Memorial Day Memories at the Ballpark in the LC Valley

Do you know what I remember about Memorial Day? I remember barbecues where the number of hotdogs I ate in a day defied FDA regulations. I remember block parties where everyone was welcome and I remember neighborhood baseball games that started as soon as the sun came up and lasted well into the starry night.

Times have changed a bit but I still love a good old fashioned Memorial Day weekend filled with baseball, and I know where to find one of the best this side of the Rockies.

Come May 25th, you’ll find me at Harris Field smack in the middle of the NAIA World Series baseball tournament and I’m not coming out until there’s a 2012 champion crowned. 10 teams from across the nation play 19 games over 7 days; on real dirt in a ballpark large enough to make the homerun bombs memorable and small enough that every seat lets me smell the cut green grass of the field.

Did I mention the $1 Hotdogs, Soda and Popcorn on Memorial Day?

Let’s do a spot check.

Full supply of hotdogs? Check. Lots of friendly faces? Check. Baseball worth the watch? Check and double check! What do you say? If you don’t have your Memorial Day set, plan a road trip to the LC Valley – and don’t forget your mitt … fly balls make great souvenirs!

We’d love to hear about the Memorial Day memories you make in the LC Valley this year – share your story with us on Facebook and while you’re at the games, give a shout to @HellsCanyon on Twitter and we can exchange game notes – I’ll be the one glued to my seat.

Spring Chinook Salmon Season Opens In The Lewis-Clark Valley

The 2012 Chinook Salmon Season is about to open with an estimated 83,600 adult hatchery origin fish expected to cross Lower Granite Dam into  the waters surrounding  the LC Valley at the north entrance to Hells Canyon.  It’s FISH ON!

These massive, ocean going fish are often so big that fishermen call them “hogs” and anglers from across the nation head our way each year for their chance at hooking into one of these legendary game fish.

Washington fisheries on the Snake River open April 25 and Idaho fisheries on the Clearwater and Snake Rivers open April 22.

Get a great deal on your Chinook salmon fishing adventure by checking out the Fisherman’s Specials for a hotel and book your charter from one of these licensed guides and outfitters in good standing with Hells Canyon Visitor Bureau.

Things to know if you go:

The Catch

• Adult Chinook measure 24 inches or more
• Jack Chinook measure under 24 inches and must be at least 12 inches to qualify for harvest.

Know Your Limits

• Washington; All Chinook with an adipose fin must be released.Washington allows for a daily limit of 6 hatchery chinook, with a cap of 2 adults. Anglers must cease fishing when the adult limit has been retained for the day.

• Idaho; All Chinook with an adipose fin must be released.On the Clearwater River drainage allows for a daily limit of 4 hatchery Chinook, with a cap of 2 adults.  Possession limit is 12, with a cap of 6 adults.On the Snake River from Dug Bar to Hells Canyon Dam, the lower Salmon and the Little Salmon rivers, the daily limit is four hatchery Chinook, only 2 may be adults. The possession limit is 12, with a cap of 6 adults.

Photographing Wild Chinook Salmon

• In Washington, wild salmon must be unhooked and released without being removed from the water.  Have your camera ready for a quick image capture and keep the fish low to the water.
• Idaho allows anglers a bit more leeway and lets fishermen remove wild fish from the water for photographing.  Remember to wet your hands before touching the fish. Use both hands to support the fish, over the water if possible, so that if the fish struggles free it doesn’t fall onto a hard surface such as rocks or a boat floor.

Get Licensed

• In Washington anglers 14 & older must be licensed.  Purchase yours online from Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife.
• In Idaho, Anglers 14 & older must be licensed.  Purchase yours from Idaho Department of Fish & Game.

If you come, don’t forget the camera – we’d love to see what your fishing adventure was like and you can share it with us on the Hells Canyon Visitor Bureau Facebook Page.

~image property of HellsCanyonSportFishing.com

7 Awesome Things To Do Without Leaving Hells Gate State Park

When is a park not just a park? When it’s Hells Gate State Park! Read on to learn about the unexpected adventures that await you during a stay beside the Snake River in the LC Valley …

Camp out
Breakout the JiffyPop, S’mores and dutch ovens for a stay at any one of the 104 spots available within the tree covered slice of heaven that is Hells Gate State Park Campground. Wether you love RV, tent or cabin camping, Hells Gate has you covered!

Big Game Expedition
Come face to face with 65 mounted game heads from around the world and learn about one of North America’s most successful outdoor writers and hunting enthusiasts, Jack O’Connor, at The Jack O’Connor Hunting Heritage and Education Center.

Pedal Away the Day
Don a helmet, check the air in your tires and head out for a ride through the park. There are three camp loops to explore and any number of paved or dirt trails that wind all over the public green spaces on the grounds – guaranteed smiles for miles.

Explore the Corps
Grab a compass and head into the Lewis & Clark Discovery Center to meet Weetxuwiis and the Nez Perce, just like Lewis & Clark did over 150 years ago. Everyone can wander through 2 acres of outdoor exhibits at their own speed and the live stream with hidden animal sculptures and footprints is a great scavenger hunt.

