The weather report yesterday indicated that there would be afternoon
clearing at Paradise so I decided to pursue the ptarmigans again. As I
climbed the fog got thicker with no indication that it would go away. I
stopped at Panorama Point to eat my sandwich and was astonished when a
gorgeous black fox appear from behind a rock not more than 15 feet from me.
We were both surprised to see each other!. Of course my photo gear was in my
backpack beside me so the moment has to remain in my memory. As I headed up
the High Skyline trail it began misting and then raining. By the time I got
to the Pebble Creek trail there was sleet falling. I was about to turn
around when someone coming down from Pebble Creek told me there were 7
ptarmigans about ? mile up the trail so I trudged on. Sure enough, there
they were and nearly all white. Trying to take good photos through fog is
nearly impossible so I knew that extreme close-ups would give the best
results. As I snapped away water was running off my equipment and I was
getting cold and wet. After 250 exposures I packed it in and headed back
down to my car hoping that I had something worth keeping. It was nearly dark
by the time I reached the car.



The Photos required some post processing to correct for the fog but turned
out as good as I expected. They can be viewed on my website in the ?last
uploads? album.



www.photos.rlkimages.com <http://www.photos.rlkimages.com/>



Bob Kothenbeutel

Woodinville