Outdoor Adventures

The Middle Fork American River and Ruck-A-Chucky Falls. Photo by Eric Peach.

Rafting and Reflecting on the American River

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The Middle Fork American River and Ruck-A-Chucky Falls. Photo by Eric Peach.

The Middle Fork American River and Ruck-A-Chucky Falls. Photo by Eric Peach.

When I looked at the list of outdoor activities for this year’s Outdoor Writers Association of California (OWAC) spring conference, a rafting trip down the American River practically jumped off the page. “Let’s do this!” I said to Kathy. “I haven’t rafted the American River since 1973, when I was a graduate student at Sacramento State.” I had also worked as a paid intern for the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors during that time and learned firsthand about a fledgling organization called Friends of the River. Friends of the River was mounting a campaign to stop the proposed Auburn Dam project. It seemed that certain political heavyweights were pushing to bury the breathtakingly pristine north and middle forks of the American River under several hundred feet of water. Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed and the project was eventually abandoned. Natural treasures like the American River Canyon are never completely safe, however. Like a bad cold that just won’t go away, the plan to build Auburn Dam still rears its ugly head from time to time.

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A Jewel in the Desert

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Rock formation at Joshua Tree National Park

One of the many incredible rock formations within Joshua Tree National Park. Photo by author

In late April, before summer set in, Kathy and I decided to spend a few days in the land of blistering sands and sharp thorns. I had worked in the California desert during my early years with the California Department of Fish and Game and remain captivated by the incredible diversity of plants and animals that flourish in this seemingly barren landscape.

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Mature bald eagle at Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge

Show Respect and Pass Through Quietly

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Mature bald eagle at Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge

Mature bald eagle perched on snag at Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge

“Quick, roll up the windows!” said Kathy. We had just entered the ten-mile auto tour route at Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, when four cars roared by us like we were standing still. Pulling to the side of the road, we waited for the dust cloud that enveloped us to subside.

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One of the largest trees on Earth: Old-growth redwood in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, California

Tall Trees and Emerald Waters

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One of the largest trees on Earth: Old-growth redwood in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, California

One of the largest trees on Earth: Old-growth redwood in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, California. Photo by author.

Kathy and I recently attended the Outdoor Writers Association of California (OWAC) fall conference on the aptly-named Wild Rivers Coast. Stretching from Port Orford, Oregon to Klamath, California, the Wild Rivers Coast is 101 miles of incredibly beautiful coastline. Eight of America’s most renowned salmon and steelhead streams course through this magical land  of tall trees and spectacular seascapes: the Sixes, Elk, Rogue, Pistol, Chetco, Winchuck, Smith, and Klamath Rivers. For an outdoor enthusiast who loves to write, paint, fish, kayak, bird watch, and walk on the beach, this may have been as close to nirvana as I will ever come.

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Photo of Humpback Whale Feeding in Santa Barbara Channel

A Whale of a Tale

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Photo of Humpback Whale Feeding in Santa Barbara Channel

Out of Ventura Harbor we sailed this past November, in pursuit of a long-held dream. My wife Kathy and I had been waiting for years to visit Santa Cruz Island, the largest of California’s Channel Islands and part of the five-island Channel Islands National Park. We spent the day hiking the island and learning about the indigenous plants and animals that inhabit this fascinating archipelago, just twenty miles from the mainland. Being scuba divers, we were especially impressed by the crystal clear waters that surrounded the island, beckoning us to return someday with our scuba gear and underwater camera.

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