From YouTube, produced by National Geographic
Beginning as a trickle in the high alpine meadows of western Canada, the Columbia River flows through great, forested mountains and down desert canyons. Joined by the Snake River, it rolls with increasing force through fertile farmlands, past snow-covered volcanoes, and finally knifes through a mountain range to complete a 1,200-mile journey to the wide sea. This is the grand gateway to the West, pioneered by Lewis and Clark, roamed by fur traders, and traversed by courageous settlers as they forged their way over the Oregon Trail. Our comfortable, small ships, designed for exploring these historic waterways. Their size and maneuverability enable you to travel from the mouth of the Columbia all the way inland to Idaho, more than 450 miles upstream — a voyage impossible for a big ship. Video is good for elementary and middle school students.