Shoshone Falls

Posted by Paul Decelles June 26, 2011 at 6:36 p.m.

During the last week in May and first week in June, I went to Boise Idaho to visit my sister and do some sightseeing. Idaho has some of the most interesting geology and geography of any state and so combining family with hiking and picture taking and geology seemed like a perfect fit. Unfortunately it rained a good part of the trip, plus with the snow melt, the rivers up are full and the people who manage water flow in the Snake River weren't sure what to do with all the water. Fortunately for us, they are on the other side of the continental divide.

The last couple of days of my trip the weather did clear out and my sister and I took a road trip to Shoshone Falls which is about 120 miles East of Boise. These falls are 18 ft taller than Niagara-not sure how the flow rate compares- but the Shoshone Falls were running at about 18,000 cubic feet a second. I put together a little slide show showing the falls and the surrounding Snake River area.

Enjoy!

I couldn't get this to embed in my post so here is the link to the Flickr slide show:

[http://www.flickr.com//photos/pdecell...][1]

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Logan72 (Alia Ahmed) says…

Beautiful photos, Paul.
June 26, 2011 at 8:04 p.m.
devobrun (anonymous) says…

Thank you for the pics, Paul. Very nice. But which is it for pic number 19 (I think)? The rainbow:

Keats....

Do not all charms fly
At the mere touch of cold philosophy?
There was an awful rainbow once in heaven:
We know her woof, her texture; she is given
In the dull catalogue of common things.
Philosophy will clip an Angel's wings,
Conquer all mysteries by rule and line,
Empty the haunted air, and gnomed mine –
Unweave a rainbow

Or is it Dawkins:

"Keats could hardly have been more wrong, and my aim is to guide all who are tempted by a similar view, towards the opposite conclusion. Science is, or ought to be, the inspiration for great poetry."

Or is it that both science and art are human abstractions, intended to bring value to that which simply exists? Neither science nor art are anything but human valuation of that which simply is. The art and science of hubris.

Unless you use them to construct that which never existed before.
June 26, 2011 at 8:04 p.m.
pdecell (Paul Decelles) says…

I agree with Dawkins up to a point in that I don't see that understanding the natural world lessens the sense of wonder that I feel in the presence of a rainbow. All "charms" do not fly because we understand the basics of rainbow production. Else why did I take the picture?

Where Dawkins goes wrong, I think, is that while science can inspire poetry-mine is full of scientific language as you know, ultimately it is emotion that inspires poetry and that emotion can come from a wide range of sources. Dawkins is too narrow for my taste.

I do like your last statement.
June 26, 2011 at 9:22 p.m.
devobrun (anonymous) says…

When Keats takes science to task for some perceived "cold philosophy", and when Dawkins argues that Keats "could hardly have been more wrong", the straw men are set up.

The arguments commence and the results are meaningless in any physical sense. The argument becomes one of philosophy, and art, and human perceptions thereof. Scopes trials, state government laws and litigation, politicians, and base human hubris takes over.

I think that we are diminished by such arguments. I value both science and art, as you do. I don't see the argument except for each side dismissing the point-of-view of the other. Musings by scientists about art, or visa versa, should be left to the cocktail party. Science is not enhanced when philosophical goals outway experimental results.

Thanks again for the pics.
I took a trip back in the early 60s with my great uncle. As we left Utah heading north we entered a valley in Idaho that was green, lush and and the most beautiful place I'd ever seen. Especially compared to the stark grey of central Utah. I had been so looking forward to visiting the great salt lake. Yech.
I've not been back since. Your photos inspire me to look into returning to Idaho.
June 27, 2011 at 9:37 a.m.
pdecell (Paul Decelles) says…

Devo,

My God we agree on something! **eg** OK, two things: Great Salt Lake is definitely yech. Though it was fun to float in the water. I enjoy Idaho a lot at least in the summer. My one regret on this trip was not being able to get to the Sawtooth mountains for some serious hiking.
June 27, 2011 at 10:23 p.m.
LadyWolf (anonymous) says…

Fabulous pictures! I am so sad I won't travel this summer but I think I see a new place to visit soon... Thank you!
June 28, 2011 at 3:41 p.m.
femail (Linda Hanney) says…

Paul, beautiful pictures. Thank you for sharing.
June 29, 2011 at 9:12 a.m.