A Winter's Worth of Sleep

After experiencing a January thaw here in Pinkham Notch, the cold temperatures are back, and with a vengeance. Bundling up in extra layers, cranking the thermostat, loading up the wood stove, and spending more time indoors are ways many of us who live and work in the White Mountains adapt to sub-zero conditions. Animals that remain in the region for the colder months also adapt in various ways, and a few species even sleep or hibernate throughout the winter.

True hibernators are few and far between here in New Hampshire; they're limited to little brown bats, the woodland jumping mouse, and woodchucks (also know as groundhogs). These animals just don't sleep through the winter- they're able to decrease their metabolism rates so much that they're pretty much in a state of supsended animation (for all the science fiction fans out there). They're body temperatures drop precipitously, as do their heart and respiration rates. Many people have heard about the white-noe syndrome, a fungus that is devastating bat populations throughout the Northeast. First seen in New York State, it has since been tracked East through Vermont and into New Hampshire. This fungus draws bats out of hibernation early, when there aren't enough food resources for them. The bats then are forced to rely on stored fat, but due to the increase in their energy use/metabolism rates, the fat is quickly and detrimentally diminished.

If the above species are the only true hibernators in New Hampshire, what about all the other animals that we hear about sleeping through the winter?

Black bears (Ursus americanus), are well-known for their deep winter sleep. These omnivours mammals spend the months of autumn eating nuts and mast in the hopes of building up body fat to help nourish them throughout their winter rest and can often be roused from their slumber during periods of increased temperatures or thaw. Female bears give birth every other year in the month of January; the new mothers are able to nurse their young due to their increased body fat that they developed in autumn.

Another "super-sleeper" found in Pinkham Notch is the Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus). Due to their inability to store enought body fat, this precocious member of the squirrel family is active periodically throughout the winter. During the fall, chipmunks can be seen and heard running throughout the forest floor collecting seeds and nuts to cache, or store, for the upcoming colder months. Burrowing through the ground, chipmunks create a network of tunnels where they store food and evade predation. They wake-up from their naps in order to eat.

Interested in learning more about the natural history of the White Mountains? Join a Naturalist Guide at the AMC's Pinkham Notch Visitor Center for a guided snowshoe walk or hike. Call ahead (603) 466-2721 for program times and details. Have a natural history question that you would like answered in this blog? Send out an e-mail to amcpnvcnat@outdoors.org

Kassie Fenn
AMC Naturalist Guide

Hello Everyone!
I’m Molly and for the past week I’ve been interning with the AMC Naturalists Guides at the Pinkham Notch Vistor Center; so far life as a Naturalist in the Notch has been wonderful! In addition to office work I’ve been able to get outside a fair amount and join Kassie (Naturalist Guide) on her snowshoe walks and weekend ski tours. I’ve learned about animal tracking, identifying trees, and the local history.

Aside from those activities I’ve also had the chance to attend the first two dinners in the AMC International Dinner Series. This year is the 20th anniversary of the International Dinners, and we’re off to a great start! So what exactly is the International Dinner Series; well, every Wednesday at the Pinkham Notch Visitors Center there is a dinner, served family style, followed by a speaker. The menu is planned and prepared by our own chefs and is carefully crafted to reflect food from the country of the night. The delicious four course meal is followed by a speaker who shares his or her experiences about the country. These presentations will spark your interest in travel and adventure and are a nice compliment to the dinner.

Last week’s International Dinner, which also happened to be the start date of my internship, featured Australian food followed by a presentation from the AMC’s own Bryan Wentzel who recently toured Australia’s East Coast. This weeek’s dinner and talk highlighted Tanzania. The food was great and included coconut bean soup and Zanzabari chicken. Jane Gibbons gave a very informative presentation where she walked us though her recent climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro and safari throughout Tanzania.














If you’re interested in attending one of these events the upcoming schedule is as follows:
January 27- Travels through Jordan, cuisine of Jordan
February 3- Hiking and other adventures on the Isle of Arran, cuisine of Scotland
February 10- Trekking in the high Japanese Alps, cuisine of Japan
February 24- A storyteller’s journey among the Kurds, cuisine of Turkey
March 3- Waterways of Russia, cuisine of Russia
March 10- Two weeks among the Incas in Peru, cuisine of Peru
March 17- Ireland: the countryside as seen from the saddle of a bicycle, cuisine of Ireland
March 24- A trek across the Anti-Atlas mountains, cuisine of Morocco
March 31- 20 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, cuisine of Czech Republic

Reservations are recommended since these events are quite popular. The AMC members price is $21 and $23 for non-AMC members, with children’s rates available. For more information visit AMC website at: http://www.outdoors.org/lodging/lodges/pnvc/intl-dinners.cfm or call 603-466-2727.

