Sockeye

About 40 million sockeye decided to return to the Fraser this year. No one quite knows why there were so many, but it was neat for a brief period. On the way home from our last camping trip, we drove over a creek that was totally loaded with them.

Of course, this creek was near an artificial spawning channel, and there were more people than salmon, but we managed to ignore them (and they were too happy to ignore us, with our post-camping smoke smell).

It's neat seeing the fish make their way up the river. Hard to photograph though.

I like this shot.

It wouldn't be complete without a dead fish. Surprisingly, they don't really stink, it's more of an earthy smell. (they do stink)

We've been doing lots, we'll have more eventually.

R

Fall camping!

In mid-October Remi and I finally had the opportunity to do something he's been dying to do (and I've been trying to avoid) for a while: fall camping.  The weather was supposed to be nice and we'd just bought new sleeping bags (down ones that go to minus 11), so I conceded with the proviso that I would murder him if it was too cold.  

We left Saturday morning and headed east to Statlu Lake; a hike we've tried before but failed due to a washed out road.  There is now access from a different logging road up to the lake.

 It was not long before we came to this terrifyingly narrow, wet and slippery bridge suspended about 20 feet over a raging river (video to come).  There was a wire on one side which acted as a handrail and I was worried that Maggie wouldn't make it across alive.  She was cautious (for once) and Remi's lucky she didn't fall in ;)

We didn't take too many pictures on the way in as it wasn't very interesting.  Just woods.  Pretty, but no viewpoints or anything.  This is camp.  Luckily campfires are allowed or we probably would have frozen to death (I am exaggerating, but only slightly).

I'm on clinical rotations now, so I had homework to do.  I bought a Sony Reader, which is the best purchase I've made yet as far as the residency is concerned.  It reads PDF files so I can take journal articles everywhere!!  (insert giant nerd jokes here)

Maggie decided if we were going to drag her out to the wilderness and not let her in the tent as soon as the sun set, she would take my chair instead.

Having survived the night despite an inability to find the warming packs (Remi blamed me but they were later found in his camera bag), we awoke to a beautiful morning.  Unfortunately our campsite was not blessed with any sunshine.  It may get some in the summer when the sun is high, but certainly not this late in the season.  Maggie, as usual, cried before we left camp.

The hike out was lovely.  It was an absolutely gorgeous fall day.

Fall is also fungus season and I've rekindled my love of mushrooms and their kin.  I spent a good deal of time on the way out stopping to snap photos.

I lost my footing at one point (my leg fell into a giant hole below a tree) and instead of hitting the "off" button, I snapped this lovely photo on the way down.  Remi insisted I share ;)

 This is the death-defying river-crossing video, as promised.

Camping season is long over now and we're just waiting for snow on the mountains.  Snowshoeing season is upon us!!

Sarah & Remi