Thursday, March 7, 2013

BC Salmon Runs

There came a time during our last trip when, halfway around the world, we realized we knew more about the cities and towns we were visiting in Europe than much of the area we have called home for for over twenty years. It can be so easy to leave, seeking adventure, without ever realizing what was in front of you all along. As a result, we made exploring and promoting local attractions one of our top priorities for 2013.


One such local attraction, the annual Salmon Run, takes place every fall in mid-October when Salmon return from the Pacific Ocean to the upper reaches of inland rivers to spawn. Flushed a deep crimson red, the spawning salmon return to the place of their birth to lay and fertilize their eggs, they then die and the life-cycle begins again.

The Adams River, forty-five minutes from our hometown of Kamloops, is one of the most important breeding grounds for Sockeye Salmon in North America, and the major reason for Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park's existence. Although total numbers vary by year, with every fourth year being a dominant run, anyone attending school in the area has at one time or another joined a field trip to take in this natural phenomenon.



Unfortunately, it becomes easy to overlook even the most miraculous of natural occurrences, and I never paid it much attention until 2010, when the run, the largest since 1913, made headlines with an estimated 34 million fish entering the Fraser River near Vancouver, 3.86 million of which returned to the Adams River to spawn. In addition to impressing the countless visitors, the 2010 Salmon Run also marked a remarkable rebound from 1994 when only 660,000 fish returned.

A trip to the Adams River makes for a fantastic day. The weather in Fall is crisp yet sunny, and the leaves on the trees are still changing colour. The breeding salmon, recently turned a spectacular red, bump and jockey for room to maneover themselves and to try and lay claim to the ideal breeding location, all of which makes the Adams River Salmon Run a must-see event. 




If you will be in British Columbia, Alaska, or parts of Scotland this fall, I'd highly recommend looking into notable runs in the area and making time to check out one of these incredible occurrences. The next dominant run in the Adams River will be Autumn 2014. There are also many photography and adventure tours that focus on the natural predators up stream, mainly bears, whose presence is increased due to an abundance of food. 



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Hey there!

Calli and Travis returned from a four month trip through Europe more excited than ever to hit the open road. Who knows where they'll end up next...

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