As seen from rafting down the Snake River.  These are the same peaks from which French
explorers named this range.  They are a geological phenomenon.  There are no foot hills
that lay between the valley and the mountains themselves due to the way the earth's
faults shifted.  The adjoining faults moved in such an abrupt manor causing the mountains
to jut straight up and the valley floor to fall in the opposite direction leaving nothing in between
except room for trees.   Most mountain ranges have foothills at their base before
you reach them.  Here you can stand at the bottom of them and look straight up. 
 

It's breathtaking!

I'm glad I wasn't around when this earthquake took place.  Of course, when my oldest son
was young, he asked me if we had cars back when I was little.  "You know, in the Ice Age",
he said.  Only one problem, he was serious because he was to young to estimate the true
course of time.  Boy, did I feel old that day but, we still have a good laugh over it.