The King, or Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) travels over 500 miles into the most remote reaches of Northeastern Oregon, where it spawns in springtime in small tributaries like Hurricane Creek. The hatchlings then return to the ocean, following the creek to the Wallowa River, which joins the Grande Ronde before it converges with the Minam, draining the Columbia plateau north of the Wallowa Mountains into the mighty Snake. ???? ?????? ???? 2023
Hurricane Creek, draining the Wallowa Mountains in Northeastern Oregon
The waters of Hurricane Creek are low this time of year, the snow almost all melted from the mountain peaks. We made frequent stops to cool off as we hiked in 102 degree heat to a waterfall by an alpine meadow, noticing these refreshing flowers along the way:
alpine aster (Aster alpinus)
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