What Animals have you seen on the summit?

[Tom Rankin]

The goat report got me wondering what people have seen at the summit, or very close by.

I've seen:

Goats!
Rabbits
Martens
Chipmunks
Deer
Mice
Snakes
Fox

Bear (droppings)
Moose (droppings)

I'm sure there are lots more!

 

[DougPaul]

I'm sure there are lots more!

Human?

Doug

 

[NH_Mtn_Hiker]

In addition:

moose
deer
fox
coyote
horse
turkeys

 

[TDawg]

Moose on Mt. Cabot (standing on the actual high point no less)

Spruce Grouse

Grey Jay

Begging Dogs

 

[Mark Schaefer]

Bear (on three different berry laden summits in the Catskills: Bearpen, Arizona, Huckleberry Ridge)
Porcupine
Skunk
Timber Rattlesnake
Horse (Hunter Mt in the Catskills)
White-Throated Sparrow
Kestrel
Cooper's Hawk
Turkey
Turkey Vulture (nearly everywhere)

 

[Ketch-Up]

Most of the time I see Sea Sponges. Kind of Odd (like the mountain)

 

[KevCon223]

A good size Porky about 1/2 mile from the summit of Hunter on the Spruceton Trail about 2 years ago.

Kevin

 

[Hillwalker]

Big bird

Talked to a guy with a big Macaw perched on his shoulder on the summit of Lafayette one summer day a few years ago.

 

[WhiteMTHike]

Always chipmunks.
Never a snake; thank God
Hawks.

 

[dentonfabrics]

Last spring I saw a bear on Mt Willard, of all places. It saw me on the trail, just below the summit and took off to the top.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

- Marmot
- Desert Bighorn Sheep
- Ptarmigan

 

[marty]

Surprised no-one said ravens. They seem to abound on many New England summits.

Marty

 

[bridgeman]

A vole on the summit of Algonquin in the dead of winter.

A pine martin near the summit of Marshall this summer

 

[dug]

Dahl sheep (about a dozen) near the summit of an unnamed peak in Alaska.

 

[Chugach001]

I think there is a big differentiation between western and eastern summit sightings. I was so impressed to find a large pika colony running about on the summit of Pingora in the Winds. The easiest route is several pitches of 5.6 and they were quite prolific up there.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

I think there is a big differentiation between western and eastern summit sightings. I was so impressed to find a large pika colony running about on the summit of Pingora in the Winds. The easiest route is several pitches of 5.6 and they were quite prolific up there.

I wonder where pika shop for pro? Can you imagine the size of a pika 'biner? Probably could use dental floss for rope ...

 

[DougPaul]

I wonder where pika shop for pro? Can you imagine the size of a pika 'biner? Probably could use dental floss for rope ...

Or they climb in the rock (cracks) rather than on the rock.

Doug

 

[cbcbd]

I was so impressed to find a large pika colony running about on the summit of Pingora in the Winds. The easiest route is several pitches of 5.6 and they were quite prolific up there.

Along the same lines, saw some chipmunks on top of Devil's Tower, and the easiest (according to my guide book) route up is a 5.7 - I don't think chipmunks can read the guidebook and don't think they would've easily have found that 5.7 offwidth crack, so they possibly took a harder route up. Then again, my 5.7 is Chris Sharma's 5.1 and the chipmunk is probably 3rd classing it. I could see them being great crack climbers, but I'll have to give the face climbing torch to geckos.

 

[brianW]

Black Flies, Mosquitos and a bunch of other invertabrates

 

[JohnL]

Bear cub (2 photos). Taken from the summit of Mt Lafayette.

JohnL