Columbia Springs

Today we visited a hatchery right off of the Columbia River.  First was a class where everyone learned all the parts of a fish, inside and out.  That knowledge was immediately put to use when everyone got a tiny little steelhead (3 months old) in a cup to draw, trying to get every part in the right place!  Next we went on a gorgeous hike through the forest, split up into groups.  Each group had a clipboard and instructions to mark down everything they saw, whether plant, animal, or evidence thereof (Elora found a tooth.) because each thing there was a part of the ecosystem for the fish.  After hiking for about a half hour, we came to an observation platform and everyone, after stating their most interesting discovery, was given a handful of food to throw to the trout.  Everyone was extremely excited as rainbow trout eagerly came to the surface, gobbling up their snack.  It was so much fun, the girls want to take Joel back, if only for the hike.