A record start for Columbia sockeye

The sockeye run heading up the Columbia River right now is a dandy, and could be the largest return in almost 70 years.

"When I checked earlier this week the sockeye run was off to its fastest start on record," said Joe Hymer, a state Fish and Wildlife biologist in Vancouver.

So far, the total count is 66,468 sockeye, and should be a record since Bonneville Dam was constructed in 1938. The single-day fish count at Bonneville on Thursday was 15,543 sockeye, which is the highest single-day count since July 7, 1955 when it reached 27,112.

"It is a really big number coming back now, and we aren't even up to the typical peak yet," Hymer said.

The run should be about 50 percent complete by June 24 based on a 10-year average.

The sockeye return is large enough that state Fish and Wildlife is allowing anglers to retain sockeye as part of the adult daily catch limit today through June 28 from Bonneville Dam down to the Rocky Point-Tongue Point line, and today through July 31 from Bonneville to Priest Rapids Dam.

Earlier this week anglers fishing for hatchery steelhead and jack chinook in the Lower Columbia River from Kalama to Vancouver were catching incidental sockeye at an alarmingly good rate.

Sockeye in the Columbia River basin have declined from historic levels when runs were as large as 3 million fish. Construction of several key dams from 1901 to 1958 almost wiped out the migrating sockeye run.

The Snake River run heading back to Redfish Lake at Stanley, Idaho, was so bad that in 1991 it was listed on the Endangered Species Act. An average of fewer than 50 [and a low of 15 in 2006] Snake River sockeye have been counted yearly at the Lower Granite Dam since 1984. In 2007 only four fish made the long 900-mile trek from the mouth of the Pacific Ocean to Redfish Lake.

The preseason Columbia River forecast this year is 75,600 sockeye with 13,700 headed to the Wenatchee, 61,200 to the Okanogan and 700 destined to the Snake River.

"We know there is a real large number of sockeye coming over Bonneville. However, the turnoff to Lake Wenatchee is so variable that there is no mathematical way to figure it out just yet," said Art Viola, a state Fish and Wildlife biologist for north central Washington. "We may not know the answer until mid-July."

"I'm optimistic to have a sport fishery this year [in Lake Wenatchee] than we've had in the last three years. We need about 23,000 for spawning escapement, and then we need at least an additional 1,000 more fish to have a fishery."

Sport fishing for sockeye in Lake Wenatchee last occurred in 2004 and 2001. The fishery would typically open in early August and remain open until the harvestable surplus was taken.

Fish counting for sockeye at the Ballard Locks in Seattle is also under way, and a possible Lake Washington sockeye fishery this summer depends on those in-season fish counts.

The forecast is 105,600 sockeye, and the spawning goal is 350,000 before a fishery could be considered. Through June 17, 2,173 sockeye had been tallied at the locks.

Another place where a possible sockeye fishery could occur is Baker Lake where the return forecast is 25,000. State Fish and Wildlife officials are monitoring the return to see if the lake could be open for a sport fishery later this summer.

"We've never had a fishery in the lake before, so at this time we just don't know what to expect," said Brett Barkdull, a state Fish and Wildlife biologist. "As far as run timing, at the fish trap that is usually around mid-July."

Notes

• The Shimano Coasting and the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy are teaming up to host local bicycle fundraising events 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 26 and 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. June 27 at the Seattle REI Store, 222 Yale Ave. N.; and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. June 28 at the Seafair Marathon Health & Fitness Expo at the Bellevue Hilton, 300 112th Ave. SE.

During the event, bikes will be donated to local residents enabling bike riding to change their lives, money will be raised to develop more local trails, and get people inspired to ride a bike. Details: www.coasting.com.

• The East Lake Washington Audubon is hosting a presentation titled: Birding the Gulf Coast — Warblers to Herons at 7:30 p.m. on June 26 at the Northlake Unitarian Universalist Church on 4th Avenue South and State Street in Kirkland. Photographer Jim Kenney is the guest speaker. Details: 425-271-1346 or www.elwas.org.

• The recreational spot shrimp fishery will reopen 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 24 from the southeast side Whidbey Island north to Fidalgo island [Marine Areas 8-1 and 8-2]. The non-spot shrimp gear will be allowed back in the water at 7 a.m. on June 25.

