Lake Siskiyou

All posts tagged Lake Siskiyou

A Red Sunset Over Lake Siskiyou

Posted by bubbasuess on August 17, 2021
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Mount Shasta, Trinity Divide. Tagged: . 1 Comment

The sun sets below Mount Eddy and the Trinity Divide.

Last week the Mount Shasta area was shrouded in an oppressive cloud of smoke. While none burned in the immediate area, there are a few fires to the west in the Klamath Mountains, the Antelope Fire to the east of Mount Shasta and the apocalyptic inferno that is the Dixie Fire to the southeast. The smoke from these conflagrations has been mixing together into a deathly soup that has stayed put over the area and seemed as though it would never go away. Thankfully the pressure off the coast has begun to shift, bringing a little relief to our corner of Northern California. While it remains to be seen how it will effect the fires, it did bring some clearer skies to Mount Shasta.

After dinner we decided to take advantage of it and head to Lake Siskiyou for some evening swimming. This was a far cry from earlier in the weekend. My wife had taken the kids to the lake on Saturday and, as expected, it was a complete zoo. Despite the smoke, a horde had descended on the lake to escape the heat. Naturally, that was not a deterrent to the kids having a good time and they loved cooling off in the water.

Last night, however, was a completely different experience. We were, literally, the only ones at the lake. At least, we were the lonly ones at North Shore. There were no kayakers or paddle boarders or anything visible. The conditions were also remarkably different. There was smoke, but it was mostly manifest as brown clouds, rather than the inpenatrable blanket that had limited visiblity a to a few hundred yards. The entire lake was cast in an unearthly yellow light. The kids once again had a blast swimming, paddleboarding and snorkeling. My wife and I sat on the shore and read while the wind blew.

Of course, the smoky conditions made the sunset a surprisingly spectacular one. There was enough haze that the sun could be gazed on directly with out any discomfort to the eyes. I could not resist pulling out my camera and catching a few images as the disc sank toward the horizon. Part of me doesn’t like photographing smoky conditions, but I can’t deny the unitque beauty the it can produce.

This has been a rough summer in a lot of ways, the fires being just one component of the challenge. In spite of this, an evening like this, where the danger that confronts us is known and recognized and the kids, blissful and blessed with a lack of concern true to their age, are still able to enjoy themselves is a helpful antidote. Between the beauty and the fun, I could put away the world for a little while and enjoy.

Lake Siskiyou Autumn Idyll

Posted by bubbasuess on October 20, 2018
Posted in: Hiking, Mount Shasta, Trinity Divide. Tagged: . 6 Comments

Autumn glow along Lake Siskiyou while my family paddles toward the inlet.

Though it has been getting cold at night, the days have been perfectly warm. The forecast portends a change in weather next week, with temperatures dropping. My wife and I gave our son a paddle board for his birthday and yesterday was the best day to take it out and give it a try. Our younger kids rode with my wife while our son took his board for a cruise. They had a great time, though my son was already exhausted from hanging out with grandparents and hiking with the outdoor education class I teach on Fridays. Nonetheless, he took off around the lake on the board’s maiden voyage.

While my family was having fun on the water, I enjoyed the view of the setting sun from the lake. While the fall color in the area has been erratic, it is in full force at Lake Siskiyou right now. It is absolutely gorgeous. All the oaks and willows are turning shades of red, orange and gold. In the afternoon light all the trees just glowed. If you have the opportunity over the weekend, be sure to hike around the lake. The color is good in many places but it is particularly good along the north shore.

As my wife and kids paddled, I got to enjoy the sunset from a location I don’t often take advantage of. Normally, if I observe the sunset from Lake Siskiyou, it is from the south shore, where there is a great view of Mount Shasta. This time, on north shore, the best view is to the west, where Mount Eddy, Porcupine Peak and the braided folds of the Trinity Divide dominate. Naturally, these were not lit up with alpenglow the way Mount Shasta is at sunset since the sun set behind these mountains. Nonetheless, the sinking sun put on a brilliant display of light beams and contrasting shadows.

Of course, we eventually had to head home, but did so just in time to see the alpenglow on Mount Shasta come to an end. I was able to grab a quick shot before it was completely gone. It was a perfect evening. Now, tonight, I am taking the Cub Scouts up for an evening hike at Panther Meadow then we’ll watch the sunset from the Old Ski Bowl. That sounds like two ideal autumn evenings in a row!

