March 1-2, 2006, Sasse Ridge

This last trip was a rare privilege. The skiing was unexpectedly good, but that happens now and again. Having a fox visit my campsite was unique.

The animals on Sasse Ridge are for the most part unseen companions. So often I find myself following the coyote tracks from the night before up the hill, but I've only seen the coyote once. Their musical calls during the night however let me know that they are around.

Each morning I can expect a batch of fresh snowshoe rabbit tracks, but these animals too are very shy. On a few occasions I've had a distant glimpse of what I think is a short tailed ermine. The cougar too is an unseen presence. I expect to see its tracks in the early winter making an ascending traverse generally heading north, and in the spring, I often find tracks heading south. Also in early winter deer and elk tracks head up over the ridge, presumably going to the Teanaway for winter. By mid spring, I've come to expect bear tracks in one area, fortunately a ways from where I camp.

I do see a raven pair often, as they make a pass over my tent to check it out I guess, but for the most part, the animals are an inviable presence.

Not this week however. I was sitting outside my tent Wed night about 6:30 looking at the clearing sky when what I thought was a coyote came for a visit. (Thanks to FS wildlife biologist James Begley for the correct ID. Right off the top of his head James noted the tip of the  tail fading to white in the pics I showed him, plus other features identifying it conclusively as a red fox - gray phase.) The fox wandered around my camp for 10 or 15 minutes, curious but not coming too close -- for my comfort that is. Sometimes it would just sit down and watch me, maybe 20 feet a way. What a beautiful and magnificent animal, one clearly at home in the snow It was magical.

Here are a few pics:

http://web3.foxinternet.net/lrobinson/pics/Fox1.jpg

http://web3.foxinternet.net/lrobinson/pics/Fox2.jpg


James tells me that the gray phase is permanent. Although they are red foxes, they don't have the red coloration. Perhaps when first seen, it was thought that the coloring was just a phase and the name stuck.

By the way, although it might have been possible, petting would not be advised! As I remember, in Washington bats, skunks and foxes may carry rabies. Although the population incidence is low, a wild fox bite must be treated as a bite from a potentially rabid animal unless the animal is captured or killed. The newer vaccine is much better tolerated than the old one, but still---

Larry