• The Edmonds Laebugten Salmon Chapter of Trout Unlimited meeting is 7 p.m. June 25 at the South County Senior Center, 220 Railroad Ave. in Edmonds. Guest speaker is Steve Thiesfield, the state Fish and Wildlife Puget Sound recreational salmon fishery manager. Details: 425-218-0654 or www.geocities.com/edmonds_laebugten/.

• The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is hosting a public trail dedication 11 a.m. June 28 at Rockport State Park, about 40 miles east of Burlington. Recent improvements to the mile trail were done within the American Disabilities Act guidelines. Details: www.parks.wa.gov/events.

• Members of the Eyes in the Woods organization will be clearing litter 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 28 at Drews Grocery on State Route 504 in Toutle. The clean up effort will focus on Weyerhaeuser's Mount St. Helens Tree Farm. Details: 360-480-6689 or http://eitw.us/boscal/calendar.php.

• The Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival is 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 4-7 at Lake Union Park. The event includes more than 150 classic wooden, sail, steam and human-powered water craft, food, music, a boating contest for kids and educational boating activities. Cost is $5 donation or $10 per family. Details: www.cwb.org.

• Children with disabilities will get a chance to wet a fishing line during a special fishing event July 19 at Merwin Fish Hatchery east of Woodland. The Merwin Special Kids' Day is expected to draw more than 100 participants and their families. The wheelchair-accessible hatchery waters will be planted with up to 6,000 trout ranging in size from 1 to 9 pounds. Rods, reels, tackle and T-shirts will be provided for the young fishers to use and keep. A free barbecue lunch will be served, followed by fish painting, storytelling and other activities.

Deadline to register is July 14. Volunteers are welcome. Details: 800-899-4421.

• The Gifford Pinchot National Forest is celebrating its 100th Anniversary by inviting the public to visit several forest offices July 1 to enjoy historic displays, tours, presentations, view historic photos from the forest over the past century.

The Mount Adams Ranger District in Trout Lake is hosting historic walking tours 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. July 1 at the ranger station; the Cowlitz Valley Ranger District will have a centennial celebration 11 a.m.-2 p.m. July 1, including a barbecue lunch for the visiting public; and the Forest Headquarters, 10600 N.E. 51st Circle in Vancouver will have historic displays, photographs, commemorative items, and cupcakes on July 1. Details: 360-891-5007 or www.fs.fed.us/gpnf.

• TrailsFest is 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 19 at Rattlesnake Lake near North Bend. This free event features clinics on everything from wilderness first aid to hiking with kids to backcountry cooking. Also take a guided hike, paddle a kayak, climb a rock wall or attend some informative clinics. The event will have dozens of exhibitors, including gear companies and outdoor groups. Details: www.wta.org.

• The Buoy 10 Salmon Challenge is Aug. 21-22 at the Lower Columbia River mouth. All activities will be held at Warrior Hall at Camp Rilea in Astoria. Derby is limited to 245 entrants. Cost is $270 for a team of three anglers. Details: 503-631-8859 or www.nsiafishing.org.

• State Fish and Wildlife is offering a women's workshop on fishing, hunting and outdoor skills with experts and other certified instructors Sept. 12-14 at Camp River Ranch in Carnation.

The workshop is coordinated by Washington Outdoor Women, a nonprofit program dedicated to teaching women outdoor skills and natural resource stewardship. Classes offered are archery, basic fishing, fly fishing and tying, canoeing, kayaking, preparing fish and shellfish, big-game hunting basics, map and compass reading, wilderness first aid, survival skills, wildlife identification, outdoor photography, and more.

Several state Fish and Wildlife staff members serve as volunteer instructors for the event, including biologists Laura Till and Shelly Ament who will teach "Map and Compass" and "Wildlife Identification" workshops, respectively. In all, 36 instructors will volunteer their time. Participants must be at least 18 years old and must have a current Washington recreational fishing license to participate in the fishing and fly-fishing sessions.

Cost is $225 includes the weekend's lodging, meals and use of all necessary equipment. A limited number of partial scholarships, provided by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, are available for first-time participants. Details: 425-455-1986 or www.washingtonoutdoorwomen.org.

• Mount Rainier National Park visitors can now ride a shuttle from Ashford, 6 miles from the park's Nisqually Entrance, to Longmire on weekends.

Shuttles will depart from Ashford every 30 minutes from 9:15 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., and every 75 minutes from noon to 5 p.m.

Although the shuttle itself is free, visitors will be required to pay the park entrance fee of $5 per person (no more than $15 per car load). Details: 360-569-2211, ext. 2301.

