Yellow Warbler
We left camp about an hour ago to explore a mountain south of our campsite. We stared at it last night, planning a route to get us to the top. After breakfast, we packed our bags and started the trek!
We climbed up a small ridge, allowing us to see the path ahead which was completed obscured by thick willows. I don’t think I’ll ever understand how the tundra can look so flat and even, when in reality you end up crawling your way through willows 8 feet tall, and stepping on ground that goes up to your knees.
We scanned a route that seemed semi clear and began heading down toward the rocky streambed and into the willows. Crawling through the willows, we noticed something darting back and forth over the branches, a yellow warbler! We made our way to an opening, admiring Copter Peak towering in the sky to our left, and followed it as we continued our hike.
The thick willows blocked the wind, allowing mosquitoes to hover around us in the warm summer air. I quickly threw on my bug nets before heading back into the willows. Once we crossed, it opened up into the start of a grassy hill where we sat in the warm sun and cool breeze, watching the yellow warbler hop from branch to branch.
(Copter Peak - Waypoint 4)
NPS Photo\Emily Mesner. Original public domain image from Flickr