Lake Siskiyou Bridges Installed

Posted by bubbasuess on June 14, 2018
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Mount Shasta. Tagged: . Leave a comment

The Sacramento River flows under the Lake Siskiyou Trail’s seasonal bridge.

This is probably late news, but I have not been here to update conditions lately. However, I reckon it is best to mention it than to not. The seasonal bridges over the Sacramento River have finally been installed. This means that the Lake Siskiyou Trail is once again a complete loop. It is now possible to hike or bike the complete circuit around the like. This easy trip is a classic Mount Shasta hike. It may not be the wildest trail in the region but it has lots of interesting features, is easy for the whole family and has some great views.

It is necessary for the bridges to be seasonal because of the constantly shifting terrain at the inlet. The last several years have seen dramatic changes to the inlet geography, with a significant amount of land simply washed away and the routes of the river’s channels changed considerably. During a drought year a few years ago, the bridges were left in since the water level was so low and they were then lost when a sudden storm washed everything away, leaving only some twisted gabions as a reminder that the bridges has once been there.

Washed out section of trail.

This year there was relatively little change at the inlet. The most significant being the loss of a section of the Lake Siskiyou Trail on the the southern bank of the northern channel (I know that sounds confusing!). For the last few years the trail crossed a narrow isthmus between the lake and a small seasonal pool of water. The lake shore has encroached on the trail, washed away the isthmus and forced the trail inland a little, crossing the now dry pond. Also, like last year, the once dry south channel (which was, at one time, the Sacramento River’s main avenue to the lake) has a small flow of water in it. Perhaps one day the river will return to this channel in earnest.

Now the final piece of the Mount Shasta hiking puzzle is the opening of the road up to the Old Ski Bowl. I’ll be in Hells Canyon when that happens but I will still post something about the conditions of that area when I return from that upcoming trip. In the meantime, get out and enjoy all the trails that are open now!

Click to enlarge:

The Sacramento River Causes Little Change At Lake Siskiyou

Posted by bubbasuess on April 1, 2018
Posted in: Hiking, Mount Shasta, Rivers. Tagged: , . 2 Comments

Snowy Mount Eddy is visible beyond the Sacramento at the inlet to Lake Siskiyou.

The last several years have not been kind ones to the section of the Lake Siskiyou Trail that crosses over the Sacramento River as it flows into the lake. Even though severe drought had stricken Northern California, powerful rainstorms and last year’s deep snowpack managed to create river flows heavy enough to wash away significant portions of the lake shore and cause the river to close and open various channels within the river’s floodplain. This past winter was fairly mild, but was significantly wetter than the drought winters of a few years ago. Consequently, this is the first winter in many years that no significant alterations to the shoreline have taken place.

April 2015

In 2014, the trail was a well-built, well-marked path along the shoreline, crossing seasonal bridges that allowed hikers and bikers to travel the entire circumference of the lake. The trail, passing through a rocky flood plain, had been cleared of large stones, making for an semi-cobbled route. It was a scenic section of trail. However, things began to change early in 2015 when a sudden storm brought enough debris downriver that the south channel, one of the Sacramento River’s two primary channels, was plugged up. All the water that had originally run through there was diverted into the north channel and the increased volume of water resulted in much of the northern half of the inlet area being washed out. This included the loss of the seasonal bridge and much of the trail. In an interesting twist, the southern channel remained completely dry and the bridge totally unaffected.

Following the initial flood that significantly altered the landscape in 2015, the two subsequent winters saw further erosion of the inlet area. Though small amounts of water resumed flowing in the southern channel, the northern channel continued to carry the vast majority of the Sacramento’s water. The course of this channel changed significantly during these three winters, ultimately wiping out two bridges and approximately 550 feet of trail.

Reviews of the damage up to last year can be read here, here and here.

Both of these images were taken when Lake Siskiyou was at capacity. In the picture on the right, note the missing vegetation, increased size of the northern channel, the missing lagoon and the large, rocky flood plain that has developed. Significant amounts of rock were deposited by the Sacramento River while it was in flood stages.

Original inlet condition circa 2013. All the areas subsequently washed away are highlighted in blue.