• The Goodell Creek Campground will be closed Wednesday through July 2 for paving projects. Access to the Goodell Creek raft launch and picnic shelter will be maintained, but restrooms will not be accessible.

The nearby Newhalem Creek Campground is open. Reservations are available. Details: www.recreation.gov.

The North Loop of the Colonial Creek Campground is also currently closed to accommodate paving projects, but could open as soon as June 23. After it reopens, the South Loop of the Colonial Creek Campground, the main parking area, and the boat launch will also experience temporary closures to accommodate paving projects the week of June 23. Details: www.nps.gov/noca/planyourvisit/car-camping.htm.

• If you thought skiing and snowboarding are over, then you might want to recheck your summer plans and head to Whistler-Blackcomb Resort where the Horstman Glacier is open, and the area is also doubling its terrain park features and upgrading to a Superpipe.

Grooming and parks crews have been building the summer Superpipe under the Glacier Express chair. The pipe wall will feature three to four medium jibs and will be groomed nightly. As the build-out continues, the bottom of Showcase T-Bar will become jib central with six rails and boxes, varying in difficulty from small to large, and four medium-sized booters. Regular skiing and riding lanes will also be open to the public.

Access to the Horstman Glacier is at the base of Blackcomb Mountain via the Wizard Express and Solar Coaster to the Rendezvous. Guests will then take a shuttle bus to the 7th Heaven Express Chair, which will bring them to the top of the glacier. Lift access to the glacier is via Horstman and Showcase T-bars.

Horstman Hut will be open and offers patio BBQs and light refreshments. Chair upload from the valley is 10 a.m.-2 p.m. for sightseers and 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. for skiers and boarders. Glacier skiing is open from noon-3 p.m. and runs through July 27. Details: www.whistlerblackcomb.com.

• The Mount Rainier National Park Education Program is offering two middle-school teacher workshops this summer.

The Living with a Volcano in Your Backyard — Mount Rainier workshop is July 22-25, and is designed for middle school teachers who teach about volcanoes, volcanic process, product, and hazards. Teachers will receive copies of the curriculum and additional resources to use with their students, and earn three quarter credits or 31-35 clock hours.

The Curriculum Review Workshop for Mount Rainier-Mount Fuji Sister Mountain is Aug. 7-8. Teachers can provide feedback on the draft materials developed to date for this international interdisciplinary middle school curriculum project. Teachers will receive copies of the draft materials to pilot test with your students for further feedback, and earn one quarter credit or 12 clock hours.

Advanced registration is required, and the deadline is July 1. Details: 360-569-6039 or email anne_doherty@nps.gov or www.nps.gov/mora/forteachers/professionaldevelopment.htm.

• The Lake Chelan National Recreation Area is celebrating its 40th Anniversary, and the Stehekin and Lake Chelan National Recreation Area are providing plenty of opportunities for family fun this summer.

Stehekin is accessible by foot, air, or passenger ferry. Hike down the Pacific Crest Trail from Highway 20 or over Cascade Pass and along the Stehekin River to arrive in Stehekin. The Lake Chelan Boat Company operates two boats (www.ladyofthelake.com) and Chelan Airways flies floatplanes (www.chelanairways.com).

Hikers of all ages and abilities can trek through nearly 400 miles of trails and more than 100 backcountry campsites accessible to hikers, boaters, and stock users are available. Details: 360-854-7245 or www.nps.gov/noca/planyourvisit.htm or www.stehekin.com.

• The North Cascades National Park Visitor Center, near the town of Newhalem, is open daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The center features exhibits, theater presentations, and is staffed by park rangers and volunteers. The center has access to the scenic Sterling Munro Overlook and a network of easy hiking trails such as the one-third-mile Rock Shelter Trail and the 1.8 mile River Loop Trail.

The Wilderness Information Center in Marblemount is open daily, and offers trip planning information and is the main location for backcountry users to obtain permits required for all overnight stays. Details: www.nps.gov/noca/planyourvisit/hiking.htm. Reservations for campgrounds can be made at www.recreation.gov.

• The Mount Rainier National Park Education Program is offering two middle-school teacher workshops this summer.

The Living with a Volcano in Your Backyard — Mount Rainier workshop is July 22-25, and is designed for middle school teachers who teach about volcanoes, volcanic process, product, and hazards. Teachers will receive copies of the curriculum and additional resources to use with their students, and earn three quarter credits or 31-35 clock hours.

