Long time ’til spring

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The icicles in Buffalo Bill canyon (1)

About two miles beyond the gate that closes an old logging road that runs through the canyon, the canyon sides narrow and on the west side is an area of cliffs some two hundred feet high. Among the breaks in the cliffs are small seeps of water, hardly noticeable is summer, that form some interesting displays of icicles in winter. Just follow the Cougar tracks, and the hike up the road is quite a pleasant one. (If the current weather forecast is correct, the next trip up the road this winter will have to be on snowshoes.)

The next post or two will include some photos of the icicle displays; Nature’s artwork.

Going my way?

It is said that a man is known by the company he keeps. Judging by the newer prints visible in my tracks of 5 days ago, I’m doing just fine. The snow lets one understand who his trail companions are.

For a little perspective on the size of the wolf’s footprint, the distance from the rear sight of the pistol to the tip of the barrel is 6.25 inches.

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Test drive…er, walk.

What better way to start the break-in of new hiking boots than 6 miles in the back country in the snow, reading the stories left there during the night about the life-dramas of the wild things!

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Just an old logging road on the ridges above Smiley Creek. The writers? A bobcat, a family of coyotes, snowshoe rabbits and grouse.

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Munson Creek, April 9

It was a surprise last week to find that it’s already possible to hike most of the Munson Creek trail, although there are still some stretches that are still covered with snow as this stretch is.

Tracks and scat show that the trail is quite actively used already by deer, elk, moose and at least one wolf that left this track (for size reference, the distance from the rear sight on the pistol to the tip of the barrel is six inches).

In another week the Trilliums should be in bloom, but for now, color is still provided by the moss along the stream.

Multiple use

The deep imprint roughly in the center is from a White-tail deer, the tracks near the top are from Coyotes, a Bobcat made the very clear print to the right, and the lines were made by a Beaver last night dragging willow branches down to the water. I think this is called “multiple use”.