This week I was lucky enough to go on not just one Wolverine Watcher’s hiking trips, but two!

First, I went with my assigned group to check on the Fisher research camera up Blodgett Canyon. It was a beautiful bluebird day, a little chilly to start, but bright and sunny. We reached the site fairly quickly, only needing snowshoes the last mile or so. The camera snapped lots of Marten pictures and a few of a cantankerous squirrel who seemed determined to eat the camera itself. The return trip was a little slower. The snow softened up enough that we needed snowshoes the whole way back, which makes for a great workout. We also saw a moose on the way back–too far away for a good picture, sorry! But that’s a lot safer for us–moose can be very dangerous.

While the Fisher research is officially finished for the year, we replenished the bait and put a new SD card in the camera. We’ll go up and retrieve the camera and other equipment in April. You never know what else we might get pictures of over the next month.

Rebecca, the State Wildlife Biologist conducting the study, invited me to come on Monday’s hike to retrieve the camera from the Fred Burr Canyon site. My house is very close to the Fred Burr trailhead, so this was an easy decision.

It was another beautiful day, but the snow was much softer. We ended up snowshoeing for nine of the ten miles up and back! My fitness watch said I burned 1300 calories. I was certainly tired.

We were lucky enough to see mountain goats and a huge avalanche on the canyon wall that went on and on and on. The Fred Burr camera caught some really great shots of a wolf, fox and a marten. Enjoy!