Become a Jr. Ranger
Kids and families can suit up and become a resident expert on raptors, bees, flowers, bugs, birdwatching and a whole lot more during the totally free and totally fun 3-hour Jr. Ranger Programs inside the park. Learn more about the Jr. Ranger Program on the Hells Canyon Visitor Bureau Events Tab on our Facebook Page.

Swim, Splash and Snorkle
Slap on the sunscreen and paddle around in the shallows or venture out into the deep end of the swimming area at the north end of the park.

Drop a Line
Kids 13 and younger don’t even need a license, so find a spot on the bank, bait your hook and you might just catch dinner!

If you come, don’t forget the camera – we’d love to see what adventures you had in the park and you can share it with us on the Hells Canyon Visitor Bureau Facebook Page.

Free Family Fishing in the LC Valley

If the inevitable infection of Spring Fever among kids of all ages is threatening to break out in your home, we suggest getting to the LC Valley for a little outdoor recreation.  A road trip and fishing might be just what the doctor ordered.

What’s that?  You have no fishing equipment?  You don’t really know what you’re doing?  No worries! Getting the family outside to enjoy spring fishing in the LC Valley just got a lot less stressful and a lot more fun, thanks to Idaho Fish & Game’s Take Me Fishing Trailer.

The Take Me Fishing Trailer is fully stocked with fishing equipment that can be checked out for free, on a first-come, first-served basis and has friendly, knowledgeable IDFG staff who can get you started in no time.

Everyone, of any age is welcome to use the equipment.  While anglers 13 and under are able to fish Idaho waters for free, anglers 14 and older will need an Idaho Fishing License.  You can get information on Idaho Resident and Non-resident licensing here.

From March through June, the trailer is making eight visits to Lewiston, Idaho, at two ponds this year.  Here’s a Google Map of Lewiston Take Me Fishing locations, so you can find the ponds easily.

• March 31 at Mann Lake, from 9am-12pm
• April 7 at Kiwanis Park, from 9am-12pm
• April 14 at Mann Lake, from 9am-12pm
• April 29 at Mann Lake, from 9am-12pm
• May 6 at Kiwanis Park, from 9am-12pm
• May 19 at Kiwanis Park, from 9am-12pm
• May 27 at Mann Lake, from 9am-12pm
• June 2 at Kiwanis Park, from 9am-12pm

What happens if your family gets hooked?  Come on back and fish again – maybe take a full-fledged fishing trip with one of the LC Valley’s fantastic guides.

If you come, check the weather and dress appropriately, bring something to drink and don’t forget the camera – we’d love to see your catch and you can share it with us on the Hells Canyon Visitor Bureau Facebook Page.

And The Race Is On!

We can’t wait!  This April, the 2012 World Jet Boat Marathon Championships are bringing teams from Canada, Mexico, the United States and New Zealand to Idaho for nine days of fast-paced, adrenaline laced racing on four of the state’s whitewater rivers.

First things first.  If you’re coming, you’ll need a place to stay.  Take your pick of the comfortable hotels, scenic RV Parks and Campgrounds, or Bed & Breakfasts here in the valley.  You can book one stay and catch two legs of the race – Leg II on the Snake River and Leg III on the Clearwater River – helpful, right?

Next, there’s at least one pre-race event you shouldn’t miss … the jet boats up close, on display at the Clearwater River Casino; be sure to bring your camera so you can grab a picture with your favorite team.

Then, spend a few days watching the world’s finest racers navigate their way through some of Idaho’s most treacherous whitewater rapids at speeds that will leave you breathless.

After the races, the LC Valley promises night time excitement for you.  Be sure to check our April Calendar for updated listings of all the accompanying race events as they are announced.

Official 2012 Race Dates

April 14 & 15 on the St. Joe River near St. Maries

April 16 & 17 on the Snake River near Lewiston

April 18 on the Clearwater River near Orofino

April 19 no-race day

April 20 & 21 on the Salmon River near Riggins

For more information, check out this Google Map of the Race communities, visit the Official 2012 USA World Jet Boat Marathon Race Page on Facebook or call 208-628-4142.

Public Art in the LC Valley

From Lewis and Clark to wildlife and architecture to water, Lewiston Idaho’s history is commemorated with over twenty installations of public art. Pieces from as far back as 1902 and as new as 2011 are tucked into everyday places and not so common spaces throughout the town. Each one waiting for you to discover and explore a slice of Lewiston’s personality.

Artists including J. Shirly Bothum, Nancy N. Dreher, David Govedare and Keith Powell, Doug Hyde and Sharon Taylor-Hall have several pieces of artwork, ranging from 1911 to 2003, that pay tribute to the LC Valley’s ties to Native American culture and the Corps of Discovery’s journey through our area.

Turn of the century life in Lewiston is found in the more fanciful pieces around the valley. Fish-like cherubs in fountains, seahorse entry posts, grotesques and gargoyles invite today’s touch and provide a preserved bridge over 100 years of Lewiston’s past.

Contemporary people and life are also reflected in several sculptures like David G. Sears’ The Dance, Rip Caswell’s Cougar Beaver Otter Fish and Christopher Fennell’s Canoe Wave.

