (still) Had we blinked as we passed through Imnaha, we might have missed it as we set out down Lower Imnaha Road. The first six miles of this road are paved, but we'd been warned by 100 Hikes / Travel Guide: Eastern Oregon that beyond that point we were in for a whole different experience... At this point the Lower Imnaha Road suddenly becomes a rutted, steep one-lane dirt road strewn with rocks. Turn back if you don’t like the first 100 yards, because this typifies the 25.4 miles ahead. Vehicles must be driven so slowly on this rugged…
Eureka Bar and a Miscalculation | Hells Canyon #4 - May 24, 2019. We once again slept well - the rushing river providing a nice white noise through the dry night. In a canyon, I knew there was no rush to get up for the sunrise, and it was late (for us) before we even considered pulling ourselves out of bed. One of the great things about this particular camp site was that it happened to be across the Imnaha River from a trailhead that had the potential to be quite amazing - a trail that followed the river downstream to its confluence with the Snake - the same confluence…
Hi There,
Love your content, amazing footage and great narration!
I was planning on doing Hells Canyon mid-Sept this year, but after doing some research I found out that its right in the middle of hunting season. Have you been there in Sept/Oct?
Thanks,
Dan
Hey Dan,
I've only been to Hells Canyon in the spring, but I wouldn't worry about going during hunting season. I'm out and about year round, and I've never had any trouble. In fact, I rarely run into any hunters who aren't in ATVs, driving down the road just like I am, hahaha!
Cheers,
Dan