Highland Mary Lakes, July 4th weekend

[ilanarama]

Here, as promised, is the trip report from our long weekend of backpacking, with about a dozen pictures. Ok, it's not actually here, it's on my website, so here's a little thumbnail to tempt you to go look:

Comments

[bowdlerized.livejournal.com]

What precisely is involved in a ptarmigan attack? And did you know that ptarmigans have feathers on their feet?

I'm really enjoying saying the word "ptarmigan."

[ilanarama.livejournal.com]

A ptarmigan attack consists of said ptarmigan fluffing up her feathers and running at you. It's sort of scary!

Here is a picture of the ptarmigan, although this is post-attack when she was back to being unfluffed (we were sufficiently away from her chicks) but still a little wary.

[laurelwood.livejournal.com]

Ptarmigan stuffed with their own eggs, wrapped in straw and cooked underground were Creb's favorite! (Sorry. I think I read Clan of the Cave Bear a few too many times in my youth; this is what I always think of when I see the word "ptarmigan".)

[venivincere]

Oh my heavens that looks absolutely lovely! I'll have to show my son the pictures -- he's fascinated that there can be snow in July.

[ilanarama.livejournal.com]

We always make a point to throw snowballs at least once a summer.

And we even got snowed on on the 4th of July! It was not really a snowstorm as much as it was a little flurry, and to be honest we were happy it was snow rather than rain.

Strange things happen at 12,500 feet!

different continent, similar fauna

[eejitalmuppet.livejournal.com]

Nice report!

I took some (not very good) pictures of ptarmigan on my recent trip to Scotland. Although one of them had young, it showed no inclination towards violence (actually, the male tried to act as a decoy, while the female furtively led the wee one in another direction). Also, I only had to climb to about 2700 feet to see them. :)

Re: different continent, similar fauna

[ilanarama.livejournal.com]

Huh. We were in Alaska and a friend of ours disturbed a ptarmigan with similar results to ours. Maybe the ptarmigan over there drink whisky and are more, um, unflappable.

Re: different continent, similar fauna

[eejitalmuppet.livejournal.com]

Some possibilities occur:

• The mountain on which I saw the ptarmigan sees a fair amount of human traffic, so the birds could be a little more used to inquisitive and/or unobservant primates.
  
• Perhaps the lower altitude means an earlier mating season here: if the chick is old enough to run away, FerociousPtarmiganAssault(tm) need not be invoked...
  
• It may be a case of two species, same name. From the photo in one of your other responses, it's hard to tell (nice pic, btw): her markings are slightly different, but some regional variation is normal. I'll post a substandard photo of my own later, so you can compare...
  

[laurelwood.livejournal.com]

What a great trip. The spouse and I stared longingly at all the gorgeous vistas and asked each other, "WHY did we have kids again?"

[ilanarama.livejournal.com]

So that when you go hiking with them you can say, "See? See?" and they will grow up and vote for preserving wilderness and funding the Park Service and not cutting down trees?

Wow

[myschka.livejournal.com]

Stunning photos! Sounds like a great trip.

Re: Wow

[ilanarama.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

2 "x"

[myschka.livejournal.com]

Just a note that two pics are not displaying - thought I'd let you know, since I want to see them. You cannot be seven years older than me!!!! Now that gives me hope.

Re: 2 "x"

[ilanarama.livejournal.com]

There, all fixied. Sorry about that - I didn't notice because the page was referring my local copies instead of the web copies.

And did I say I was seven years older than you? I meant seven years younger. Which is not too far away.

Re: 2 "x"

[myschka.livejournal.com]

There, all fixied.
Thanks - much appreciatied.

And did I say I was seven years older than you? I meant seven years younger. Which is not too far away.

Aha...Well, so much better for you, then!