Maya's view of the salmon going through the fish ladder at the Ballard Locks

Maya's view of the salmon going through the fish ladder at the Ballard Locks
Originally uploaded by emaggie.

For even the most seasoned old schooler, this time of year can be inspiringly bountiful. Plus there's apparently a good run of salmon heading on through this year. But even in a bad year, there's often no more amazing place in Seattle than the public viewing area at the fish ladder along the Hiram Chittenden Locks. A definite A-rating, if you time it right.