Days off - 6 & 7

Day 6 looks like another possible rainy one so we finish up the fire pits.  After lunch we take Tucson for a walk and when we get back we stumble upon this. Not good as we have a Momma Moose and Baby hanging out.  Later that day the bear was seen chasing them.

It's Friday our last day off this week.  It shows 90 percent chance of rain but up in Cooper Landing it is only 20 percent so we head up there to do the Russian River Falls hike we attempted a couple of weeks ago.

The roses are out

The main parking lot was full, we found the last spot at the lower lot but it involves stairs

Gary logs us in

Its a nice path

With beautiful views

and informational plaques

It's about a 3 mile hike in

with lots of changing scenery

A bridge crosses the Russian River and that trail takes you to the Russian Lakes but we are headed to the Falls

Tucson stops for a refreshing drink

It is a nice enough trail to ride a bike on

 A glimpse of the river - we must be close

The river is running pretty good

There are two observation decks overlooking the river and falls

You can just make out the Salmon congregating by the shore in the calm water.  Resting up for the next leg.

It was amazing watching them leaping over the falls some just to get thrown back down. 

We follow some fly fishermen to the fishing hole

It's a narrow rocky trail down to the river

We catch a view of them ahead

Tucson takes a break and rests with the Salmon in the River

You have to be beyond this sign to fish and it is semi-combat fishing

You can catch 6 salmon but have to snag the fish in the mouth.  This one he snagged in the tail so he had to release it.

We watched for a good half hour and then headed back

An ingenious fisherman

The forest greenery

 

An interesting piece of information on a plaque at Tern Lake:  For every 400 King Salmon in the Kenai River only 100 will make it to Sea and only 6 will return as adults and only 2 will survive to spawn.

We stopped at Cooper Landing on the way home and had dinner at the Sunrise Cafe.  I had the best summer salad ever!  Mixed greens, Goat Cheese, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, walnuts and a strawberry vinaigrette.