White Water Dentistry 2009: September 2009

Hell’s Canyon of the Snake River was the scene of our 2^nd annual Whitewater Dentistry adventure. Hell’s Canyon is the deepest canyon in North America, even deeper than the Grand Canyon (who woulda thunk it?). We had students from Kentucky and Washington, along with an adventurous young man from Paducah looking for excitement.

Morgan was our guide again this year; I guess we didn’t scare him off after all. Sam was our experienced gear boatman and guitar player. Morgan has done Hell’s Canyon over 100 times and Sam has over seven years of rafting under his belt, so we were in good hands. Both of these guys were also great in the kitchen and kept our bellies full. Even Luke, who could eat a horse before noon, was satiated.

Hell’s Canyon is the home of a plethora of wildlife species and we were fortunate that our weather was cool enough to maximize their activity and boy, did they put on a show! We spotted multitudes of deer and chukar, as well as bald eagles, ospreys, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, and even a leaping, airborne sturgeon. Beautiful butterflies were plentiful along with serenading songbirds. A steep, challenging hike took us into the wilderness country high above the river for spectacular views and we giddily spotted a bear and a herd of elk grazing in the sun.

In the evening we fired up the quiet generator and indulged in some dental CE while feasting on one of Morgan and Sam’s delicious desserts. Nighttime found us sleeping under the spectacular starry skies next to a tent in case we had to hightail it inside during a surprise rain shower. The soothing sounds of nearby river rapids quickly dropped us into dreamland.

When I was in college, I wondered what it would be like to go down to the local laundromat, hop into a front loader, give my buddy a handful of quarters and go for a ride. Now I think I know what it would feel like. Wild Sheep Rapids and Granite Creek Rapids are both rated Class IV, and with the hefty water levels we had this year, they packed a wallop. Even Morgan’s eyes were wide with excitement. Check out the video below.

Hell’s Canyon has a rich history with plenty of evidence left behind. Prehistoric man left many examples of his art and culture in the pictographs on the rocks along the river. The Nez Perce Indians resided in the canyon and the famous river crossing of Chief Joseph as he and his tribe were being pursued by American soldiers can still be seen. Rock foundations of structures built by Chinese miners also survive. Even prehistoric Mt. Mazama which erupted 7,000 years ago to create Crater Lake in southern Oregon left its mark in the sedimentary rock along the river.

River rafting and veterinary dentistry? What a weird combination, but somehow it works. Large doses of excitement, serenity, and relaxation, combined with the latest information in one of the fastest expanding fields in veterinary medicine, somehow hits the spot. In fact, it works so well that we will be back in Hell’s Canyon in June 2010 to do it all over again.