All this leads up to the current condition of the inlet area. For the first time in at least the last three winters, not significant changes have occurred along the Sacramento River. The route of the northern channel is essentially the same this year as it was last year. The final section right as it reaches the lake’s high water mark has deepened and some rock has built up alongside the channel but the path is largely the same as it was last year. This means that, for the first time in the last several years, no improvements will have to be made to make the Lake Siskiyou Trail complete when it is time to place the seasonal bridges. While the changes wrought by the river are fascinating, the relatively intact conditions of the trail are a positive development. Perhaps the river has finally stablized its route and work can be done to improve the trail once again…with the understanding that all trailwork may be fleeting, since the river reserves the right to alter anything that lies along its path.

Below are a series of images taken from the north side of the inlet over the course of the last 6 years. Note how the course of the river has shifted south. It makes the area appear as though the lake is really low when in reality, the area directly below the vantage has been built up with stone from further upstream. This, with the course of the river shifting north has really altered the area’s appearance (and granted, the lake was really full after the substantial precipitation that fell in 2017).

Click to enlarge:

Ultimately, I think the best course of action is the construction of a permanent bridge further upstream, where the river’s flood plain constricts. Until then, it is a positive development to see the river achieve some sort of equilibrious…even if it is fleeting.

Current conditions at the inlet (click to enlarge):

 

Clearing The Mount Shasta Spindle

Posted by bubbasuess on February 5, 2018
Posted in: Cascade Range, Hiking, Mount Shasta. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

Not a great lenticular, but a nice morning nonetheless.

I have just a few quick things I want to note that don’t necessarily fit into a full post. First, as always, I like to point out lenticulars when I see them. There are a few reasons for my continued fascination with these formations, but whatever the motive, I think they are worth acknowledging when they show up. That said, there was another one this morning. Hopefully, the continued changes in the weather pattern will produce another really memorable one like we had a few days ago.

Second, I wanted to throw out the comment link for the Forest Service’s Gateway Trail Phase II program. I will be posting my thoughts on this soon, but in the mean time, here is the powerpoint from the public meeting. Comments can be emailed to comments-pacificsw-shasta-trinity-mtshasta-mccloud@fs.fed.us

Also, I have finally updated the map for the Lake Siskiyou Trail. The old one failed to show many changes, most notably the addition of the Chateau Trail, which, thankfully, bypasses the section along the road. That improvement alone makes the trail a much, much nicer loop.

Speaking of Lake Siskiyou, it has been rather idyllic there the last few days. With warm weather and snowcapped peaks, the lake is a fantastic place to go for a hike, take the family and play and just enjoy the sunshine. I took my family there the other day and the kids had a blast playing in and adding onto driftwood huts. It reminded me of the days I spent doing the same things at the Sonoma Coast.

That is all for now. I will have my Gateway Phase II post up soon. Pray for snow!

More Damage To Lake Siskiyou Trail

Posted by bubbasuess on May 15, 2017
Posted in: Hiking, Mount Shasta, Water. Tagged: , , . 4 Comments

The Sacramento River continues to erode its banks and alter the landscape.

The Lake Siskiyou Trail can’t seem to catch a break. Ever since the Sacramento River bottled up its south channel a few years ago, the inlet area where the river flows into Lake Siskiyou has gone through an annual process of erosion, soil displacement and a general alteration of the landscape. Although it is fascinating to watch the river shape the land around it, the continual changes to the inlet area has had an adverse effect on the trail. Over the last three years more and more of the pathway, as well as the gabions that support seasonal bridges, have washed away into Lake Siskiyou. The winter of 2016/2017 was no different from the previous winters. More and more of the river’s inlet area was washed away as torrential rain and melting snow flooded the Sacramento River, causing it to yet again wash more rock and earth away.

Though I have been to both the northern and southern channels this spring, I had not had a chance to cross the now flowing south channel(it has not flowed for the last two years, since it was blocked up during a flood and beginning the entire erosion process) since I had previously visited with my kids. For Mother’s Day, we decided to head back down to the south channel and let the kids play in the water, explore the wildflower-filled meadows and play in the wood forts that have been constructed at the edge of the forest. This afforded my the opportunity to cross the south channel and go examine exactly what changes occurred there.

The Lake Siskiyou Trail ends abruptly at a cutbank.

