SummitPost.org

I have been to the Wind Rivers in Wyoming twice and I have seen a grizzly twice. Those suckers are big, and I was glad both times when they lumbered off into the trees.

A few weeks ago I was mountain biking and I heard a loud crack and thought I saw a deer running through the trees. On closer inspection it was actually a bear with a golden brown fur...apparently black bears can have that color. It stopped on the trail behind me and stared at me for a few seconds (I was secretly hoping it would go away) before it decided it didn't like the looks of me and ran off.

I've seen rattlers on approaches to canyons and some other flavor of snakes. Lots of weird lizards and scorpions. I see bambies and thumpers just about every time I hit the trails. I've seen huge herds of elk beneath Timpanogos and came face to face with a momma moose in the Wasatch. I almost crapped my pants in that moment before she turned and lumbered off. Whoever mentioned the grouse before wasn't kidding. Those things are brave as you please if you startle them. They get all puffed up and charge you, flapping their wings and squawking.

I'm sure I'm forgetting others like badger and marmots, but those aren't as memorable.

10/10 on lots of great animal sightings and pictures!

My most recent sighting was a bobcat in Sunol Wilderness last month- the fourth one I've ever seen since I started hiking in the early 70's. My camera wasn't ready, so the pictures I took sucked, but here's a slightly better one from a sighting in the late 80's in Henry Coe Park:


My picture archives are pretty disorganized, but here's a few more that I found:

How many grouse can you spot in this picture? (Hint: there are 5)


An unhappy mamma bear in Paradise Valley, Kings Canyon NP:


Part of a herd of wild horses that I used to see nearly every weekend on Rockhouse Ridge in Coe Park:


A coyote near Glacier Point in Yosemite:


This creature was rather unhappy that we'd ignored the "No Trespassing" signs on the summit of Mount Allison:

Here are some pics from recent climbs in Glacier NP. I've been encountering a lot of grizzlies this season. If things keep up this could be my best grizzly year yet.

A lonely mountain goat. He hung out with me for around an hour on the summit, then followed me part way down the mountain. He seemed like he needed a friend.


_DSC0214 by jkmnomads, on Flickr

This is a sow grizzly I've known for a few years. When I saw her last Oct. she had two cubs. She only had one when I saw her this spring. Life is tough for a baby griz.


Don't claw me, Bear. by jkmnomads, on Flickr

Saw this beautiful Bighorn ram on my last ski trip into the park.


_DSC0545 by jkmnomads, on Flickr

This is the same sow as above with her remaining cub.


Grazing Grizzlies by jkmnomads, on Flickr

These guys were nice enough to pose for me on a climb in the Many Glacier area.


_DSC0039 by jkmnomads, on Flickr

I've been trying to get some sublime bear shots lately. I think I succeeded with this young griz.


_DSC0135 by jkmnomads, on Flickr

I hope that wasn't too many pics. I have a hard time picking just a few.

This is the first porcupine I have ever seen in the wilds!!

This was coming down from SPS peak Granite Chief in the Lake Tahoe area a few weeks ago.

Last month I stumbled upon some fearsome Tasmanian Wallabies committing unspeakable acts.


dinner time by radson1, on Flickr

Godzilla Junior ...





[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBIyxnpStRw[/youtube]

Any idea what type of climbing gear I need to hike Bora Peak in idaho?

I saw a porcupine yesterday (north-central Pennsylvania). I've seen very few during all the years of my outdoor rambles.

This was cool... I ran into a couple of bucks this morning... in the Lone Peak cirque (about 10,200 feet) heading up to the summit. I have never seen deer that high before up there on the routine ascents of Lone Peak. I've seen plenty of mtn goats, but not deer this high up there. With all the smoke inundating northern Utah from all the blazing fires around, seeing these animals made up for it.

Found this beautiful creature on the trail yesterday:

A very hot day for a hike, it was coiled and semi hidden in the early morning shadows. I didn't see it until I was within about 2 feet of it. I looked down just as it was rearing its head back for a strike. My next step would have been within inches of it, but I did a sort of combination of a broad jump, twirl and a 'jitterbug' to move away at the last second. (Not very graceful, I admit. ) It immediately turned away and began crawling toward a large opening in the ground above the trail- obviously quite terrified. It appeared to have just eaten (note the plumpness in the middle portion of its body) and was probably out of venom, so I was likely not in any real danger.

As usual it didn't rattle upon my approach. Kind of frustrating- I'll happily avoid them if they would only rattle. However, I learned recently that rattlesnakes often avoid using their rattle when in areas frequented by humans because humans have been known to kill them upon sight. They seem to feel safer by staying quiet and hoping that their worst enemy (humans) will pass by without detecting them. (D'oh!)

Up (magic johnson wanted to check it

Bison in Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, OK ...


Fox (Gray?) in Big Bend National Park, TX ...


Barbary Sheep, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, NM ...


Deer, Blanca Peak, CO ...


Moose, Gunnison National Forest, CO ...

wild boar. I stayed silent and watched it passing in front of me

deer, snakes, woodpeckers, squirrels, frogs, mountain goats and so on.