A talus slope in fall colors
A talus slope is a steep slope of rocky rubble high in the mountains. Pika make their homes within the crevices of talus slopes. I stopped here because I heard the alarm call of a pika, and in a few minutes I spotted it, sitting on a flat stone in the sun. Then this scene began to grow on me, not only for the colors, but also because East Beckwith Mountain (12,441 feet) in the distance had numerous talus slopes, undoubtedly populated by plka.
A pika is a small mammal with a round body, short ears, and no tail. They look like ground squirrels until they run--their gait reveals their close relationship with rabbits. They do not hibernate, but are active within the crevices of the talus when the snow, piled several feet deep, provides a thermal barrier to the deadly cold and withering winds outside.
A talus slope in fall colors
A talus slope is a steep slope of rocky rubble high in the mountains. Pika make their homes within the crevices of talus slopes. I stopped here because I heard the alarm call of a pika, and in a few minutes I spotted it, sitting on a flat stone in the sun. Then this scene began to grow on me, not only for the colors, but also because East Beckwith Mountain (12,441 feet) in the distance had numerous talus slopes, undoubtedly populated by plka.
A pika is a small mammal with a round body, short ears, and no tail. They look like ground squirrels until they run--their gait reveals their close relationship with rabbits. They do not hibernate, but are active within the crevices of the talus when the snow, piled several feet deep, provides a thermal barrier to the deadly cold and withering winds outside.