I remembered from our visit to BC some 5 years ago that fall is salmon spawning time and thought it would be cool to see this spectacle. After a quick search on Google I discovered Weaver Creek Spawning Channel not far away in Agassiz. It is a Fisheries & Oceans Canada site. http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/sep-pmvs/projects-projets/weaver/weaver-eng.html
With a picnic lunch packed, we drive to what we thought would be a quiet spot to see thousands of salmon that had returned to their birthplace. An easy drive along quiet roads with mountain views and lakes leads to Morris Valley Rd. and a 15 minute drive to Weaver Creek. As we arrive at the site, we see hundreds of tourists, the parking lot is full, and a bus shows up. We parked on the street a short walk away. Obviously way more popular than I thought !
There are nice washrooms, picnic area, and well maintained walking paths along the winding channel, as well as a path along Weaver Creek where you can also see salmon that have not entered the channel. We were also lucky enough to see a young black bear up close, fishing in the creek and eating berries.
There are billboards with educational information all along and I learn that the adult salmon will die shortly after spawning. The are dead salmon all along the channels which are cleaned up by staff all day. Reading up on this later, I learn that a Pacific salmon will return after 4 years or so, once fully grown, to its birthplace and that it is because the trip is so long and exhausting that the salmon has no reserves left to make it back to the ocean.
Built in 1965 to provide an additional spawning habitat, the channel, which is three kilometres long, allows sockeye salmon, chum and pink salmon to deposit their eggs naturally. The channel was built as an extension to the existing Weaver Creek and can hold about 45,000 spawning adults at one time, and could see up to 100,00 thousand in one season.
There is a ‘counting booth’ where staff sit all day to note every salmon that enters the channel. Boring job you might think, but we observed the two staff having fun, listening to loud music, and dancing in the booth.
Because it is such a popular and noisy spot, we decide to drive to a quieter spot to picnic and as we are driving back along Morris Valley rd, there is a rest area across from a native run campground, situated along a river. We grab a picnic table and a bite to eat under towering trees in a nice shady and quiet spot. On a hot summer day, I can see this being a great place to go for a picnic and quick dip.
An interesting place is nearby – a recently renamed ski resort called Sasquatch Mountain resort. Intrigued by the name I look up the history of the name and came upon a very interesting story. If you like tales here is the link: https://www.mysteriesofcanada.com/bc/the-tale-of-sasquatch-mountain/