The Curriculum Review Workshop for Mount Rainier-Mount Fuji Sister Mountain is Aug. 7-8. Teachers can provide feedback on the draft materials developed to date for this international interdisciplinary middle school curriculum project. Teachers will receive copies of the draft materials to pilot test with your students for further feedback, and earn one quarter credit or 12 clock hours.

Advanced registration is required, and the deadline is July 1. Details: 360-569-6039 or email anne_doherty@nps.gov or www.nps.gov/mora/forteachers/professionaldevelopment.htm.

• The Summit for Salmon climb of Mount Rainier is Aug. 22-25, and Save Our Wild Salmon is looking for participants that raises funds to help protect and restore healthy, sustainable wild salmon in the Columbia and Snake river basins. Experienced guides from Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. will lead the group. Details: 206-286-4455 or www.wildsalmon.org.

• The National Alpine Ski Camp is offering a summer snow camp for children and young adults of all ages at Mount Hood in Oregon.

The camp offers six- and 10-day sessions in the summer for children of all ages. There is also a masters program for those over age 20. Race training is the foundation for the camps, with an emphasis on free skiing and free skiing drills. Designated for intermediate and advanced skiers, campers must have basic ski skills to attend.

Ski training is conducted in the morning, followed by windsurfing, rock climbing, rafting, swimming, hiking, mountain biking and go-cart racing in the afternoon. Details: 800-453-6272CQ or www.skicamp.com.

• The Wilderness Awareness School in Duvall holds numerous outdoors events, including a monthly "Tracking Club," that meets in Sultan on the third Saturday of each month now through May from 9 a.m. to noon.

The program is open to naturalists, hunters and people curious about learning to identify, follow and understand stories written in tracks left by animals on the Skykomish River shoreline. Details: 425-788-1301 or www.wildernessawareness.org.

• The Washington Trails Association offers statewide trip reports and trail conditions. Details: www.wta.org.

• The Northwest Fly Anglers offers various public classes through the year. The public also is invited to club meetings on the third Thursday of each month, at the Haller Lake Community Center, 12579 Densmore Ave N., in North Seattle. Details: 206-684-7524.

• The Emerald Sea Dive Club offers year-round activities including the big buddy program and weekly and monthly dives. The club meets on the first Wednesday of every month, 7-9 p.m. at Alfy's Pizza, 4820 196th S.W. in Lynnwood. Details: 425-775-2410 or www.emeraldseadiveclub.org.

• The Seattle Audubon Society offers field trips and classes every month. Details: 206-523-4483 or www.seattleaudubon.org.

• Northend Bassmasters is accepting new members who want to learn more about bass fishing. The group meets on the first Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Crystal Creek Cafe, 22620 Bothell-Everett Highway (Canyon Park) in Bothell. Details: 206-789-4259 or e-mail Gary Millard at glmillard@comcast.net.

• The Gifford Pinchot National Forest is celebrating its 100th Anniversary by inviting the public to visit several forest offices July 1 to enjoy historic displays, tours, presentations, view historic photos from the forest over the past century.

The Mount Adams Ranger District in Trout Lake is hosting historic walking tours 2 p.m.-4 p.m. July 1 at the ranger station; the Cowlitz Valley Ranger District will have a centennial celebration 11 a.m.-2 p.m. July 1, including a barbecue lunch for the visiting public; and the Forest Headquarters, 10600 N.E. 51st Circle in Vancouver will have historic displays, photographs, commemorative items, and cupcakes on July 1. Details: 360-891-5007 or www.fs.fed.us/gpnf.

• TrailsFest is 9 a.m.-4 p.m. July 19 at Rattlesnake Lake near North Bend. This free event features clinics on everything from wilderness first aid to hiking with kids to backcountry cooking. Also take a guided hike, paddle a kayak, climb a rock wall or attend some informative clinics. The event will have dozens of exhibitors, including gear companies and outdoor groups. Details: www.wta.org.

• The Buoy 10 Salmon Challenge is Aug. 21-22 at the Lower Columbia River mouth. All activities will be held at Warrior Hall at Camp Rilea in Astoria. Derby is limited to 245 entrants. Cost is $270 for a team of three anglers. Details: 503-631-8859 or www.nsiafishing.org.

• State Fish and Wildlife is offering a women's workshop on fishing, hunting and outdoor skills with experts and other certified instructors Sept. 12-14 at Camp River Ranch in Carnation.

