Tag Archives: Cheeks McSnatch

Cap’n Cheeks McSnatch and the Curse of the Empty Burrow

The colony had begun its final preparations for winter. Food was stored. Burrows were cleaned. Beds were padded for the longest naps of the year. Seven months of darkness, dreams and absolutely no intention of answering the door. Everyone was … Continue reading →

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The Great Labor Day Marmot Heist

Labor Day was practically engineered for marmot misconduct. It had everything they needed. The end of summer. Exhausted humans. Crowded trails. Picnics. A long weekend. And, most importantly, the rapidly approaching realization that winter was coming. For the marmots of … Continue reading →

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Cap’n Cheeks McSnatch and the Fiery Gold of the Sun God

The Summer Solstice arrived over the high country with all the subtlety of a marmot falling off a boulder. Long before dawn, the tundra above the Alpine Visitor Center glowed silver beneath the first rays of sunlight. Wildflowers stirred. Pikas … Continue reading →

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Snackfall at High Altitude: The Great Basket Convergence

It was April 23, National Picnic Day, and what can be called common alpine events were about to unfold above the tree line. High in the Colorado Rockies where the air thins, the grass grows tough and nothing with calories … Continue reading →

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The Spring Equinox Incident (That Wasn’t)

Today is the Spring Equinox, when day and night strike their ancient, suspiciously convenient truce and the alpine tundra is supposed to awaken. According to human calendars and those fancy vibrating rectangles the hikers lose on alpine trails, the sun … Continue reading →

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A Midwinter Night’s Carb-Dream: Nutmeg McChunky and the Infinity Salad

It was December 24th, three yards underground. The ambient temperature in the burrow was a balmy 38° Fahrenheit. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and forty slumbering rodents. Deep within the pile, wedged tightly between the … Continue reading →

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