The Fall Chinook salmon are in the Shasta River, and if you’re in the area, you’ll definitely want to take advantage of The Nature Conservancy’s invitation to visit the Shasta Big Springs Ranch (just north of Mount Shasta in the Shasta Valley) this Saturday.
Years ago I’d ride my road bike around Shasta Valley and take a break on this funky wooden bridge over the Shasta River; I’d watch these great big salmon sitting on redds, and that these fish had come so far and endured so much to end back where they started was pretty awe inspiring.
Take up the Nature Conservancy on their offer and for part of the time, you’ll be viewing these salmon from the same bridge (another example of life’s amusing circularity).
You can be sure we’re dragging Little M out there Saturday to infuse her with a little awe and wonder (never too early).
The living definition of awe-inspiring.
Here are the details:
Shasta Big Springs Ranch
Open House
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Come observe the annual run of Fall Chinook in the Shasta River. Watch female salmon guard and build nests and males compete with each other for spawning opportunities.
Staff from The Nature Conservancy and the Department of Fish and Game will be available to answer questions and lead short walks to see spawning salmon.
Where: Parking near the Louie Road bridge over the Shasta River (4 miles east of I-5 on Louie Road)
See you there, Tom Chandler.
How to get there...
Truly awe-inspiring.
professor(Quote)
….you just wait….Couples will gather to watch the fish and …Nature…will start to take her course. There will be abandonment of clothing and frolicing and spawning in the creek with nekked humans scaring the fish and drinking in the lust of the Wilde Outdoors….Who needs fake girlfriends when you get anonymous sex in the Shasta river??
JP2(Quote)