Up at altitude for fall
Last weekend I had the pleasure of being up at 12K feet above sea level at Weston Pass, near Leadville (the 2 mile high “city”). I cannot describe how amazing are the feelings from fresh fall mornings and cool evenings in Colorado’s mountains, but trust me, get out there if you can. (Perhaps another day I’ll try.)
As well as a lot of hiking below timberline, seeing elk sign but minimal (seemingly they’d been passing through), I did a lot of glassing up higher. From one afternoon/evening’s vantage point I had the pleasure of watching a beaver go about it’s work. Despite being a hundred yards from water, I paid for this pleasure with scads of mosquito bites, but the watching was worth it. I watched a herd of 20 elk hustle over a mountain top (I wasn’t sure where they came from or where they went) obviously pushed by something that spooked them. Clearly the elk were high, so I kept moving me (and my camp) higher.
Next morning, with temperatures barely above freezing after a clear night (no mountain-top lightening storm like the night before) the elk were still happily above timberline. I guess 90lbs of coat does it’s job. Up with the marmot and bluebirds they have little to fear (but perhaps that lightening) and can avoid the bugs and the midday heat. The feed in herds on the open mountain tops.
The first herd I saw was spread over the mountain (on the south side of the valley), but (in part due to my presence) they’d grouped up and disappeared over the mountain top by 6a.m. Three bull were happily grazing in scrub bushes, as separately were two spike, but they soon joined the main herd to depart. This herd was 40-50 elk strong.
The second herd (on the north of the valley) were far more relaxed, for no discernible good reason. This herd was closer to 15 elk and was tucked up against the mountain in a thicket of scrub. One young spike was so enthusiastic I started to worry he’d gotten caught in something; he looked like a bucking bronco. He attracted a female, and subsequently the main bull, but instead of getting his butt kicked by the boss, it seemed like he was tolerated as just a nutty child. This bull emit some awesome bugling, early in the year but wonderfully eerie.
Coyote greeted the day with a series of calls around the valley, and quickly the rising sun turned morning into the full light of day. It was a privilege to observe this scene, to almost feel part of it. Quite fleeting, but a good memory.