1/18/13 Not Another South Silver Star Post!
Posted: January 19th, 2013, 12:10 am
I know this is the third post for this same hike this week, but the previous TRs (thanks Pablo and VanMarmont!) gave me the muse to go up myself and experience great views and warm temperatures from the pesky inversion.
Actually, I only made it up to Pt. 4060 (Indian Pits) due to limited daylight. The inversion made for truly balmy conditions. I would guess the temps were around 55 degrees from 2000 ft on up. I sat atop Pt. 4060 for half an hour in only a long sleeve shirt (pants included) with the wind blowing and never got cold. I was quite warm on the way up as I came straight up the south ridge, though. Still, conditions made it feel like April.
Now to detail one of the oddest animal sightings I've had in recent memory. A half mile from the trailhead on the way up, I spotted a coyote on the side of the trail that appeared to be playing as it was going in circles. On closer inspection its head was cocked to one side and the movements appeared jerky. I immediately thought "rabies" and unsheathed my ice ax not knowing what to anticipate. Even after announcing my presence with sharp "heys," the coyote would not react and kept spinning with its head cocked. As it awkardly ambled across the trail in front of me, I noticed that one of is eyeballs was protruding from its socket and its head looked ruffled up. The damage looked neither fresh nor bloody and the animal didn't look emaciated, but I knew that it had little time left in this world. My emotions moved from defensive to pity immediately as I moved past the coyote and continued up. I was left to wonder what had caused such damage.
The snow was very soft and there were only two other sets of tracks from Pablo and VanMarmont. A great day to be out in the sunshine and the warmth!
6ish miles, 2450 ft.
Actually, I only made it up to Pt. 4060 (Indian Pits) due to limited daylight. The inversion made for truly balmy conditions. I would guess the temps were around 55 degrees from 2000 ft on up. I sat atop Pt. 4060 for half an hour in only a long sleeve shirt (pants included) with the wind blowing and never got cold. I was quite warm on the way up as I came straight up the south ridge, though. Still, conditions made it feel like April.
Now to detail one of the oddest animal sightings I've had in recent memory. A half mile from the trailhead on the way up, I spotted a coyote on the side of the trail that appeared to be playing as it was going in circles. On closer inspection its head was cocked to one side and the movements appeared jerky. I immediately thought "rabies" and unsheathed my ice ax not knowing what to anticipate. Even after announcing my presence with sharp "heys," the coyote would not react and kept spinning with its head cocked. As it awkardly ambled across the trail in front of me, I noticed that one of is eyeballs was protruding from its socket and its head looked ruffled up. The damage looked neither fresh nor bloody and the animal didn't look emaciated, but I knew that it had little time left in this world. My emotions moved from defensive to pity immediately as I moved past the coyote and continued up. I was left to wonder what had caused such damage.
The snow was very soft and there were only two other sets of tracks from Pablo and VanMarmont. A great day to be out in the sunshine and the warmth!
6ish miles, 2450 ft.