East Inlet June 16, 2011

7 mile RT

I came back. I cannot believe I am doing this trail again.  I arrive around 5:30 a.m.. Hoping that by arriving earlier I might see the fox kits.  Weather is perfect with clear skies.  I am first car in the parking lot. Nice!

First meadow I see a female moose and she sees me.  I walked a little bit more down the trail and notice she has a baby which must be just over a week old. You can barely see the baby in the willows. It comes up to about the mothers knees.  The Sun is not up yet so not a great time to get pictures.  That is the disadvantage of hiking too early.  The cow saw something in near the creek so the move into the trees.

 As I was approaching  the second meadow and see two bulls about 5 feet off the side.  I take a few pictures hoping they would move but one was too busy eating while the other just kept his eye on me but still would not move.  I carefully proceed on the trail and they could care less.

At the second meadow there are three moose out in the meadow.  I see one cross the stream and head towards the trail.  This one was a yearling.  It came very close to where I was standing, eating everything in sight.  It's that time of the year.  I proceed on the trail thinking I am never gong to get to the area with the foxes.  I just passed the falls and was moving up the trail and looking at the terrain thinking that it would be a rough area for a bear.  Wrong!  I see one above me but behind a downed tree.  It was about 30 yards north of me moving the same direction I was going.  I stopped to watch it and it disappeared in some willows.  I proceed up the trail looking and listening for the bear.  It was very quiet.  Then I hear a twig break.  I stop. No sigh of bear but I know it was there.  I walk very carefully looking into the trees and still nothing.  Then I see the bear standing straight up scratching his back on a tree.  He looked about 5 feet tall, but then again it is till fairly dark.  The picture came out terribly.  I hide behind a tree watching the bear.  The main problem is that the trail comes closer to the path of the direction the bear is heading.  I moved again and step out from behind the tree to get a better shot.  It must have seen me and stopped.  I got a few shots before it turned around and ran away.  Got good shots of his back tho.

Later looking at the pictures it looks like the bear was much bigger than I thought.  Great day so far!
Well I finally get near to the fox area.  As I approach the area I see a kit running away in a dark forest area.

I followed it and see it scurry up but lose sight of it.  I proceed up the trail and see movement behind a rock field.  I see two kits moving around .  One came out and took some good pictures.  It stood for a long time in one area then disappeared in the rocks.  For awhile I did not see other one so I went back down to where I had first seen them. I see nothing.  All of a sudden one came down the rock steps across the dark forest area and was just starring at me.  It took off again back to the rock slide area.  I followed it back and was looking in the area when out of the corner of my eye I see something at the top of a little hill.  It was the same one I had just seen. It was warming itself in the early morning sun.  It layed down and stretched out.  The Sun was in my face so the pictures have along of back flash, but it was a great experience.  I could not move behind him due to lack of room and was worried I would scare him away.  So I just took pictures working my camera.  Then it approached me and gave me a chance to get behind it.  Not very good shots, Wrong angle.  It finally went back into other rock area took some more pictures. I finally left.  Coming back down I see the yearling moose.  Great day!