A Journey into the Owyhee River Canyonlands

On Sunday, March 6 at 2:00 p.m., join writer Bonnie Olin at the Newport Public Library for a richly-illustrated journey into the canyonlands of the Owyhee River in Nevada, Idaho, and Oregon. Her presentation is based on her book, The Owyhee River Journals, which includes 125 color photos of rarely seen landscapes by photographer Mike Quigley, created over many years of travel together. 

Mike Quigley and Bonnie Olin

Very little is written about the Owyhee, so Ms. Olin will share a brief history of the area, discuss why it is unique and deserving of wilderness protection, and show a 20-minute video. 

The movie, Deep Creek and the Owyhee River, is the story of an expedition into the Owyhee canyon that begins on a tributary of the East Fork of the Owyhee in Idaho, and ends at Three Forks, in Oregon. It is a view of the upper regions of the Owyhee River that few people see, and helps one to understand the significance of this last hidden jewel of the West, for people will not find themselves in the Owyhee on their way to any other location. 

Olin is a third generation Oregonian, born into a family with a great love of the outdoors. In the 1960‘s and early 1970‘s, she worked for her father in the summer on his survey crew and sometimes as compassman on a timber cruise. In 1989, Quigley introduced her to running rivers in an inflatable kayak, using rivers as a highway into the wild. She found these experiences so inspiring she began keeping a journal about each adventure, a practice that led to the writing of The Owyhee River Journals. 

Olin’s presentation will be followed by a brief question and answer period. Copies of her book will be available for sale and signing.