Kokanee Salmon

We had a real adventure yesterday. We drove through the gorgeous fall foliage up to Porcupine Dam, East of Avon to see the Kokanee salmon running up the Little Bear River. It was truly one of the most amazing things I've ever witnessed in nature. We are a couple of weeks to late to see the really dramatic running of the salmon, where apparently the water is red, full of ready-to-spawn fish. But there were still many for us to see, and cheer for as they fought their way up the stream they were born. It was so sad to know they were in their final stage of life, and after spawning would die. It's the circle of life, as Elton John sings, but really, kind of harsh.

We hiked down the steep hillside, with lots of other families who had come to check out the sight, and found a deep spot where several fish waited, saving up energy to make a serious push up through the rocky, waterfall, whitewater stuff. We found ourselves cheering out loud for the fish who made it, and mourning for the ones who just got washed back downstream. Bennett wanted so badly to jump in and help them get up. Eventually he entertained himself by poking the dead fish with sticks, freeing them from the branches and debris they were caught in, and sending them back downstream.

On our way home, we stopped for another little hike. This one was muddier. There were all kinds of birds along the lower end of the creek, where it empties into the reservoir, feasting on the fish that had expended all their energy on their efforts swimming. It was fun to walk out across the muddy, empty dam to see a few fish return to the water. We saw a boy with a homemade spear chasing some down, which made me think, "Come on, give these guys a break!" Also, I can't believe as a responsible mother I did this, but I let Bennett and Owen run back and forth across the shallow water even though it was cold and there was snow on the mountains. I was thinking of times my parents let us play in the water various places, and knew they would love it and never forget it. Especially the part where Owen got stuck in the mud!

It was such a memorable day. The only thing missing: JASON. :(