This place is known for having the "best water on Earth".
Here we have the west’s largest spring-fed river system, the most snow ever recorded falling on earth in a single storm, and California’s largest underground natural aquifers of pristine water. The vital waters here pass from snow packs into underground lava tubes, where they are filtered and travel fifty years or more before emerging to the surface, fresh and cold from springs. These headwaters feed into one of Earth’s fifteen largest aquifer systems - the Central Valley of California, which provides North America 25-50% of all its fruits and vegetables. And Medicine Lake, with natural aquifers that equal the combined volume of California’s 200 largest built surface-reservoirs, was last year designated as the Sáttítla Highlands National Monument.
The waters here are known for their creative liveliness, (the seed of creation say the original people; a lively, “crystalline inspiration” says Masaru Emoto), and flow down the slopes of Mt Shasta, through the Sacrament(o) River Valley, and out to the Pacific Ocean through the San Francisco Bay, seeding the human creativity there. (More at Sisson Museum’s video series on water.)
The original people called today’s Dunsmuir, “the place of strong waters”.
For thousands of years this place has attracted people. And as soon as trains could get here, in the late 1800’s, people began to come from the San Francisco Bay on the Wonderland Express, to “take the healing waters”.
In 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant commissioned the creation of Baird Station, the nation’s first fishery, to be built here on the McCloud River where the cold headwaters grow big, vigorous fish. The salmon were sent by train and ship to 37 states and 14 countries with hopes they would flourish and thrive in those places too. But today those wild Chinook salmon from the McCloud River only live in New Zealand where the glacial waters are similar, while our remaining California salmon are moving toward extinction, dammed from getting back up to their headwaters. The Winnemem Wintu, the original people here have been guardians to the wild salmon - supporting the salmon’s critical work to clean our rivers, and churn the gravel beds to replenish the aquifers - for thousands of years. We now collaborate and support their lead in working to bring back wild salmon eggs from New Zealand, to build a swim-way for fish around the Shasta Dam, and to restore the habitat conditions in northern California for the survival of this “keystone species”.
Chief Caleen Sisk says, “As go the salmon, so go we.”
The source waters of this place require all of us living, or visiting, here to become water protectors in some way.
The Little Castle Creek in our Valley here at Jubilee Railroad Wilderness Lodge, provides us fresh spring water for drinking. It emerges pristine and cold from springs on the land before it feeds into the Sacramento River. While you are here we encourage you to say a blessing into these waters - some words of care that all who experience this water, or eat the foods that grow from this water, might feel their goodness.
We have a non-profit Sacred Waters fund, which contributes to the work of supporting water protectors, and we welcome gifts of participation and financial resources.
Sign up through social media, (links below), to see onsite events and activities and ways to get involved.
In addition, consider purchasing a pay-it-forward Dining Car meal for a water protector, and/or our Magic Market sells art by Winnemem Wintu artist, Michael Preston, and all proceeds are used to support water protectors.
We Are All Sacred (2001), by Nom Ti Pom Wintu artist Frank LaPena
Art by Michael Preston