Spotting Winter Wildlife

By Jamie Kujawa

Although some of Colorado’s major wildlife packs it in for the winter, there is still adequate wildlife available throughout the Vail valley. The major winter species in Colorado are elk, marmots, squirrels, snowshoe hares, fox, eagles, and the endangered, yet viewable, Canada lynx.

Anne Stevenson, of the Gore Range Natural Science School (GRNSS), encourages people wanting to see some Colorado critters to begin right at the ski resort by looking for footprints in the snow. Although much of the wildlife is nocturnal, she has still seen the occasional weasel while skiing. Also, there is a “whole underground world of wildlife,” says Stevenson. Weasels and mice have systems of tunnels underneath the snow pack to keep themselves warm and safe all season.

The best chances for seeing some of the area’s wildlife is to take part in one of the many awesome programs of GRNSS. If you’re looking for elk, Stevenson recommends heading down valley a bit towards Eagle and Brush Creek, as elk are seasonal migrators. Elk can be seen in the springtime on south facing lower slopes, namely Lionshead rock in Minturn. Eagles mainly habitat by the Colorado River, but can be spotted flying up and down the Eagle River as well.

Websites to check out:
Colorado Department of Natural Resources: www.wildlife.state.co.us
Gore Range Natural Science www.gorerange.org