What I found was not shocking but it was impressive nonetheless. During the winter the river washed yet more land away and now flows into Lake Siskiyou by means of a seemingly perpetually deepening gully cut into the loose rock and soil of the floodplain. Entrance into the gully is now marked by a beautiful stair-step cataract. Not much of the gully was there last year, having been carved out by this winter’s torrential flows. The trail was washed out in two places. The first spot saw the trail just fade away at the edge of the lake. To pick up the extant trail required crossing a narrow isthmus of land that was only 1.5 feet wide. From there it is possible to pick the trail back up and follow it for about 30 yards before it abruptly ends at the 3 foot high cut bank. Below the unstable ledge the Sacramento River flows vigorously.

This whole area has changed considerably over the last few years. Examine the satellite images to see where the land has been washed away. Pay special attention to the river’s location, the trail and bridges as well as the location of the trees:

These maps highlight the areas that have been washed away:

The following map shows the route of the Lake Siskiyou Trail as well as the areas that have been impacted by flooding. An alternate route for the trail is also suggested:

The yellow line is original rerouted trail circa 2016. The pink segment has been lost. Red marks an alternate route for a new trail. The path avoids the lake and the unstable parts of the inlet. 

Unfortunately, rerouting the Lake Siskiyou Trail is likely not to be a permanent solution to the constantly changing conditions at the inlet. Half the original trail has been washed away and the cutbank that has developed on the north channel will make it harder to place the seasonal bridge. Long term, I think the solution will be to extend the trail west along the Sacramento River for another 0.75 miles and then construct permanent foot bridge across the river. This would have several benefits. First, it would make the loop around the lake passable all year, rather than when the seasonal bridges can be placed. This would also lift the constant threat of the trail being washed out. Second, it would open up a new trail experience, one that would highlight one of the prettiest stretches of the Sacramento River. I think folks would hike that section by itself, not just for the sections by the lake. It would also present the opportunity to build a new trailhead along South Fork Road. Extending the trail upstream would also move things that much closer to connecting the Lake Siskiyou Trail to the Sisson-Callahan Trail. This would close one of the missing segments of my proposed Headwaters Loop. This proposal is due to get its own article soon.

For further discussion of the changed conditions at the inlet, scroll through the enlarged images and see how the trail has been washed away:

 

The Lost Creeks Of Lake Siskiyou

Posted by bubbasuess on March 14, 2017
Posted in: Hiking, Lakes, Mount Shasta, Off Season Trails, Spring Trails, Water, Winter Trails. Tagged: . Leave a comment

A beautiful and rarely visited section of Castle Lake Creek.

This is just a quick reminder of one of the great features of the Lake Siskiyou Trail that is often overlooked. I have posted in the past on the possible hikes on the north and south shores of Lake Siskiyou that are feasible in winter. The whole loop around the lake is not possible since the bridges at the inlet are removed but there are still some really good hiking options on the trail. The best of these are the oft-forgotten “lost creeks” that flow out of the Trinity Divide and into Lake Siskiyou.

Mount Eddy from the South Shore, near the creeks.

This time of year, I tend to stick to the north shore because of Wagon Creek Bridge, the good views from the boat launch area and the excellent destination that is the lake’s inlet, where the Sacramento River flows into the reservoir. However, the south shore has its own charms, not the least of which is its stunning view of Mount Shasta (truly one of the finest there is). There may not be as clear cut a destination on the south shore, unless you are willing to put in a little extra work. That is where the “lost creeks” come in. Both Castle Lake Creek and Scott Camp Creek are lively, clear flowing mountain streams that shoot through deep canyons before passing under South Fork Road and then flowing into Lake Siskiyou. Between the road and the lake, they have 0.15 and 0.25 miles to go before reaching the still water of the lake. These last bits of free-flowing water are beautiful and wild and generally unthought of as an option to enjoy while other mountain creeks are still bound by snow.

The Lake Siskiyou Trail passes along both sides of Castle Lake Creek and Scott Camp Creek. In both cases the trail is well above the creeks, with steep embankments leading down to the water. There are, however, worn paths leading down to the water. The forest can be thick in places but it is still easy to get down and maneuver along the banks. This is generally truer closer to the lake. Of the two creeks, Scott Camp Creek tends to get more visitors because it is closer to the Lake Siskiyou Resort. Castle Lake Creek is further away from the South Shore trailhead and the resort and consequently gets fewer hikers heading to it. However, this time of year the resort has little activity and both creeks are great, easy-to-get-to destinations for solitude and free-flowing beauty. While the weather is warm, consider heading out to them!

