swimming upstream at quinsam river

We are so lucky in Campbell River to be able to witness the salmon run up close in our own backyard. That's why we have chosen the Quinsam River Trail for the location of Into the Wild's next gathering. This is a beautiful trail at any time of year, but when the big leaf maples are changing colour and there's a chance of witnessing salmon on their annual rite it's tough to match. We will meet at the trailhead on Quinsam Road (just past the bridge) on Sunday, October 25th at 2 pm, and hike up toward the hatchery.

Our family was exploring the Quinsam River trail last weekend and were treated to the spectacle of hundreds of pinks making their way up stream. There was plenty of action with the males jostling for dominance. The pinks we saw will be long gone by the end of October, but if we're lucky we'll see some chinook or coho at work. Check out the video below.

We were so excited by this amazing scene that we didn't want the salmon celebration to end. When we got home we snuggled up to read Salmon Forest by David Suzuki and Sarah Ellis. This beautiful book does a wonderful job of describing not just the life cycle of the salmon, but their intricate interdependence with the forest and it's inhabitants. If you aren't already familiar with this story, you should really check it out.