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<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nIt’s an Olympic chipmunk,<\/strong> endemic only to the Olympic Mountains of Washington State, meaning it’s only here in the Olympics. It’s a very small chipmunk species that seems to have a very pointy nose. We see them often on subalpine trails (and it’s not the other chippy down in the lowlands that’s much bigger). I was lucky enough to grab a shot of this one for reference and, since all these trails are still snowed up, this is a dalliance into late summer hiking that’s soon to happen around here. Here’s Nancy spotting the little guy on that big rock, Grand Basin in the background.<\/p>\n\n\n Grand Trail, the highest maintained trail in Olympic National Park, is mostly above treeline (where the chipmunks are NOT), but it also drops into the subalpine fir with occasional whitebark pine where these little guys live their lives as they have for generations. Pikas do not live in the Olympics, so I assume Olympic chipmunks replace them in this habitat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When I walk here, I like to sense how many feet have traveled along this ridgetop before me, all the way back to the Paleo-hunters who would sit here waiting for a mammoth to wander by below them. In those days, the entire Strait was filled with ice, but this high trail was open to observant travelers – just like us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sorry, so far the painting isn’t for sale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thanks for reading this week. Here\u2019s the blog on the web.<\/a> And here\u2019s my Facebook fan page<\/a>. I post lots of other stuff there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Click <\/a>here to go to our main website \u2013 with jigsaw puzzles, prints, interpretive portfolios and lots of other stuff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nancy\u2019s web portfolio of stunning photography<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n And here to go to Virginia Eifert\u2019s website.<\/a> Her books are now becoming available as Amazon Kindle books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This new painting is now available, or not – Nancy bought it when she saw me writing this! It’s an Olympic chipmunk, endemic only to the Olympic Mountains of Washington State, meaning it’s only here in the Olympics. It’s a very small chipmunk species that seems to have a very pointy nose. We see them often … Continue reading Olympic Chipmunk – Grand Ridge Trail<\/span> <\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Larry Eifert<\/p>\n\n\n\n