November is one of my favorite months.
It isn’t the Thanksgiving holiday, or the gorgeous fall colors, or even the crisp cool air that makes it a favorite — although I do enjoy all of those. What I like best about November is that in November I get to take people on Salmon Safaris.
Salmon Safaris is an educational program of The Mountaineers Kitsap Branch and The Mountaineers Foundation, which has been operation for the last several years. It is a great deal of fun.
Salmon Safaris take people into an old growth forest to watch the chum salmon spawning.
The hike goes out along Wildcat and Lost Creeks, two of the creeks that feed into Chico Creek, supporting the largest chum salmon run in Kitsap County.
The program is designed to allow groups to select from a menu of safaris.
All safaris, of course, include a hike but those booking the safari can choose to do the hike with a Mountaineer or an expert. They may opt to pair the hike with a video, or our very talented storyteller, or even to add a classroom exercise.
The most popular choice tends to have the storyteller and hike with an expert. Most of our groups are school groups ranging from preschool through high school, but any group of 10 to 30 people can schedule a safari.
I love taking people out along the trail and sharing this amazing spectacle.
It always amuses me to watch the adults and kids and how each group reacts. The adults are awed by the incredible drive of the salmon and gripped by the epic struggle for the continuance of the species.
The kids are fascinated by the dead salmon and curious whether they’re allowed to touch it.
The 1.5 mile round trip hike is strenuous enough that you know you’ve worked at it, but easy enough that an active healthy 2-year-old can do it.
This year I adopted a ‘salmon’ in support of the Clear Creek Trail as part of their annual salmon migration. I decorated the salmon with photos of the faces of people who have been on Salmon Safaris with me.
I wanted to capture the sense of wonder that I see on the faces of participants.
Their faces are so alive and engaged, that’s what I wanted my salmon to show.
The overall effect both suggested fish scales and illustrated what people look like when they are engaged and interested. Whether in the Kitsap Cabin riveted by the incredible tales told by our amazing storyteller Jo Walters, or standing on the bridge across Wildcat or creekside on Lost Creek, the faces are lit up and focused, infused with interest and very alive.
For me, those faces are the best part of taking people on a Salmon Safari.
It’s not too late to book a safari. This year is expected to have a particularly good salmon run. And you can count on your safari to be fun.
• For more info about Salmon Safaris or to schedule your own visit www.salmonsafari.org.
• To learn more about Clear Creek Trail’s salmon migration, visit www.ClearCreekTrail.org.
Katha J. Miller-Winder is the outreach and communication chair of the Kitsap Mountaineers, find more info on her and the group at www.kitsapmountaineers.org.)
