NE Oregon

Chuck and I just returned from 6 days in NE Oregon. We drove up on Tuesday in time to catch the Eagle Cap excursion train. ODOT helped fund the purchase of the railroad, which is now operated by Union and Wallowa Counties. It provides important freight service--and a beautiful view of the Grande Ronde and Wallowa River canyons.

On Wednesday, I attended Transportation Commission meetings and Chuck hiked in the Elkhorns. We hooked up at the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center in Baker City--well worth visting. We went back on Thursday morning to go down and see the actual Oregon Trail ruts. No matter how much you think you know about the trail, visiting it and reading the pioneers' diaries is great. See picture of Grande Ronde Valley and trail ruts.

Thursday we drove over to Halfway and then down to Hells Canyon Dam, the dam that blocks the salmon runs up the Snake River. The canyon is the deepest in North America and well worth seeing. We hiked about 1.2 miles below the dam just to get a sense of the wild river below. I ended up buying and reading Home Below Hells Canyon by Grace Jordan, about ranching in the canyon during the 1930s. Now I want to drift the entire reach.

We went from Halfway to Imanha, staying at Imnaha River Ranch and checking out the Imnaha Store and tavern--great PBR and flyswatters for the regulars.

Saturday morning we headed north to Walla Walla where we did some great wine tasting before meeting friends for dinner. Great conversation and fabulous wines. This morning we did a bit more tasting before driving home, getting back around 3:30.

It was wonderful getting away and learning a lot more about this remote and gorgeous part of Oregon/Washington/Idaho.