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Monday, February 23, 2015

Snow Play Day

Today was snow play day. Off-trail, the snow was deep. Shyla porpoised through it.
Her face was perpetually covered in snow.
But it didn't seem to bother her much. She scented for animals as if she wasn't covered in snow. I think that, in the next photo, she had caught the scent of the moose that we would see soon thereafter.
As I tried to ride my snow bike, flailing around like a rookie, Shyla ran with power and grace.
At three years old, she is at her prime, and she reminded me of that fact repeatedly today. She was like a perpetual motion machine, not slowed by the deep powder just off to the sides of our trails.
But she stopped occasionally, when I asked her to. The winter world was gloriously beautiful so I asked her to stand in K's spot, atop a boulder with the mountains barely visible behind her.
After our play, we got down to the business of packing down some more trail with my snow bike. Shyla stayed nearby, thank goodness, because we spotted a mother moose and calf pair.

When we first saw them, they were running very fast through the deep snow from a lower meadow up to the one where we were. They crossed our trail about 50 yards ahead of us and continued up the hill at an incredible speed considering the slope and the snow conditions.
I feel fortunate that Shyla has zero interest in going near them. She stayed right next to me as we watched them climb the hill and then disappear over a small ridge. I suspect that someone in the lower meadow had scared them, sending them sprinting up the hill.
It seems that having moose in our neck of the woods is becoming the new normal. Based on the tracks I've seen, they've been in the midst of our trail system almost every day since I was charged by a different mother moose.

Intriguingly, as the locals are learning how to live with almost daily moose encounters in the forest, an article about the moose population explosion in our state came out today. The astronomical increase in moose activity in our "backyard" is happening all over the Front Range.

Let's hope that the moose, the people, and their dogs reach an equilibrium so that no one gets hurt.

28 comments:

  1. i do hope everyone stays safe. love your shyla!

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  2. Good thing she has good moose manners!

    Your Pals,

    MURPHY AND STANLEY

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  3. Shyla is just so cute all covered in snow! It makes me smile! I love the moose photos, too!

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  4. We hope the moose and the people can learn to live peacefully in the same area.

    Shyla must have some sibe in her that way she loves that snow.

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  5. Do you ever think what would Shyla be now if some one else had got her as a first dog, fearful of dogs, people, town life? She is so lucky to have you, the Runner and Prince Arrr!

    No, I don't know what made me think of that, just her plowing gracefully through the snow and letting the moose be!

    Jo, Stella and Zkhat

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  6. Oh that's too exciting! Blueberry would have chased after them. Moving targets are the most fun. Glad Shyla has no interest in running them down.

    Stay safe!

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  7. Shyla looks so beautiful in the snow!
    hugs
    Mr Bailey, Hazel & Mabel

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  8. Moose are awesome. I hope they do well in your woods.

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  9. Shyla, you make snow look fun.

    Aroo to you,
    Sully

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  10. Exciting to see the moose, but I fear Jack would not be as polite as Shyla and would be off after them. Tino used to chase deer - the closest thing to moose we have way down here in Socal.

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  11. It must be incredible to see the moose up so close. I am glad Shyla stays with you and has no interest.


    Anne and Sasha

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  12. The moose are exciting, but I hope everyone keeps safe. Shyla is so impressive!

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  13. What a beautiful snow day!!!

    We also hope that moose, dog and humans can all live in harmony in your corner of the Rockies!
    Smileys!
    Dory, Jakey, Arty & Bilbo

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  14. Love Shyla's snowy face and description of her porpoising through the snow!

    We hope the moose and other animals can manage to live together, too. By animals we're including people.

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  15. You look like you are having the time of your life, Shyla!

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  16. it's great to see how much fun you had! I imagine what easy would do... he probably would stay in the car, making his "take me home. NOW" face :o)
    easy rider

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  17. What fun for Shyla! I'm glad you have a moose pair in the area and that their numbers are up. I've been hearing bad news about the Eastern moose - numbers down a lot due to ticks. It'll be interesting to see what happens after this winter; surely the ticks should be frozen by now.

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  18. You sure have an interesting bunch of neighbors!

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  19. I'm going to read that article. Im hoping the people and moose in your area can co-exist peacefully

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  20. Shyla is having herself a TIME! :)
    The biggest problem with human/moose encounters here is road accidents. It's very sad. The moose usually ends up with broken legs, and suffers until someone can come and put it down. The car generally has a lot of front-end damage. The humans generally walk away uninjured.
    I hope there will be less opportunity for those accidents in CO.

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  21. Shyla must be the most fit dog in America!

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  22. Shyla looks like she is having a blast in the snow. My Boomer would LOVE to join her. He is a snow machine, too.
    The moose are beautiful. Amazing how such large, awkward looking creatures can move so gracefully and so fast. Kind of like my favorite buffalo.
    Would love to be able to watch the moose, elk and bears, bobcats, etc., like you do. I would never get anything done, as I would spend all my time watching them!

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  23. Shyla looks like she is having a blast in the snow. My Boomer would LOVE to join her. He is a snow machine, too.
    The moose are beautiful. Amazing how such large, awkward looking creatures can move so gracefully and so fast. Kind of like my favorite buffalo.
    Would love to be able to watch the moose, elk and bears, bobcats, etc., like you do. I would never get anything done, as I would spend all my time watching them!

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  24. I find your moose encounters scary!

    Thank you for the kind words yesterday! I gave myself a migraine crying but a hike with Otto Rotto made it better and we saw the most beatiful rainbow!

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  25. KB. you capture the most magnificent photos!
    Ohhhh,, what a delight it is to see your photos everyday,,, the magic you capture is breath taking!
    So glad Shyla wants to stay right by your side!
    Wow,, the moose!
    love
    tweedles

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  26. We saw something on TV about all those Bullwinkles too
    Snorts,
    Lily & Edward

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  27. Crikey ...... I sure hope all goes well with the Moose, the peeps and the pups cause it's sure nice to see those wild animals around, aye?? They are so beautiful. Your photos, once again, are outstanding.

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  28. I'm so loving the snow photos. You can tell she truly enjoys it.

    My guys would be in hot pursuit of the moose, which makes me very glad we haven't seen any in our neck of the woods.

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