A mule deer doe shakes off in the shallows of the Snake River, her sleek coat dripping water after swimming from the eastern shore to the western side. Set inside the rugged backdrop of Hells Canyon National Recreation Area in late summer, the image highlights this dynamic environment. The river, framed by steep canyon walls and softened by the golden haze of wildfire smoke, becomes both a barrier and a lifeline for creatures like the mule deer.
