Skagit River

The Mount Vernon RV Park, where we are staying, is close to the Skagit River.  You can easily walk from our RV to a public park on its western bank where there is a wonderful sculpture of a salmon (pictured above.)  Or brave the traffic and cross over a short bridge that leads to an inviting, brick paved river walk along its east bank for a stroll (see below.)  The river walk is adjacent to what I have nicknamed “Old Town” in Mount Vernon; this section of town is quickly becoming my favorite destination which includes the Skagit Valley Food Coop I mentioned earlier.

The Skagit River winds through town in a serpentine fashion.  Mount Vernon was built at the site of a huge logjam, which took loggers three years to breakup in the 1860s—while salvaging the logs in the process.  Ultimately their efforts opened the river for navigation and further European exploration to the northeast.  Originating in Canada, the river drains the Northern Cascade watershed along a 150 mile course, which was heavily influenced by both the coming and going of glaciers during the Ice Age, and by volcanic activity in this region over centuries.  At one time 50,000 salmon per year, including all five of the native salmon species, made their way up this river named after the Skagit Tribe.  Due to global warming of the ocean, the salmon’s food supply has dwindled, and in recent years only 5,000 fish have returned to the river to spawn.

Sadly, this will affect the bald eagles from Alaska and Canada that come to winter in the valley from December to February as well, because of the resulting decrease in salmon—their food supply.  Even worse, with the drought and melting snow pack, the river’s volume of water is decreasing.  This will not only impact wildlife, but also the water source supplying the valley’s residents, its farming and Seattle’s hydroelectric supply.  Though it was a wetter winter with above average rain and snowfall, above average temperatures this spring have already stripped away any excess reserve we enjoyed.  It is amazing to see the broad impacts global warming is having here. 

On a brighter note, this area still remains lush and green with cooler temperatures than we have experienced in months.  For that we are grateful!  Snoopy agrees wholeheartedly.