Naturalists

Avalanche and Snow Science 101

The Alpine Examiner February 10, 2024 Naturalist Blog Getting to the heart of what matters in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area Avalanche and Snow Science 101 Clare Vergobbi  The SNRA in winter is a magnet for winter sports enthusiasts, especially those who want to get away from the busy slopes of ski resorts and explore […]

Winter Plant Adaptations

The Alpine Examiner January 12, 2024 Naturalist Blog Getting to the heart of what matters in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area Winter Plant Adaptations Aspen Arnold Fall colors (photo: Aspen Arnold) The first sign of fall is often associated with dying gardens and colorful forests, but not all trees change colors and wildflowers die. What […]

A River Stone

A River Stone Tens of millions of years ago the pink granite of the Sawtooth Mountains was formed. It was lifted, eroded, broken, and shaped by forces that make mountains. Its rosy hue and granite spires have seen great change and been created through change. This rock’s journey continues. Long ago snow began to fall […]

What Are the Sawtooth Animals Doing Now? Part III

The Alpine Examiner December 25, 2023 Naturalist Blog Getting to the heart of what matters in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area A Winter Series: Endurance (III) Hannah Fake Over the last two posts we have discuss how many species have left the Sawtooths for warmer weather and more plentiful food, while other animals are curled […]

What Are the Sawtooth Animals Doing Now? Part II

The Alpine Examiner December 18, 2023 Naturalist Blog Getting to the heart of what matters in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area A Winter Series: Hibernators (II) Hannah Fake Many of the familiar animals that inhabit the Sawtooth Mountains and valleys are still around, but you are unlikely see any of them during the winter. Long […]

What Are the Sawtooth Animals Doing Now?

The Alpine Examiner December 11, 2023 Naturalist Blog Getting to the heart of what matters in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area A Winter Wildlife Series: Migrators (I) Hannah Fake It’s winter; it’s cold; the days are short and everything is blanketed in white. Do you ever wonder what the creatures you’ve seen on your summer […]

Furry Banknotes: A History of Fur Trapping and its Environmental Impact

The Alpine Examiner December 1, 2023 Naturalist Blog Getting to the heart of what matters in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area Furry Banknotes: History of Fur Trapping and its Environmental Impact Within the academic discipline of history there are different niche genres such as military history or political history. One of the lesser-known genres is […]

Fear to Friend: Understanding Bears in the Sawtooths

The Alpine Examiner November 20, 2023 Naturalist Blog Getting to the heart of what matters in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area Fear to Friend: Understanding Bears in the Sawtooths The Sawtooth Wilderness is a huge place filled with unknowns. For me, the unknown I discovered was fear. After 300 miles of hiking throughout the Sawtooth […]

2023 Sockeye and Chinook Returns

The Alpine Examiner November 2, 2023 Naturalist Blog Getting to the heart of what matters in Sawtooth-Salmon River Country 2023 Sockeye and Chinook Returns Clare Vergobbi Snow, ice and negative temperatures: winter has come to the Sawtooths, and the 2023 salmon runs are a wrap. We’ve received final numbers for sockeye and chinook returns to […]