The old hatchery below Iron Gate Dam was quiet, as was the river bank that was once crowded with anglers. With no dam to gather migrating fish at the end of their curtailed journey, fish-catching here ain’t what it used to be. For a species that has been on Earth for roughly 15 million years, does a fish even pause at this former dam-site—a temporary blockage that lasted six decades?

The old Iron Gate Dam Spillway

Reservoir mud was evident in beaches for the next 47-miles, from Iron Gate to the Scott River. We languished on a slow river beneath mountainsides of burn, most recently torched by the McKinney Fire of 2022. Salvation was found on the shady porch of Quigley’s Market, purveyor of deli sandwiches and ice cream.

When the Scott River entered, the Klamath burst to life with new energy. Flow was greater. Water was colder. Rapids were more frequent. The burn, too, was behind us. Rich forests of oak, pine, laurel, madrone, and Douglas fir cast alluring depths beyond the water. A chubby black bear gave a quizzical gaze before loping deeper into the woods.

Happy Camp, California, offers the best re-supply point along the Klamath. Seth and I staggered through 103-degree heat to reach Ray’s Market. Even the Karuk-Squatch that stood sentinel at the edge of town seemed irritated by the oppressive warmth.

The heat wave helped generate thunderstorms over the Klamath Mountain maze. The river ran along the very cusp of the cloud complex, so that sunshine remained while plump raindrops showered onto the water like liquid glass, shining in silvery threads against the dark backdrop of forest.