Author Bonnie J. Olin has turned her “been there, done that” experiences into a book that takes readers where few are able to go.

“The Owyhee River Journals” is a project that Olin, a former Boisean, started writing after her first trip into the Owyhees in 1993.

She and her husband, Mike Quigley, have seen a lot of the Owyhees since then, whether taking on Widowmaker rapids in their inflatable kayaks, or hiking rim-to-river on other trips.

Olin kept a journal through all their journeys through this rugged, remote corner of Southwest Idaho, while Quigley shot photographs during the trips.

After many trips and years trekking and floating the canyons, the book is packed with Quigley’s impressive photos and accompanied by Olin’s detailed accounts.

Back in 1993 during the first trip, Olin said the couple ran the South Fork of the Owyhee River from YP Ranch (as it was called then) to Rome, Ore.

“It was a bit more difficult than I had the confidence to tackle in some sections, so at my request, we lined a few rapids,” she said. “Nonetheless, I was hooked on the great beauty of the Owyhee River and canyons.”

In those early years, the couple spent their time on the East and South forks of the Owyhee River and explored the side canyons as they paddled downstream.

“We loved the beauty of what we saw and of what we felt,” she said. “Rarely did we see another person in the eight to nine days we were out. We treasured this solitude as the rare gem it was, and still is.”

Because of her intense interest in the Owyhees, Olin looked for books on the canyonlands, but didn’t find what she was after. She wanted more photos of the remote, expansive and beautiful desert canyons.

Friends and family members had long suggested that Olin publish her journals of river trips, but she felt the writings would not stand alone without her husband’s photos.

The book is an excellent read for anyone who wants to learn more about the Owyhee Canyonlands and has never seen the area.

Even for those of us who have seen some of the Owyhee’s remote areas, the book is a reminder of the beauty of the land, and an inspiration to get back to the canyonlands.

“I feel that Mike’s photos really tell the story of the Owyhee,” Olin said.

The book keeps your interest because of the couple’s experiences and adventures producing it.

You’ll learn why so few explore the Owyhees as you read about the couple’s portages and hours of effort lining their kayaks through treacherous rapids with ominous names like “Widowmaker.”

But there also are glimpses of secluded hot springs that will spark an “I wish I was there” feeling.

“I think there are many other people like myself waiting for a book on the Owyhee River that they can identify with a river trip they took or a special place in the canyon they remember hiking or working,” Olin said.

“Others will never be able to make that journey, but have heard about it and want to see it. I believe that my book allows people to see the entire river canyon, or almost all of it,” she said.