As extra incentive to join us for this series we have a mid-week special going on at the Joe Dodge Lodge. The special ($57 for members, $62 non-members) includes a day ski pass at Great Glen Trails, the four course International Dinner, after dinner presentation, a great night’s sleep in the lodge, and breakfast.

If that’s not enough we also have a free raffle at every International Dinner where we give away the latest edition of the White Mountain Guide and a one-year AMC membership.

We look forward to seeing you in the future!

California Dreaming

All the leaves are brown
And the skies are gray
I went for a walk
On a winter’s day…
California dreaming

That’s how the song goes and I have to admit to a little California dreaming myself. The landscape has that steely gray feel to it where the dull hue of the trees almost matches the color of the clouds overhead. The passionate flury of fall activity has slipped into a monotonous wait for winter. Ok that is a little grim, but it does seem like a long wait for the white stuff.




I am not alone in my impatient desire for the snow. While trees have marched along to a state of dormancy to avoid this challenging season many birds and mammals are well adapted for cold temperatures and plenty of snow. Snow provides an insulating blanket so birds such as grouse can burrow in for a cozy night, other small mammals can maneuver their way around somewhat protected in the layer above the ground but beneath the snow. Snowshoe Hare use their huge paddle-like feet to float on the surface of the snow enabling them to reach food sources that were previously out of reach. And humans… we have all sorts of ways to get around on the snow; cross country skis, snowshoes, snowboards, downhill skis. Bring on the big flakes! Then maybe I’ll stop dreaming about California.




Photos taken from the Bemis Bridge in Hart's Location and Square Ledge in Pinkham Notch on 10/29/09 by Nancy Ritger

Fall Foliage Update 10/19/09

October 19, 2009: View from Square Ledge in Pinkham Notch.
Fall Foliage Update 2009. Check in for weekly fall foliage updates from AMC Naturalists through October. We will post weekly photos from Pinkham Notch and across the AMC backcountry huts. Check back and follow fall across the White Mountains.

Foliage Update

What a difference a day makes...








Photo 10/11/09 from Boulder Loop
with spectacular color in the valleys.











Photo 10/13/09 Davis Path with
~1 inch of freshly fallen snow!











Photo 10/13/09 Davis Path with
the first snow of the season clinging to the trees.

Photos taken by Nancy Ritger

Beaver and Moose Activity in Pinkham Notch

MOOSE: There have been numerous moose sightings at and around the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center over the past few weeks. A mother moose and her yearling have been seen not only in our parking lot but across Rt. 16 in a beaver pond. The other night the pair was spotted outside in the courtyard between the lodge and the Trading Post. There was also a sighting over the Columbus Day weekend on the Old Jackson Road Trail, a section of the Appalachian Trail.

In the world of moose (Alces alces), fall is the time when “love” is in the air. The mating season for moose, which is late August through October, is termed the “rut”. Male, or bull moose, scrape trenches into the ground with their front hooves as part of their mating ritual. When searching for females to court, bull moose will emit a low, grunting noise that carries for a distance through the forest. Males often compete for females; they will use their antlers and brute strength to dissuade competition for the same female.

There are some simple moose watching tips to keep in mind during this fall season:

OBSERVE FROM A DISTANCE: If you are lucky enough to spot a moose, don’t follow or approach it. Bring binoculars and a telephoto lens to get a good look.

RESPECT THEIR WISHES: If a moose is in the middle of the trail, don’t try to scare it away from the trail. Bushwhack around it or change course. If it is coming toward you, step aside and let it pass.

AVOID SENSITIVE SEASON: During breeding season (fall) and when cows are caring for young (spring), moose can be aggressive. Be especially careful to keep your distance.

NEVER FEED MOOSE: Feeding moose damages their health and changes their natural behaviors.

DRIVE SLOWLY IN MOOSE COUNTRY: If you are driving near a river or wetland or you see moose crossing signs, slow down. Be especially cautious at dawn and dusk. Drive with high beams on and watch for eye shine.

BEAVER: Speaking of the beaver pond across the street, there is documented recent beaver activity there. Beavers (Castor canadensis) dammed up the watershed area that runs parallel to Rt. 16 years ago; there were actually two dams built in order to stem the flow of water heading to the north (towards the Peabody onto Androscoggin rivers) and to the south (towards the Ellis onto the Wildcat onto Saco rives). In order to survive the cold winters, beavers will dam running water with the intention of creating a habitat where the water depth is at least 2 feet (the beavers across the street have made improvements upon pre-existing dams). When the water freezes, the beavers are able to go from their lodge structure directly into the pond under the protection of the ice, evading predators. Fall is the time of year that beavers are busy gathering and storing food that will be accessible to them throughout the colder months.

