The day on which I first conceived the idea of a boat trip down the Columbia hangs in a frame all its own in the corridors of my memory. It was a number of years ago—more than a dozen, I should say. Just previously I had contrived somehow to induce the Superintendent of the Yellowstone National Park to grant me permission to attempt a winter journey on ski around this most beautiful of America’s great playgrounds. He had even sent a Government scout along to keep, or help, me out of trouble. We were a week out from the post at Mammoth Hot Springs.

Columbia (Fleuve), Columbia River, United States Columbia River

Preparing for the Big Bend Up Horse Thief Creek At the glacier The Lake of the Hanging Claciers Canal Flats to Beavermouth Through Surprising rapids Kinbasket Lake to rapids Boat encampment to Revelstoke Revelstoke to the Spokane Rafting through Hell Gate By launch through Box Canyon Chelan to Pasco Pasco to the Dalles The home stretch