Chosen Places: Hells Canyon, Oregon

Sarah Cover Sherman takes us to a very happy hell.

Sarah’s a recent addition to the Shangrilogs community, but when she introduced herself as a resident of Hells Canyon, Oregon, I had to know more. One of my favorite family memories is from Hells Canyon. As my parents inched along in the car, heads out their respective windows scanning the cliff-sides for mountain goats, I said, “they’re in the road.” And my parents ignored me. “Guys, they’re in the road.” Still scanning. “THEY’RE IN THE ROAD.” My dad finally stops the car, and the goats hadn’t moved an inch. Classic wildlife experience.

Sarah was more than obliged to sate my curiosity.

Sarah, take us away.

Where have you lived so far?

I grew up in a small town in the Texas Panhandle called Dalhart. When describing it to people, I say it’s at the very tippy top of Texas. I loved growing up there, but I also loved leaving. I moved to Cedar City, Utah when I was 17 to go to college and that was huge for me. It was so fun living in a bigger, more diverse place. I loved the energy of that small college town. During college, I studied abroad in Poitiers, France for a year and later returned to Cedar City to finish my degree. During my time in Utah, my parents and siblings moved to Idaho, so a few years later I landed in Boise, Idaho so that I could be closer to them. I fell in love with the small city and thought I would never leave. I met my husband in Boise, and he dreamed of returning to the small town a few hours north where he had grown up. After a few years, we ended up close-ish to that hometown in a place called Hells Canyon. This canyon makes up part of the border between Idaho and Oregon and was formed by the Snake River. We live on the Oregon side in a teeny tiny village. We are one of 13 households here.

How did you end up where you currently are? What drew you to this place initially?

My boyfriend (now husband) got a job in Hells Canyon. We were already doing long distance and him taking this job made it an even longer distance. After a brief discussion, I decided to follow him here. It all worked out— we’re married with a baby now! I was terrified of living in such a secluded area, but was determined to make it work. I’m so glad this is where we ended up.

I had never been to Hells Canyon before the day we moved him into our new house. It was Easter weekend and a little overcast, which is my favorite kind of weather. He warned me that the drive through the wilderness to get here was long and winding. I followed him in my car and was amazed at every turn. To get here, you drive over the summit of a small mountain and then drop 2,000 ft over the next 10 miles. The view at the top was extraordinary. I was already imagining what life would be like when I moved in with him in a few months.

The hills were green after lots of snow and rain that winter and everything felt magical. When we got here, he gave me a tour and I fell in love. I loved the view from our front windows. I loved that we had a backyard with green grass and beautiful lilac bushes. I loved that this would be the first home that we shared.

The only furniture we had at the time was a bed and some camp chairs for the living room. It was perfect. We were so happy to be here. It felt like home.

What’s a small, everyday joy that comes from being there?

One of my favorite things about this place is the wildlife right outside our windows. Year round we have deer that wander through our yard at all hours. In the spring, we’ll see tentative mommas and babies in our side yard nibbling on the green grass. In the summer, you can find them in our backyard snacking on the plants in our garden. In the fall when I set pumpkins on our front steps, you might catch them taking a bite out of one or two of them. I am always excited to see them— I don’t even care that they destroy our tomato plants and eat my pumpkins.

Turkeys are another frequent visitor to our lawn. It is so fun to watch the tiny little babies grow up over the spring and summer. They wander from one side of the village to the other, as the moms herd them onward. Our neighborhood kids will sometimes chase them down the street and I think the turkeys secretly enjoy it— they always come back for more.

We also have eagles, quail, herons, cormorants, ducks, geese, and many others. I love to sit outside and try to identify them all. We’ll get the occasional skunk passing through, and we even have bears, elk, and mountain goats in the canyon. I love all of the critters. When my husband or I see someone outside our windows, we always stop to watch and say, ‘hi friend!’ How lucky we are to live among them.

Getty Images: Julie Stewart / FOAP

In what moments does this place really feel like home?

Since we live right on the border between Idaho and Oregon, the mile markers on the highway from town count down from 30 to 1 at the state line. Every time we leave and come back, I say in my head, or sometimes out loud, ’30 miles until home, 15 miles until home, 2 miles until home.’ This countdown is like a mantra for me. During the last mile of the drive, we follow the curve of the reservoir and then cross the dam and drop down deeper into the canyon. From the top of the dam, you can see our house and the joy I feel in that moment is so special to me. I have so much anticipation. I cannot wait to walk inside and be home. I don’t always love leaving the canyon, but I always love returning. Some memorable coming home moments include coming back as newlyweds after our wedding, 6 months later coming home after our honeymoon knowing we were pregnant, and then bringing our baby boy home for the first time.

Has this place changed how you see yourself or affected your priorities in life? Do you feel different- mentally, emotionally, physically— since moving there?

For a long time, I held on tightly to a life in Boise. I would visit often and make plans and attend events, but I eventually realized that traveling all the time (3 hour drive one way) was exhausting. Once I let go of Boise, I was able to fully enjoy life here. Instead of spending our time in the car to and from, we could spend our evenings sitting in the river drinking cocktails and watching the wildlife, which is so much more fun. My perspective shifted and my priorities did as well. Now, I would much rather stay home with my little family. I love nothing more than a weekend at home with no plans.

Once I began spending more time at home, I had to learn how to entertain myself. I’ve taken up new hobbies like quilting and stained glass and rediscovered my love for reading. I go on walks every day. I sit in the backyard and watch the birds. All of these have forced me to slow down and appreciate my life here. I feel more confident because I have honed new skills. I feel more relaxed because I live at a slower pace. I like the person I have become here.

How long do you see yourself staying in this place?

We plan on being here for a long time! My husband loves his job here and hopes to retire with the company, so we’ll stick around for at least another 25 years or so. We probably will not remain in this house the whole time, or even this village, but we hope to stay in the area. My husband grew up around here, so the idea of also raising our kids here is so special. In fact, his family has been attending the same high school for 3 generations before him! His roots run deep and we’re happy to continue in the tradition and send our kids to the same school. I can’t wait to share the beauty of this place with our kids. I want to introduce them to all our animal friends and cultivate a love for nature in them. We hope to give them a fun and happy childhood here.

What is community like there and how do you see yourself as part of it?

Moving to this tiny village was so hard for me at first. I thought that since it was such a small place, it would be easy to know everyone, and that community would come easily. I was wrong. I felt more isolated than I ever had. Everyone I met was nice, but I didn’t feel like I had a place here. Over the past 3 years, that has slowly changed, but I’ve had to be very intentional and proactive about it. Last summer, my husband and I hosted monthly cookouts in our backyard. Gathering everyone and hanging out was a huge step in making it feel more like a community. Becoming a mother opened this up even further for me. Since having my baby last year, me and a few other moms have been getting together for play dates with the littles. Next month I’m hosting a Ladies Craft Night for the women in the village to have a fun childfree evening together. For the first time since moving here, I feel connected to my community and that has made living here even sweeter.

Where can people find you on the internet?

I’m a stay-at-home mom, creative person, and friend of nature. I love my life here in the canyon and have the best little family. You can find me on Instagram @sarahcoversherman or @glassbysarahsherman.

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