nature

Animal Tracks in Winter

/ Mark Danenhauer
rabbit tracks winter 2

Rabbit tracks

Sometimes during winter in the Rocky Mountains it feels as if the world is simply asleep while everything is coated in a blanket of white snow.  Many animals, including me, are either not active are are less active.  However, there are still some animals in the Rockies that are active and search for food during winter.

Any time you are out in nature you may not see many animals around, but you know they are out there.  You know this either because you can hear them or because you are able to see evidence of them in the landscape, such as tracks or scat. Continue reading →

Which Trout are Native to the Rockies?

/ Mark Danenhauer

Anyone that has spent time in or around the Rocky Mountains has probably seen fish in the streams, rivers, lakes, and ponds.  Some of you have probably even tried fishing for them at some point.  Well, a lot of those fish are trout.

fish brown trout photo

Brown Trout – Not native

Fishermen love trout because they are challenging to catch and they put up a good fight if you actually have one on the line.

But, did you know that a lot of those trout in the water in the Rockies are not actually from the Rockies?  There are many different kinds of trout that live in the Rockies and most of them were originally put there by people. Continue reading →

What Happens to Mosquitoes in Winter?

/ Mark Danenhauer

I love running around the Rocky Mountains, jumping over logs, chasing squirrels, and drinking out of a mountain stream or just sitting in one to cool off on a hot day.  In a lot of ways it feels like paradise since it is so much fun.

bugs mosquitoe sucking blood

Unfortunately, there are a few things that can make a day in the Rocky Mountains a little bit less than perfect.  The weather could suddenly turn bad with rain, thunder, or even snow.  Or there could be biting flies around or even tons of mosquitoes.  Anytime in the summer that you go up to the mountains you are risking running into these problems.  But, in the winter, you don’t have to worry about the bugs and mosquitoes. Continue reading →

How do Birds Stay Warm in Winter?

/ Mark Danenhauer

It is cold outside during winter in the Rocky Mountains and before my owner takes me outside for a walk he always grabs a nice, warm coat.  That coat keeps him warm during the cold temperatures. Luckily for me I don’t need to put on a coat since I am already wearing a nice coat of fur.

I wonder how other animals stay warm during winter?  What about  birds?  I know that in the fall there are a lot of birds that go south for winter – so their strategy to stay warm is to migrate.  But, not all birds migrate.  How do those birds that stay in the Rocky Mountains during winter stay warm?  Here is a fun nature fact for you. Continue reading →

What is the Rock Cycle?

/ Mark Danenhauer

At their core the Rocky Mountains are made up of rocks.  The very name of the Rocky Mountains tells you how important rocks are to the area.  If you go for exploring, you will always come across rocks of some kind.

Think of the cliff faces, big boulders, and the many rocks along rivers.  They are everywhere and it seems that rocks are these super solid objects.  But, as difficult as it may be to believe, rocks are actually always changing. Continue reading →

Get Your Kids Outside!

/ Mark Danenhauer

This blog of mine is all about helping children and parents have fun in the Rocky Mountains.  I have been explaining all kinds of interesting things about the natural world in the Rocky Mountains because I think it is important for people and especially children to have a better appreciation and wonder of the world around them.

Remember though that all this information you can read about should not serve as a replacement for actually spending time outdoors.  Parents can read or talk to your children about mammals, about the difference between a bird nest and bird roost, or common fish of the Rockies.  But, nothing, yes absolutely nothing, can replace spending time outdoors exploring with your child. Continue reading →

Where are the Fish in Winter?

/ Mark Danenhauer
seasons rocky mtns winter pano 2

Snow covered Rocky Mountains in winter

Last week I went for a walk in the Rocky Mountains on a snowy trail that wandered through some evergreen trees and ended up at an ice covered lake.  The ice was thick enough for me to run on, although it was hard because every time I tried to slow down or turn I slipped and fell down.

The funny thing is, I remember hiking to that same lake in the Rockies during the summer and watching my owner catch fish.  He must have caught ten trout in that lake and a couple more in the stream that leaves the lake on the way up the valley.  But, now I see nothing except ice and snow.

It makes me wonder where are all of the fish?  Here comes another fun nature fact. Continue reading →

Do Any Animals Have Babies in Winter?

/ Mark Danenhauer

As we have talked about before all animals main goal is life is to survive, which includes having babies.  This means that animals have their babies at the time of year that gives them the best chance of surviving.

For the majority of animals that means timing it so that they have their babies when the there is the greatest abundance of food resources – meaning the springtime.  When we think of spring time we think of new plants growing and babies – baby birds in nests, baby coyotes and wolves…and baby bears emerging from their dens (?) Continue reading →