Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1921-12-08
SCENIC WONDERS
IN CENTRAL IDAHO


that there lies in the north centra
, part of Idaho a section of countr
larger than many European Nations
which is practically a total wilder
mess. trayersed by no roads and fey
trails, with human population to-
small to be computed and an ANNA
population of many thousands.
Thru the center of this territor,
runs the Salmon river, bisecting tn
/ heart of the Rocky Mountains, ant
forming the great Salmon River Can
yon, a gigantic cash in the earth
crust, beginning a few miles belov
/ Salmon City and extending in +;
westernly direction for over 20(
miles; narrowing down in some
places to less than mile in width
/ opening up in others to fifteen OF
| twenty miles, with an average deptl
of 5000 to 1000 feet.
This canyon is not rivaled in the
variation of its scenic grandeur by
any similar section on earth. There
are no two miles of the river alike
In some places flowing smoothly
along among majestic mountain
with high sharp peaks doing sentine
duty in the distance, in others open
ing out in wide deep places where ne
current can be detected, and in still
others rushing madly down thru
rock ribbed boulder strewn canyons
flashing itself into a fury will white
water.
A few small sections of the river
can be reached by the pack train
but the greater part and especially
all the rougher sections, can be
reached in one way and can be
reached in only one way, that is by
boat down the river. It's popular
name 1.-THE River of no Return
effectually explains the fact that the
travel is all in one direction, as there
is no possible chance to return VI
stream, even afoot, for every little
ways there are sheer cliffs rising sew
eral thousand feet from the waters
edge, and you would climb arouno
one at endless labor only to be con-
fronted with another.
The boats used are of the scow
variety, wide, flat bottomed with
sloping ends, varying in width from
S to feet and sometimes even 10
feet and 20 to SO feet long. They
are controlled by long sweeps ONT
on each end. which are handled from
thes weep platform, this is built il
the center of the boat and raised
almost on level with the top of the
sides. The man on thefront SWEEP
picks out the route and guides the
boat in the direction she should &c
and tells the rear man which way to
throw his end when in bad water
while It is the rear mans job at ali
times to keep the boat straight with
the current. To handle these sweeps
in bad water requires strength, dar
ing and unerring judgment, as a |
hesitation or a lost sweep !
stroke might pile you on a Jagged |
rock and add another chapter to the |
rivers long list of tragedies.
For hunting trip this makes one |
Of the grandest outings in the world |
Tor practically all the larger Ameri |
IAN game can be found along the |
liver or very closely adjacent there
%. Deer are found in countless
numbers scattered over the entire |
while goat and mountain |
iheep can be found on many locali-
les directly on the river; and elk
n certain districts range down to
he river. Bear and cougar are to
,e found over the entire district, but
cougar are very hard to hunt with
nut dogs and owing to the fact that
he bear hibernate quite early in the
all, the spring is the best time to
Iunt them, when they first come out
hey all cove down on the river
where the grass weeds and other
reen things are growing, making it
cry easy to secure a good bag at
his time time of year.
Have just completed a six weeks
rip down the river accompanied by
Ir. l. A. Asbury. Primarialy, II
rent for the purpose of securing
cenic pictures OF tbs country, but
i'd not have much trouble securing
IL the game my license called for
We made over half the trip in q
)urteen foot folding canvas boat
nd as far as we can find out it is
le first time this rough piece OF
ater was ever run in a small boat
he latter part of the trip we made
one of the regulation scows, 6
let wide and about "a feet long.
was an old boat and one that had
zen used in bringing freight down
lie river. BY using this boat we
ere able to bring out some game
Id heads which otherwise we could
1t have gotten out, for our small
,at was only large enough to carry
lrselves and outfit. We made the
tire trip without accidents of any
nd, but a thousand close shayes, I
ore or less. &
In conclusion will say, that 1 can {
ghly recommend this great section {
country, both for the beauty, s
endeur and variation of its seen {
y, and the number, variety and q
feasibility of the the game. How +
er, very strongly advise against
y one trying to make the trip
cept in the company of some one
perienced in running the river, as
my have tried and very few sue q
eded, most of them having no 4
ance for a second trial. q
H. w. WEIDNER. :