Salmon Runnin', Blanchards Hikin'

I was hoping to get a hike on Skull Crack Trail at Causey Reservoir in this year to see the Kokanee salmon spawning up the creek. It's been since 2017 when the kids were small enough to carry at least one way since we've hiked to this spot! High time to return with our super-hikers who can make the five mile round-trip journey on their own two legs nowadays. It was a warm Wednesday afternoon/evening in early September (the 8th) that worked in our schedule to get up there before we left on other adventures. Luckily, my friend Holly had texted me earlier in the week to say that she and her family had kayaked to the spot and found lots of red fish, so I knew we should see some on our excursion, too.

It was a beautiful hike with the leaves just starting to turn and plenty of red fish to be found in the water. (And in our tummies! Pro tip: Swedish fish make really great coordinating treats to eat after a long hike while looking at actual bright red fish. I can take no credit for the idea since I first heard it from another mom last time we hiked here and filed it away for a future salmon spawn, but I'll happily pass it on to you so you can use it next time you're watching red fish fight their way upstream to lay eggs and then die!)

These cheery yellow fellows made me happy.

And so did these bright changing oaks!

I see red fish!

They're difficult to photograph, but that didn't stop me from trying! ;)

We walked downstream to where the reservoir "starts".

Group shot at the stream. I don't know who that little
guy in the front is!

Back up we go!

We took a detour through the nearby "neighborhood" to count
deer (total was over 50!) and we spotted a bonus big
bull moose as we were scouting!