This is the ninth in a series of posts sharing photos from a 21-day road trip I did with my older brother in June.
The two days we had in Rocky Mountain National Park were amazing. Spending time in that alpine environment and drinking in the rugged mountain views was a real treat. As a wildlife photographer, I particularly enjoyed seeing elk, moose, yellow-bellied marmots and the tiniest of animals I photographed on this trip, the pika.
The pika is a small mammal that lives in high-elevation mountain environments. It’s mouse-like in appearance and movement but doesn’t have a tail. It’s larger than a mouse and has a thick fur coat to keep it warm in the bitter cold of the tundra. Pikas are sometimes compared to rabbits and are known as the whistling hare for the high-pitched warning call they emit when a predator is about.
We saw pikas at the parking area and along the trail at the Rock Cut overlook. The parking area includes roadside spots for eastbound traffic. There’s a view to the west overlooking boulder-strewn rubble piles angling downslope to a tundra grassland. Yellow-bellied marmots and pikas call this area, home.
The marmots are quite a bit larger and easier to spot trundling across the tundra or sunning themselves on the rocks. Pikas often hang out in the nooks and shadows amidst the rocks but do occasionally venture out to search for food. If you spot one, don’t take your eye off it. They’re quick and can cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time.
Here, are a few last photos from our time in spectacular Rocky Mountain National Park.
A Rocky Mountain pika stands watch for predators on the surrounding tundra.
A Rocky Mountain pika pauses during its morning rounds of gathering food & supplies to soak up some morning sun.
A bull moose strolls through the Sheep Lakes area of Fall River valley during its morning graze in Rocky Mountain National Park.
A Rocky Mountain bull moose gnoshes on leaves during a midafternoon grazing session.
A bighorn ewe makes her way along the edge of a small pond in the Sheep Lakes area of Fall River valley of Rocky Mountain National Park.
Rocky Mountain bull elk.
Yellow-bellied marmot.