Click to enlarge:

Lake Siskiyou Seasonal Bridge Installed

Posted by bubbasuess on June 25, 2016
Posted in: Hiking, Lakes, Mount Shasta. Tagged: . 1 Comment

Trinity Divide, Lake Siskiyou - June2016 021 (Custom)

This post is a bit overdue, but I am only getting to it now because I have been gone so much over the last month working on my new book that I have a bit of a backlog of posts. The last time I posted to the blog, I highlighted a new section of the Lake Siskiyou Trail that had been completed by the Mount Shasta Trails Association. Now I can follow it up and note that the seasonal bridges across the Sacramento River at the lake’s inlet have been installed and the loop around the lake is complete. This presents the new opportunity to circumnavigate the lake, staying near the water the entire time and enjoying the peaceful new addition along with all the other great parts of the trail. This really is a gem of a trail and a huge asset to the Mount Shasta area.

When I popped over to the lake to check on the conditions, I was surprised with how much debris had accumulated around the river. Snags, root balls and other forest detritus littered the rocky floodplain. Aside from all the debris, a couple of other things are worth noting. The bridge over the south channel has not been installed. The the river dammed during high water a couple winters ago and the channel and it is now dry. It is easily crossable on foot and the old foundations are still present, marking the spot where the bridge was crossed the river. Also, wood and rock have been used to demarcate the trail across the inlet area’s rocky terrain. This is the case from the south channel all the way to the bridge over the north channel. However, once across the bridge there is no discernable trail and it is necessary to find the bridge over the secondary channel hidden in the lush riparian vegetation. It is not a big deal, it requires a little heads up.

It is interesting to note that the river is still up to its old tricks regarding its seemingly constant channel-changing. I most recently related this activity here and here. In the past, the water’s path was once consistent enough that the trail was built in permanent fashion. It has now, over the last couple of years, proven to be extremely flexible in which way the water flows and any permanent trail route seems unrealistic since channel has  been altered significantly the last couple of winters. The bridge is located in roughly the same spot it was last year but where there was once a shallow gully through the rocks has been deepened considerably. If some of the debris along the banks was removed it would make a wonderful swimming hole. The river has also decided to make use of two paths, where earlier this year it flowed only through the primary one. I was surprised by how much of the water was running underground, disappearing beneath the rocky floodplain. It will be fascinating to see how the Sacramento continues to alter the land over the next winter.

Click to enlarge:

New Section of Lake Siskiyou Trail Open To Hikers

Posted by bubbasuess on June 19, 2016
Posted in: Hiking, Lakes, Mount Shasta. Tagged: . 5 Comments

Trinity Divide, Lake Siskiyou - June2016 018 (Custom)

The Lake Siskiyou Trail, possibly the most popular trail in the Mount Shasta area, is already a great hiking resource. It boasts beautiful scenery, neat trail engineering, a gentle grade throughout and easy access all the way around the lake. Yet, thanks to the tireless efforts of the Mount Shasta Trails Association, the trail has been significantly improved in the last couple of months. For most of the trail’s circumnavigation of Lake Siskiyou, it has open views and stays within sight of the water. If it does veer away from the lakeshore, it often passes through pleasant forest or meadow. The one really unpleasant section of the trail was the stretch from the Box Canyon Dam parking area to the Lake Siskiyou Resort parking area. This part of the loop is immediately adjacent to W.A. Barr Road. The car traffic and the development of the Mount Shasta Resort has always been a big distraction and is quite jarring compared to the rest of the trail (even accounting for the section of the hike through the Lake Siskiyou Resort, which also has a lot of activity, but the camp atmosphere permeates the area and is not nearly as bad as along the road). Thankfully, a new section of trail has been completed that hugs the edge of the lake and bypasses all the development and activity along W.A. Barr. This is a huge addition to the Lake Siskiyou Trail. Instead of the most unpleasant part of the loop, it is now one of the prettiest, with views of the lake, the Castle Crags, Gray Rock Dome, Porcupine Peak, Mount Eddy, the Wagon Creek Bridge and Mount Shasta. All of this is had from a gentle trail that stays well away from the road. Car traffic has now been replaced by the sounds of ducks and people enjoying the water. The asphalt trail exposed to the sun has now been supplanted by a shaded path. All in all, it is excellent.

