Tag Archives: Winter

Snowshoe hare and lynx population cycles

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Snowshoe hare, winter molt, white fur, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska.

Hey Folks,

Here’s a REAL snowshoe hare photo, taken on my recent sojourn to the northern side of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. I was very surprised at how little sign of snowshoe hares there was in this area – negligible. Everywhere else, it seems, the woods are crawling with them. This is at, or close to, the peak of the cycle for snowshoe hares; a 10 year population fluctuation that seems to be pretty consistent.

Sometimes the cycle might be 9 years, or 11, but it’s not usually far off. The population rises steadily, then faster, peaks, and falls drastically,  almost completely, in a single year. Ecologists aren’t sure as to what causes the drop in numbers, Continue reading →

Caribou feeding in winter snow

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A caribou cow digging under snow for food, feeding on lichens and grasses, in winter, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska.

Hey Folks,

Normally I wouldn’t post a photo of an animal with its head buried under the snow. But, for caribou, this is winter life. Caribou feed on lichens and grasses, and those lie buried, often deep beneath snow’s crust for the long winter months.

Caribou have a few options to eke out their winter, and a heavy snow pack in the winter can be a tough gig for them; finding food is a mission and avoiding predators, namely, the wolf, an equally difficult, if not critical, task. So they’ll typically seek high ground, Continue reading →

Cold Feet

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Hiker, barefoot, in winter, frozen lake, Mt. Sanford, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska.

Hey Folks,

Life has a way, all too often, of providing us with little (or large) lessons on what we need to work on. Communication is something that all of us frequently do poorly, and here’s a good example of that, and how it can mess up your day. I’m usually pretty good about seeking advice from those who know better than me (my father will disagree, I’m sure). So when I first came to AK, I asked my good and trusted friend Ron Niebrugge for some advice. Continue reading →

Test

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Lynx trap set, compact disc hanging from branch, winter, Wrangell St. Elias National park, Alaska.

Hey Folks,

OK, here’s a test; What’s going on in this photo? This is a boreal spruce forest setting, winter, and there’s some flagging hanging from the branches, and a Compact Disc is hanging in between the flagging. In the middle of the woods, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska. Anyone?

Here’s a closer look.

Lynx trap set, compact disc hanging from branch, winter, Wrangell St. Elias National park, Alaska.

Cheers

Carl

Sunset over Kennicott River

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Sunset over Kennicott River, Wrangell-St. Elias, winter, Alaska.

Hey Folks,

A sunset over the Kennicott River. This photo was taken probably  less than 100 yards from the shaq. The day had been cloudy and not too promising, and as I was returning from a ski down the river, the clouds started to break up. So I motored on home, grabbed my camera and headed back over to this spot for the photo.

This is right at the edge of the boreal forest and open riverbed, making a nice blend for the view.

The mountains to the south are the eastern end of the Chugach Mountains.

Winter is simply another world in the park – way too cool.

Cheers

Carl

Black-capped Chickadee Photo

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Black-capped Chickadee, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska.

Hey folks,

Here’s a Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus), year-round Alaska resident, perched on a small spruce tree. There’s not a lot of birds in the great north woods this time of year, so it’s always a treat when they stop by. I’ll try to get a photo of his close cousin, the Boreal Chickadee – so far, no luck.

Cheers

Carl

Mt Porphyry, Wrangell-St. Elias, winter

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Mt. Porphyry at sunset, wintertime, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska.

Hey Folks,

This photo was taken from the Kennicott River. The mountain is Mt. Porphyry, the backdrop for the small town of McCarthy in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. This cold winter afternoon I skied up the river, waited for sunset, and shot images of the snow covered boulders in the riverbed, as the mountain wrapped itself in the evening alpenglow. The peak creeping into the frame on the right, behind Porphyry, is Sourdough Peak. Soon after this photo was taken, the light faded and I skied back to the shack, stoked up the fire and enjoyed a tasty pasta supper. A nice end to a simple day.

Cheers

Carl

Winter in Black and white

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Black and white photo of a mountain, snow-capped, in winter, Crystalline Hills, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska.

Hey Folks,

Here’s another unnamed mountain in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. I skied up the Lakina River a ways to take this photo. I’m looking forward to skiing further up the river and exploring the drainage a bit more – it’s a great place to look around, and doesn’t get too many folks visiting – particularly in the winter. There wasn’t even a snow machine trail up here, which in Wrangell St. Elias National Park in the winter is pretty rare. Continue reading →

People at the Iditarod and Aerial Predator Control

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Lady wearing wolf skin, Iditarod start, Anchorage, Alaska.
Hey Folks,

One of the crazier things at the start of the Iditarod is the costumes and outfits some people go for. I am posting these 3 images not because they were the craziest of the outfits but because all 3 people, later in the day whilst walking through the park, were apparently fired upon by Alaska Fish and Game Board predator-control snipers in passing airplanes.

Lady wearing fur coat, Iditarod start, Anchorage, Alaska. Man in sled dog costume, Iditarod start, Anchorage, Alaska.

No casualties recorded.

Cheers

Carl