The workshop is coordinated by Washington Outdoor Women, a nonprofit program dedicated to teaching women outdoor skills and natural resource stewardship.

Classes offered are archery, basic fishing, fly-fishing and tying, canoeing, kayaking, preparing fish and shellfish, big-game hunting basics, map and compass reading, wilderness first aid, survival skills, wildlife identification, outdoor photography, and more.

Several state Fish and Wildlife staff members serve as volunteer instructors for the event, including biologists Laura Till and Shelly Ament who will teach "Map and Compass" and "Wildlife Identification" workshops, respectively. In all, 36 instructors will volunteer their time. Participants must be at least 18 years old and must have a current Washington recreational fishing license to participate in the fishing and fly-fishing sessions.

Cost is $225 includes the weekend's lodging, meals and use of all necessary equipment. A limited number of partial scholarships, provided by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, are available for first-time participants. Details: 425-455-1986 or www.washingtonoutdoorwomen.org.

• Mount Rainier National Park visitors can now ride a shuttle from Ashford, six miles from the park's Nisqually Entrance, to Longmire on weekends.

Shuttles will depart from Ashford every 30 minutes from 9:15 a.m. through 10:45 a.m., and every 75 minutes from noon to 5 p.m.

Although the shuttle itself is free, visitors will be required to pay the park entrance fee of $5 per person (no more than $15 per car load). Details: 360-569-2211, ext. 2301.

• The Goodell Creek Campground will be closed Wednesday through July 2 for paving projects. Access to the Goodell Creek raft launch and picnic shelter will be maintained, but restrooms will not be accessible.

The nearby Newhalem Creek Campground is open. Reservations are available. Details: www.recreation.gov.

The North Loop of the Colonial Creek Campground is also currently closed to accommodate paving projects, but could open as soon as June 23. After it reopens, the South Loop of the Colonial Creek Campground, the main parking area, and the boat launch will also experience temporary closures to accommodate paving projects the week of June 23. Details: www.nps.gov/noca/planyourvisit/car-camping.htm.

• If you thought skiing and snowboarding are over, then you might want to recheck your summer plans and head to Whistler-Blackcomb Resort where the Horstman Glacier is open, and the area is also doubling its terrain park features and upgrading to a Superpipe.

Grooming and parks crews have been building the summer Superpipe under the Glacier Express chair. The pipe wall will feature three to four medium jibs and will be groomed nightly. As the build-out continues, the bottom of Showcase T-bar will become jib central with six rails and boxes, varying in difficulty from small to large, and four medium-sized booters. Regular skiing and riding lanes will also be open to the public.

Access to the Horstman Glacier is at the base of Blackcomb Mountain via the Wizard Express and Solar Coaster to the Rendezvous. Guests will then take a shuttle bus to the 7th Heaven Express Chair, which will bring them to the top of the glacier. Lift access to the glacier is via Horstman and Showcase T-bars.

Horstman Hut will be open and offers patio BBQs and light refreshments. Chair upload from the valley is 10 a.m.-2 p.m. for sightseers and 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. for skiers and boarders. Glacier skiing is open from noon-3 p.m. and runs through July 27. Details: www.whistlerblackcomb.com.

• The Mount Rainier National Park Education Program is offering two middle-school teacher workshops this summer.

The Living with a Volcano in Your Backyard — Mount Rainier workshop is July 22-25, and is designed for middle school teachers who teach about volcanoes, volcanic process, product, and hazards. Teachers will receive copies of the curriculum and additional resources to use with their students, and earn three quarter credits or 31-35 clock hours.

The Curriculum Review Workshop for Mount Rainier-Mount Fuji Sister Mountain is Aug. 7-8. Teachers can provide feedback on the draft materials developed to date for this international interdisciplinary middle school curriculum project. Teachers will receive copies of the draft materials to pilot test with your students for further feedback, and earn one quarter credit or 12 clock hours.

Advanced registration is required, and the deadline is July 1. Details: 360-569-6039 or email anne_doherty@nps.gov or www.nps.gov/mora/forteachers/professionaldevelopment.htm.

• The Lake Chelan National Recreation Area is celebrating its 40th Anniversary, and the Stehekin and Lake Chelan National Recreation Area are providing plenty of opportunities for family fun this summer.

