A Caretaking Adventure in Hells Canyon

During a visit with friends in northeastern Washington, John and Lynn were pleased to learn that, all over the world, property owners need caretakers. They had never really thought about the property caretaking field before this, but they soon warmed up to the idea of caretaking, and subscribed to The Caretaker Gazette. The couple immediately saw a caretaker-wanted ad in the Gazette which interested them. John and Lynn decided that they were the perfect couple to take this position since they wanted to travel and they both had the background and experience required. Lynn has a cooking background and was recently retired from the University of Washington after 20 years working in Housing and Food Services. John is retired from the Seattle Fire Department, had done pick-up work for a construction company, and attended recreational vehicle technical school. He also worked for a catalog and film production company providing technical assistance, caring for their RV, and cooking for the crews. In addition, John has also been the Maintenance Manager for Boardwalk Lodge, a 5-star fishing lodge in southeastern Alaska. 

The couple responded to the ad in the Gazette by email and then followed up with a phone call to the property owner. After submitting their resumes and photos and then more phone conversations, John and Lynn were asked if they would like to see the ranch. Since they were visiting their daughter in eastern Washington, they agreed to take a look. On the day John and Lynn arrived at the ranch, they met the Ranch Manager on the Snake River and were then jet boated to the ranch which is located in Hells Canyon, 37 miles upstream from Lewiston, Idaho. John says, “We were sold immediately and decided to take the position right on the spot.”  The property, located on the site of a historic ranch, is owned by The Nature Conservancy Group and is leased to a river exploration and excursion group. John's and Lynn’s duties were to take care of about 11 acres, out of the total 14,000 acres. Their area included the historic old mansion, a three-acre orchard, two log cabins, and approximately five acres of grass. The rest of the ranch is left natural and the guests may hike and explore as much as they desire.

John's and Lynn’s duties also included the care and feeding of the guests (two to eight at any one time), making sure they were fed well and ensuring they had a relaxing vacation. John and Lynn received a small stipend, room and board, plus any tips they were given by the guests staying on the property. On arrival day guests were treated to a wonderful excursion on a large jet boat through Hells Canyon followed by a country style dinner served by John and Lynn. The couple were also responsible for ensuring that all guests were comfortable with their accommodations. In the morning John and Lynn served the guests a good breakfast which included Swedish pancakes. If the guests were staying on for another night John and Lynn provided them with lunch on the ranch. For guests who were leaving that day, John and Lynn prepared a hearty sack lunch for the guests to take with them. According to John, “The most interesting part of this position was meeting the diverse array of guests from all over the world, and getting to talk with them. Learning about where they come from, their views on life, etc. It was real eye-opening!”  

The couple's adventure was unique in the way that it taught them how to enjoy isolation. There was hiking and exploring near an old Chinese mine located up a trail along the Snake River and fishing for smallmouth bass, trout, salmon and steelhead in the river. John and Lynn could also just relax, read, or go swimming any time they wanted. They could even pan for some gold at various locations along the river. Gold in a very fine form comes from the Salmon River which joins the Snake River upstream and any deposits are found in the cracks and crevasses of the rocks after the spring runoff in May or June. John and Lynn also enjoyed watching the deer and wild turkeys that were always in the orchard along with owls, hawks, sparrows and other birds and animals.  Lynn says, “For us this was fun, interesting and quite an adventure in an isolated part of the world, as this is. We hope all of our future caretaking positions are as pleasing.”