Welcome to Idaho Power’s Powercache Challenge!
All of our powercaches are located on Idaho Power land, so feel free to explore while you’re here. We ask only that you leave these sites as you find them, with no trace of your visit, so others can share the fun and excitement of discovery.
To learn more about the Idaho Powercache Challenge, visit idahopower.com/geocache, where you'll find detailed instructions on how to download your individual passport and place electronic stamps from the caches you find in your Idaho Powercache Passport. Each powercache site contains a unique code to unlock access for an electronic passport stamp.
Find each powercache, collect the 12 stamps, solve the word challenge phrase and collect your prize!
How Much Do You Know About Clean, Renewable Hydropower?
Did you realize?
- In the Pacific Northwest, the force of falling water takes an unpredictable resource – rainfall and snowpack – and turns it into a reliable source of electricity called hydropower.
- Each year the hydrologic cycle brings water to our rivers and more than 370 hydroelectric projects nationwide. They generate more than 30,000 megawatts of electricity, enough to meet the annual power needs of millions of homes.
- Idaho, Oregon and Washington are three of the five states with the lowest carbon dioxide emission rates, making our carbon footprint among the smallest in the country.
- Living in this region means you pay, on average, 20 percent less for electricity than the rest of the nation.
- Hydropower produces about two-thirds of the Pacific Northwest’s electricity every year.
- Hydroelectric power plants do not use up limited non-renewable resources to make electricity.
- They do not cause pollution of air, land or water.
- They have low failure rates, low operating costs and are reliable.
- Reservoirs have scenic and recreation value for campers, anglers and water sports enthusiasts.
- The water is a home for fish and wildlife as well.
- Dams add to domestic water supplies, control water quality, provide irrigation for agriculture, and prevent flooding.
Idaho Power’s Hydroelectric System
At Idaho Power we work hard every day to bring energy to your door. We do it safely and proudly by planning for the future, caring for the environment, today and every day.
The bulk of our power generating ability comes from our 17 hydroelectric power plants along the Snake River and its tributaries. We are proud to be one of the nation’s few investor-owned utilities with a significant hydroelectric generating base.
Our nearly 100-year history is based on using clean, renewable generation resources like our hydroelectric plants that have little if any greenhouse gas emissions. To this end, we promote energy efficiency and encourage our customers to make wise and efficient use of all resources, including electricity.
The Devils In The Distance
At lower elevations on the Idaho side, dry, barren, steep slopes break over into the Snake River canyon. In the high country are the towering peaks, rock-faced slopes, and alpine lakes of the Seven Devils Mountain Range, said to be named for a vision of seven dancing devils that appeared to a Native American lost in the area. If you look to the northeast from where you’re standing, you can see the top of He Devil – the tallest of the mountain peaks rising more than 9,000 feet, bearing the names She Devil, He Devil, Ogre, Goblin, Devil's Throne, Mt. Belial and Twin Imps.
Legend has it that Coyote, a friend of Native Americans, struck the earth a hard blow and opened up a deep canyon at the feet of seven evil giants so they could no longer roam the mountains and harm the people. He changed them into seven mountain peaks and called them the Seven Devils. The deep gorge at their feet is known as Hells Canyon of the Snake River.
According to the authors of the book, “Snake River of Hells Canyon,” most early explorers referred to the gorge as Box Canyon or Snake River Canyon. The first reference in print to Hells Canyon appears in an 1895 edition of “McCurdy’s Marine History of the Pacific Northwest.” In discussing the voyage of the steamboat, “Norma,” the author writes, “she then bound off, swinging into midstream, and like a racehorse, shot into Hells Canyon…”
Woodhead Park is located on the Idaho side of Brownlee Reservoir, just a few miles upstream from Brownlee Dam. Built in 1959, the park was remodeled and expanded to 65 acres in 1995 to improve camping, parking and facilities. The park features a four-lane boat ramp, fish-cleaning station, 124 RV sites, 15 tent sites, electricity, showers, water, picnic tables and fire rings. Ed Woodhead inspired the name of this award-winning park; he was Idaho Power’s chief construction engineer for Brownlee Power Plant.