Stehekin is accessible by foot, air, or passenger ferry. Hike down the Pacific Crest Trail from Highway 20 or over Cascade Pass and along the Stehekin River to arrive in Stehekin. The Lake Chelan Boat Company operates two boats (www.ladyofthelake.com) and Chelan Airways flies floatplanes (www.chelanairways.com).

Hikers of all ages and abilities can trek through nearly 400 miles of trails and more than 100 backcountry campsites accessible to hikers, boaters, and stock users are available. Details: 360-854-7245 or www.nps.gov/noca/planyourvisit.htm or www.stehekin.com.

• The North Cascades National Park Visitor Center, near the town of Newhalem, is open daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The center features exhibits, theater presentations, and is staffed by park rangers and volunteers. The center has access to the scenic Sterling Munro Overlook and a network of easy hiking trails such as the 1/3 mile Rock Shelter Trail and the 1.8 mile River Loop Trail.

The Wilderness Information Center in Marblemount is open daily, and offers trip planning information and is the main location for backcountry users to obtain permits required for all overnight stays. Details: www.nps.gov/noca/planyourvisit/hiking.htm. Reservations for campgrounds can be made at www.recreation.gov.

• The Mount Rainier National Park Education Program is offering two middle-school teacher workshops this summer.

The Living with a Volcano in Your Backyard — Mount Rainier workshop is July 22-25, and is designed for middle school teachers who teach about volcanoes, volcanic process, product, and hazards. Teachers will receive copies of the curriculum and additional resources to use with their students, and earn three quarter credits or 31-35 clock hours.

The Curriculum Review Workshop for Mount Rainier-Mount Fuji Sister Mountain is Aug. 7-8. Teachers can provide feedback on the draft materials developed to date for this international interdisciplinary middle school curriculum project. Teachers will receive copies of the draft materials to pilot test with your students for further feedback, and earn one quarter credit or 12 clock hours.

Advanced registration is required, and the deadline is July 1. Details: 360-569-6039 or email anne_doherty@nps.gov or www.nps.gov/mora/forteachers/professionaldevelopment.htm.

• The Summit for Salmon climb of Mount Rainier is Aug. 22-25, and Save Our Wild Salmon is looking for participants that raises funds to help protect and restore healthy, sustainable wild salmon in the Columbia and Snake river basins. Experienced guides from Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. will lead the group. Details: 206-286-4455 or www.wildsalmon.org.

• The National Alpine Ski Camp is offering a summer snow camp for children and young adults of all ages at Mount Hood in Oregon.

The camp offers six- and ten-day sessions in the summer for children of all ages. There is also a masters program for those over age 20. Race training is the foundation for the camps, with an emphasis on free skiing and free skiing drills. Designated for intermediate and advanced skiers, campers must have basic ski skills to attend.

Ski training is conducted in the morning, followed by windsurfing, rock climbing, rafting, swimming, hiking, mountain biking and go-cart racing in the afternoon. Details: 800-453-6272 or www.skicamp.com.

• The Wilderness Awareness School in Duvall holds numerous outdoors events, including a monthly "Tracking Club," that meets in Sultan on the third Saturday of each month now through May from 9 a.m. to noon.

The program is open to naturalists, hunters and people curious about learning to identify, follow and understand stories written in tracks left by animals on the Skykomish River shoreline. Details: 425-788-1301 or www.wildernessawareness.org.

• The Washington Trails Association offers statewide trip reports and trail conditions. Details: www.wta.org.

• The Northwest Fly Anglers offers various public classes through the year. The public also is invited to club meetings on the third Thursday of each month, at the Haller Lake Community Center, 12579 Densmore Ave N., in North Seattle. Details: 206-684-7524.

• The Emerald Sea Dive Club offers year-round activities including the big buddy program and weekly and monthly dives. The club meets on the first Wednesday of every month, 7-9 p.m. at Alfy's Pizza, 4820 196th S.W. in Lynnwood. Details: 425-775-2410 or www.emeraldseadiveclub.org.

• The Seattle Audubon Society offers field trips and classes every month. Details: 206-523-4483 or www.seattleaudubon.org.

• Northend Bassmasters is accepting new members who want to learn more about bass fishing. The group meets on the first Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Crystal Creek Cafe, 22620 Bothell-Everett Highway (Canyon Park) in Bothell. Details: 206-789-4259 or e-mail Gary Millard at glmillard@comcast.net.

Mark Yuasa: 206-464-8780 or myuasa@seattletimes.com