It’s an amazing thing to be able to touch a piece of art … to feel the textures under your fingertips and to understand with your hands the form your eyes see. The LC Valley’s public art not only allows this, it asks for personal attention.

Other public displays in or near the LC Valley include the Winter Spirit lights at Locomotive Park, the Lewiston Sesquicentennial Historic Kiosk Series and Maya Lin’s Confluence Project installation at Chief Timothy Park in Clarkston, Washington.

To help you get to know Lewiston through it’s public art, we’ve created the Google Map of Public Art in the LC Valley. On your tour, take a picture with your favorite piece and share it with us on Facebook – we’d love to see what you love most!

~image courtesy NWPassageScenicByway.org

A Taste, A Glass, A Bottle and More …. Wine in the LC Valley

Some people will tell you that the best time to visit a new place is on a weekend.

image courtesy ~TankPhotography

Tour 150 Years of Lewiston Idaho’s History on Foot

Lewiston’s oldest surviving residence dates back to the late 1860’s … wanna visit it?

In 1865, a policeman, the U.S. Army and the Territorial Secretary were not on the same side … wanna know why?

In 1879, over 66,000 tons of wheat was shipped by steamboat to Portland, Oregon … wanna see from where?

Lewiston, Idaho, turned 150 years old in 2011.  A lot has happened in this town over the past century and a half and now, thanks in part to the Sesquicentennial Celebration, you can follow a self-guided tour of its history.  The Lewiston Sesquicentennial Kiosk Series highlights key locations, people and events that have shaped this North Central Idaho town from a gold mining hub, to Idaho’s first capitol, to the state’s only seaport.

Pack a picnic basket, get the dog’s leash, gather up the kids and head out!  Here’s a Google Map, to get you started, so you can do the whole tour at once or visit a few places each day.

At Pioneer Park

• A Cemetery on the Frontier
• Battling the Haughty Demon of Flame
• Doing What Is Best for Kids
• Relic of a Rustic Past
• The Simple Dues of Fellowship and Social Comfort
• Women to Match the Frontier

At Kiwanis Park

• A Confluence of Rivers and Steam

At Nez Perce County Historical Museum

• Lewiston and Abraham Lincoln

At Nez Perce County Courthouse

• Measuring Lines in Pleasant Places

At Lewis-Clark State College

• Oasis of Learning, Mentor to Generations

At Lewiston Police Memorial Park

• Service and Sacrifice – The Early Years

At Normal Hill Cemetery

• The Better Angels of Our Nature
• The Proudest Pedigrees

If you’re interested in seeing more of Lewiston’s historical side, check in to a Ghost Tour from Idaho Historical Tours, download the Historic Downtown Lewiston Walking Tour from Beautiful Downtown Lewiston and plan an extended visit to the Nez Perce County Historical Society Museum

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~ image courtesy LewistonSchools.net

Stay On Course This Winter, Golf the LC Valley

Fore!  Well 5, actually.   Yes, there are definitely 5 places I could golf in the Lewis-Clark Valley . . . but I only frequent 1 of them.

We have amazingly temperate weather here at the north entrance to Hells Canyon in Lewiston, ID/Clarkston, WA, and the number of golf-friendly days we get makes us a year-round destination for anyone with a set of clubs and a love of the greens – all through the winter months.

18-hole courses, surrounded by stunning views and scenery can be found at Lewiston’s Country Club or Bryden Canyon and Clarkston’s Quail Ridge or Country Club.

If buckets of balls and a driving range are more your style, head over to Gateway Golf, on the south bank of the Snake River. That’s where you’ll find me, but I’m not at home on the range. I’m found somewhere between holes 1 and 18 on the fully grassed and manicured miniature golf course.

I take my miniature golf pretty seriously so the sand traps and water hazards make me pretty happy. There’s even a bridge and a running brook. Everything I, as a (waaaay below) average golfer, need to feel like I’m playing with the big boys is right there. I even bring my own club (putter?) which has yet to see the light of day on a genuine course. Harry Vardon I’m not, but a course like this lets a girl dream!

So take a tour of the LC Valley golf courses, grab a Stay & Play Golf Package and come play with us!

Make the Holidays Festive in the Lewis Clark Valley

There are tons of things to do in Lewiston, ID and Clarkston, WA this holiday season.

The Lewis Clark Chamber of Commerce 25th Annual Lighted Christmas Parade is Saturday, December 3 at 4:30 pm in downtown Clarkston. This years’ theme is “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”. It’s a great kick-off to the holiday season with marching bands, businesses and many more showing their true Christmas spirit.

Locomotive Park, at 2012 Main Street, comes to life with thousands of Christmas lights, music and the sound of laughter from the Saturday before Thanksgiving to New Years’ Eve. It’s the perfect winter wonderland outing for the entire family. It’s Winter Spirit at it’s best.

Twenty three downtown Lewiston businesses are participating in the month-long Shop Downtown campaign. Do your shopping in downtown Lewiston and visit those businesses to pick up your “passport” for a chance to win the $1,000 Downtown Shopping Spree!