Adventure feeds my soul! Adventures with a purpose are part of my recipe for an amazing life!
Michelle and I headed out to a more remote section of the Green River Gorge to search for river otters. This was the most remote area that I have spotted otter sign and it isn't easy to get to, as we found out on our hike. We hiked out a long logging road and then hiked cross country through Douglas ferns, Oregon grape, and around tall forest of western red cedar, Douglas fir, and western hemlock and over fallen trees. Then we descended a steep slope using the technique of vegetable belay (using ferns and other vegetation like a rope) to slow our descent. Once on the river we boulder hopped and walked through the shallower sections next to the shoreline to our destination; a deep green pool surrounded by cliffs, sandstone shelves, and giant moss covered boulders. Years ago I had spotted otter poop covered rocks and cray fish also known as otter food at this location.
Once we arrived we set up two critter cams in strategic locations to try to capture photos and video of these elusive critters. Our plan was to return in a couple of weeks and see if our cameras had captured any photos of them.
Then we hiked back via a longer route along the river before heading back to the road. We hopped along boulder strewn channels, grass edged shoreline, and walked along narrow sandstone edges next to deep pools and small frothing waves of whitewater.
I've recently started playing around with my Go Pro. This is some video of our adventure of another day of exploring the river looking for river otters.
Stay Tuned for the results from our critter cam...
The Otter study and the Otter Spotter program is a project of Woodland Park Zoo's Living Northwest. If you find any signs of river otters on Washington’s rivers visit the Otter Spotter and fill out the quick form on where and when you sighted the sign.
For more info on River Otters visit:
Besides the obvious scientific goal of our recent field work, my main work is a multimedia documentary project. It is the story of the Green River Gorge, the conservation history, the individual stories of people connected to the river, and a visual journey down it’s 14 mile length. Rediscovering more of the beauty, wildness, and rugged remoteness of the Gorge River Gorge means I’ll be spending a lot of time following game and fishermen trails, boulder hopping, off trail bushwhacking, and swimming the Gorge’s length.
To follow this journey visit:
www.greenrivergorgegreenway.org
Stay Tuned for the results from our critter cam...