This morning, we saw one. A wolf. In the wild. Running a trail in a remote part of central Idaho’s Payette National Forest in August 2006, my two Malamutes and I were allowed to commune with nature in a way most can only dream of. First, the wolf and Maia exchanged direct looks. Then Meadow… Continue reading The Wolf Visit
Category: Life in the Mountains
Skunk!
(Warning: Long post - book chapter length - because I’ve dealt with several dog-skunk incidents over the years, and because the stories are too funny – after the fact – to keep to myself.) September 2006 – Maia and Meadow at the Flying U Ranch, British Columbia The Flying U Ranch is a dude ranch… Continue reading Skunk!
Call of the Wild
Last night around 1:00 am, a plaintive howl woke me from a deep sleep. Many years ago, I awoke to a wolf howling from the nearby forest. I haven't heard that since it became legal to kill wolves in Idaho. But this wasn't a wolf. It was my Malamute, Conall. I was instantly reminded of… Continue reading Call of the Wild
Dogs: My Wildlife Alert System
Traveling through the forest with my dogs allows me to observe and learn so much more about the natural world than I could alone. In addition to my own senses, as rudimentary as they are, I benefit from the boys' highly specialized senses of smell, sight and hearing. They alert me to other creatures nearby,… Continue reading Dogs: My Wildlife Alert System
Mountain Weather
Living and playing in the mountains teaches one to expect weather surprises. Tomorrow is Summer Solstice - the first day of summer - but today, the boys and I ran trails in flurries of corn snow, temperatures hovering around freezing. And we loved it. We're all three of us early morning creatures. Good thing, because… Continue reading Mountain Weather




