He decided that its floor was far higher than the level of Deception Pass and the intersecting canyons.

No purple sage colored this valley floor.

Instead there were the white of aspens, streaks of branch and slender trunk glistening from the green of leaves, and the darker green of oaks, and through the middle of this forest, from wall to wall, ran a winding line of brilliant green which marked the course of cottonwoods and willows.
"There's water here--and this is the place for me," said Venters.

"Only birds can peep over those walls, I've gone Oldring one better." Venters waited no longer, and turned swiftly to retrace his steps.

He named the canyon Surprise Valley and the huge boulder that guarded the outlet Balancing Rock.