The new path can be accessed from either the Box Canyon Dam parking area or the Mount Shasta Resort parking area. At the latter, the trail is at the east end of the parking area, just a few yards from the map kiosk. At the former, the look for the restroom at the midpoint of the parking area. The trail heads down to the lake from there. The old section along the road was about 0.4 miles between parking areas. The new addition is about 0.6, but much, much nicer.

lake-siskiyou

The new section is added in blue.

In the past, the two best segment hikes on Lake Siskiyou were the north and south shore sections of the trail. With the addition of the portion, a third, equally beautiful option has been created. Beginning at the Box Canyon Dam, hike the new section of the trail along the lake to the resort parking area. From there, pick up the traditional route, swinging around into the shallow canyon of Cold Creek. Proceed along the Cold Creek arm of Lake Siskiyou on a trail slung on a steep slope. Cross the Wagon Creek Bridge and continue to the trailhead at meadow and kids lagoon. From there you can either turn around or make a nice loop through the meadow before heading back to the trailhead. In terms of scenery and interesting trail routing, this section of trail has as much or more than the two aforementioned segment hikes. Come winter, when the high country is buried in snow and there are fewer available hikes, this is a huge and very scenic addition.

A special thanks must be made to all the volunteers at the Mount Shasta Trails Association. There hard work in both the planning and implementation as well as the labor of actual trail building as made this and many other areas a reality.

This pictures aren’t great, but they do give a sense of the scenery the new trail offers. Click to enlarge:

 

Sacramento River Still Altering Landscape: A Different Perspective

Posted by bubbasuess on February 14, 2016
Posted in: Hiking, Mount Shasta, Rivers. Tagged: , . 6 Comments

Trinity Divide, Lake Siskiyou - Feb2016 052 (Custom)I had not planned to follow up my last post with yet another perspective on the changing landscape at the Sacramento River’s inlet into Lake Siskiyou.  However, the other day I was fixing something on the Lake Siskiyou Trail page and noticed that one of the images was of the inlet area from the north shore side of the trail. It depicted the inlet almost exactly three years ago. Not only had the south channel not been blocked up at that time, but the grabions, the large rock-filled cages that formed the foundations for the bridges across the river, were still intact and visible in the image (thanks to John Schyuler of the Mount Shasta Trails Association for cluing me in to the proper name for these structures!). Knowing how dramatic the changes have been, I was compelled to return to the same spot I had taken the earlier image and document what the area looks like now. I was glad I did. Even though I was fully aware of how much had changed, it was still shocking to see it from the perspective of the previous image.

trinity-divide-sacramento-river-feb2013-004-copy-customMarked2Having some context for what things used to look like, it is evident that the river has not changed its course so much as it has actually washed out nearly have of the entire inlet flood plain. To gain some perspective on the image, I added red dots that are useful markers to identify position in both pictures. There are also bright green dots just above the grabions (see the gabions with the old bridge placement here).  Here are the images unmarked. Click on them, then you can scroll back and forth to compare them:

The amount of material that has been moved is incredible. Large amounts of river rock has been deposited from upstream while smaller, loose aggregate has been cleared out and is presumably settled on the bottom of the lake. Where the Lake Siskiyou Trail once traveled the along the lake’s high water mark between the river’s old south channel and the north channel, the river now flows past a continually eroding 8 foot high embankment. A couple hundred yards of the trail are simply gone. Last year’s floods wiped out the old bridge location but left most of the trail intact. This year is quite different. With the water level still so high, it remains to be seen what the actual, final (at least for this year) path of the river will be and what areas will need to be bridged in order to complete the loop around the lake.

The annual placement of the temporary bridges is still a few months away so the loop around the lake is incomplete. However, for those looking for a long hike and an adventure, it is possible to ford the Sacramento River and do the entire loop. The water level is high and close to the main stem crossing would be quite dangerous. Closer to the lake the river now fans out over the eroded flood plain so much that most of the multiple channels are only ankle or calf deep. The wide dispersal area makes it a fairly easy matter to cross as long as you are willing to get your feet wet. Interestingly, two channels are developing on the new flood plain. There have always been two channels here but the smaller of the two was little more than overflow most of the year. Now it has become a bona-fide path for the river in its own right. Still, 90% of the river’s volume remains in the main channel.

Click to enlarge: