03/28/08

SCHOONER CREEK FISH TRAP:

It was a rather interesting morning on the way to and at Schooner Creek today. On the way up it was it was 33 degrees, snowing hard with an accumulation of between 2 and 4 inches. No other vehicles had been up this morning and I found my way blocked with an alder that had
broken and fallen across the road. I was finally able to move it after a few minutes and clear the road. Unfortunately I left my chain saw in Prineville last weekend, foolishly believing that winter was over. When I arrived at the gate I met Duane, we parked and began walking up the road as we have been doing now for about two months.
Half way up we encountered another tree that has fallen and is currently blocking the road (again no chain saw). We had no fish in the trap. We cleaned the trap and it is working well. On our way out we heard a loud crack and saw a large fir or spruce bough break off and tumble into the canyon close to the creek. Once back at the gate we were talking at our trucks when two large alders broke one right after the other and fell into the North Fork of the creek just below
the weir. At this point we thought it best to leave the canyon as the snow was continuing to fall. The weight of this wet snow was really beginning to create a dangerous situation. My way down was clear and I was treated to a herd of approx. 30 Elk just past the one mile marker. I know the Longview Hills team turns before you get that far down but that is the location I usually see the Elk.

If anyone has a chain saw and wants to go up I will be glad to accompany you and help clean up the tree that is blocking the road. I will be gone once again this Sunday and Monday. So, it would either have to be today or tomorrow. If not, you might think about walking from the gate to the trap until we can get it cleaned up.

Duane and I will be working the trap also on Wednesdays for a few weeks as the Wednesday crew has lost most of the volunteers.

Sorry for the long winded email but thought it necessary to pass the info.

Mike