Our first stop was the Capilano Salmon hatchery, a government facility aimed at facilitating the spawning of salmon. Salmon are enormously important here to humans and animals alike. However as human requirements for water increased the building of dams has substantially interrupted the natural spawning of salmon. The hatchery aims to address some of this damage.
Salmon spend years as sea before the imperative urge to spawn draws them back up rivers to the places they hatched. After spawning they die! Bears and other wildlife benefit from this salmon migration.
The hatchery collects eggs and sperm and the hatchings are eventually released back into rivers.
The simulated and extraordinary journey up river, often leaping up waterfalls can be observed through glass windows.
Finally, they stay still, exhausted after their frantic leaps ever upwards.
Interestingly the dead fish are released back into the river to satisfy the needs of bears and other wildlife which rely on also capturing salmon. The whole natural process is extraordinary.
From here we moved on to the Capilano Suspension bridge. A suspension bridge was built here in the late 19th century by a hunter and explorer with the Cooperation of the local First Nation people whose anglicised name is Capilano - the name given to the region today.
Entrepreneurial spirit soon led to a charge of 10 cents to use the bridge over this deep gorge and today many thousands of visitors come here to walk the latest iteration of the bridge.
Marg and I crossed, quite gingerly! It sways quite a bit and is very high above the river. On the other side are walking tracks, board walks and rangers talking about wildlife found here and how to interact respectfully and safely.
Returning over the bridge, more confidently, we joined the cliff side walk.
This narrow walkway hugs the cliff side and again takes you high above the river but it doesn't move (much).
Nevertheless it is quite challenging because of the many steps down and up and the narrowness of the one way path - hard on knees.
The whole park, privately owned, is dedicated to the outdoors, informative in a fun way above wildlife and conservation, providing adventure and highlighting the history of the First Nation's people.
Of course shopping, ice cream and food are pretty important also - we recommend the wildberry -again!
On to Grouse Mountain! A gondola which can hold 50 people takes 6 minutes to whisk you up the mountain.
The views are staggering all the way back to Vancouver. Grouse Mountain is a popular ski resort in winter and a playground in summer for zip liners, hikers, paragliders and tourists.
We listened to a ranger talk about Grinder and Koto the two rescue grizzlies bears (sadly asleep when we were there) and watched a display of raptors -including a stunning Bald eagle.
An amusing and skilful demonstration of lumberjack skills finished our day. Back down the mountain drinking in those phenomenal views!
Isn't she sweet!
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