The salmon have been spawning in Still Creek and other streams on Mt Hood, and we had to go take a look for ourselves this past Saturday. Seems we never tire of witnessing this ritual of life and death.
The spawning spectacle was nearing its final days, but we found a couple of great observation points that we'd like to share with you. For example, the Wildwood Recreation Site is a good viewing spot, although we have a personal objection to having to pay a fee to enter these public grounds, and never go there ourselves. We well remember this area when it was simply a nice picnic area - and free.
Instead, we chose the bridge on the 32 Road which had been closed to vehicle traffic by the Forest Service in 2013 (See note below). Gazing down into the waters we were awed by about a dozen large salmon swimming, swirling, splashing, spawning directly below us.
Returning to Highway 26, we found ourselves turning into Mt. Hood Village Resort, enticed by signs directing us to the 25th Annual Mt. Hood Festival of Salmon, Mushrooms and Bigfoot. This casual event sponsored by the Cascade Geographic Society offered attendees free admission and parking, a salmon bake, wild mushroom identification by members of the Oregon Mycological Society (OMS), folk music, craft tables, huckleberry tasting, and much more.
While attendees ate salmon and huckleberries at the festival,
someone was dining on a mushroom in the nearby woods.
For me personally, the highlight of the festival was meeting Tamara, who had written an article in the April, 2016 OMS Newsletter about her spur-of-the-moment foray to gather Black Trumpet Mushrooms in Brookings (which is about one hour south of our home in Port Orford). What a bold decision that was, involving wholesalers, champagne, secret spots, climbing in and out of ditches, abandoned campsites, drying mushrooms with fans in hotel rooms ... now I ask you, how much fun does that sound like?
You can meet the intrepid Tamara and other OMS members at their annual mushroom show scheduled for October 30th at the World Forestry Center in Portland.
No, we didn't see Bigfoot at the festival and we suspect he won't be at the OMS mushroom show either.
NOTE: Sadly, the Forest Service doesn’t yet have any projection for repair or replacement of this commuter bridge.