Hells Canyon – a place that holds some of my fondest childhood memories… I spent many summers camping there, carving our initials in trees, lying on our backs watching the bats at night, jumping off the dock to cool off from the summer heat, waiting out a summer thunderstorm inside our cramped camper, fishing for crappie, catching carp and eating fresh fish fried up in cornmeal. I can so easily recall the countless hours spent in these great outdoors – the beating sun, the cold river water, the deep canyon walls speckled with bat caves.
A place I have neglected to visit for nearly 20 years but a place that I could never forget. A place that beckoned me back…
Three or four years ago Riley made his first trek to my childhood retreat when he visited the Murphy’s. His return from each visit elicited jealousy from me as he recounted the events and the scenery as if he took a page from my book of memories. As it turns out Elizabeth spent many of her childhood summers up at Hells Canyon as well and passed on the camping tradition with her own children, Riley included. Perhaps our paths crossed one of those fateful summers years and years ago… long before we met as neighbors in Scappoose and became the greatest of friends.
This summer when the opportunity presented itself I could not pass it up – I knew it was time to introduce the rest of the Gronke clan to our childhood retreat. The canyon is exactly as I remember.
The trees had grown larger but everything else was still in tact. We stayed 6 miles up the road at Big Bar – most of us in tents, the big boys sleeping underneath the stars. The blackberries were growing wild, sweet ripe plums covering the ground, peaches falling steadily from the trees – a delightful treat that sustained the kids all week.
The river was warm and shallow – the kids rarely left its comforting coolness and retreated from the endless fun only to eat and sleep. Hope caught her first fish and reeled them in like a pro – one right after the other. I jumped off the dock time and time again – just like I did so many years ago. I cheated and picked up a pole (despite my lack of a fishing license) and reeled in my fair share of fish erasing my 20 year hiatus. Roger fished on the pontoon. We all took turns on the canoe. Riley and Jacob boated out to Big Bar to chase deer. We’d see a herd of deer bounding across the island, run off by Riley and Jacob. We were just waiting for the dear to turn on them (camera ready in hand) and could just picture the boys running wildly with the herd of deer in close pursuit.
The heat was sweltering but the river was a cool retreat and the evening thunderstorms brought a welcome breeze when it rumbled through the canyon.
The company was superb… three teenage boys, three princess girls, one baby boy who tried desperately to keep up with all. Elizabeth and I were reliving our childhood, now with families of our own. I’m sure there is a similar pictures of us girls jumping off the dock – somewhere in the old black and white archives…
My memory did not disappoint me. Hells Canyon still holds all its beauty, warmth and entertainment now that I’m all grown up. I am just biding my time until we can make our (now dubbed) annual trip to my (now our) childhood retreat with the Murphy’s once again.
To view more of our Hells Canyon adventures click here.
Oh my goodness it sounds like a fabulous time! Can I come next year???
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