Interested in learning more about animals in the fall? Join a Naturalist Guide at the AMC’s Pinkham Notch Visitor Center for a guided walk or hike. Call ahead (603-466-2721) for program times and details. Have a natural history question that you would like answered in this blog? Send out an e-mail to amcpnvcnat@outdoors.org.

Kassie Fenn

AMC Naturalist Guide

Foliage Update

October 4, 2009- View from the wetland across from the AMC Pinkham Notch Visitor Center. Photo by AMC Naturalist Guide Kassie Fenn

Fall or Winter?

Mt Jacskon with the Josiah Bartlett 8th grade. Photo: Nancy Ritger

On a recent trip with 8th grade students from Josiah Bartlett School we encountered a mix of seasons. Ice feathers coated the vegetation on Mt Jackson yet down in the valleys the sun revealed a splash of color at lower elevations.

Photo: Nancy Ritger; taken from the summit of Mt Jackson 10/1/09

The Autumnal Equinox signaled the official beginning of Fall. Celebrated only 2 weeks ago, yet here we are in the middle of wild weather more typical of winter.

A phenomenon called rime ice forms on trees and sign posts at treeline when the conditions are just right including freezing temperatures, wind, moisture and something to collect on. Super cooled water droplets suspended in the clouds freeze instantly when they hit a solid object. The water droplets are very small and their surface tension is high enough for them to remain liquid well beneath the freezing temperature of water. In conditions below 32 degrees as a cloud sweeps by an object the droplets freeze and the rime ice builds in the direction of the wind forming long feather-like structures of ice crystals.

Rime ice on Balsam fir. Photo: Nancy Ritger

Trees that are exposed to rime ice conditions are commonly damaged by the growth of rime ice structures on their branches. Ice encrusted branches cannot bend with the wind and as a result they are often torn off the tree leaving only the branches protected by the trunk. This produces "flag trees" - trees that have lost branches on one side with the remaining branches make the tree look like a flagpole, with a flag , flying in the wind. In areas where the wind is stronger - at higher elevations - rime ice shears off upright growth of spruce and balsam fir trees thus causing the trees to grow horizontally along the ground. Therefore rime ice is a major factor in determining the elevation of treeline.

As we descended the summit we saw less and less rime ice until the temperature warmed a few degrees and only the dripping from the trees reminded us of any moisture in the air. In a few short miles we experienced the change from fall to winter and then back to fall again. Not only does the weather change often in the mountains but we find the seasons can change just as fast.

Get Here Now!

The foliage is beautiful here in Pinkham Notch, come and enjoy before it falls away!
Photos taken from Boott Spur Trail by Rich Hall AMC Lodge Crew 9/25/ 09

The Colors We See

September 28, 2009 Photo taken from Square Ledge in Pinkham Notch
Photo: Nancy Ritger

After a stretch of perfect fall weather with cool nights and warm sunny days we see a full palate of fall colors across the landscape. The reds, oranges and yellows get me thinking that the seasons are changing once again and I really should make sure the wood is piled high and the garden put to bed before the winter winds blow. While I sit on top of Square Ledge in Pinkham Notch I have to wonder how many of these colors can animals see?

Starting with the human eye…. Humans have specialized cone and rod cells in the retina that detect color and light. Cones detect color while the rods allow us to see in dim light. In daylight the cones are forward on the retina enabling us to see color. As the light fades the rods move forward on the retina and cones retreat allowing us ability to see shapes and movement in low light rather than color.

To consider whether or not animals can see color we have to look at the eye structure. A general rule is that animals active in the daytime possess more cones to rods whereas animals active at night possess more rods. Many nocturnal animals have a larger proportion of rods to cones present in the eye enhancing their ability to see in low light. These animals rely on greater number of rods for extended night vision and keener detection of movement. They also have a tissue layer called the tapetum lucidum in the back of the eye that reflects light back through the retina, increasing the amount of light available for it to capture. If you ever notice the glow of an animal’s eye in your headlights at night it is the light reflecting off the tapetum lucidum. The human eye does not have a tapetum lucidum layer making it more difficult for us to see in low light conditions. Animals with more rods can see well in low light but they do not have the cones to see color in the same way humans can see color.

Humans can detect color in different wavelengths. Cones in the human eye detect red, blue and green wavelengths. Research shows that dog eyes’ have cones but they can’t distinguish between green and orange and a cat can see in color but reds look more like gray to a cat’s eye.
“Dr. Karl Miller, a recognized deer researcher from the University of Georgia, has studied deer vision extensively. According to the results of Miller's research, deer perceive color much as a human with red-green color blindness would. Their color vision is poor in the longer wavelengths. In light bright enough for color vision orange and red will be perceived by the deer as shades of dark yellow and colors in the shorter wavelengths of blue and purple can be perceived quite well by deer.”

In the insect world the compound eyes of honeybees enables them to see ultra-violet wavelengths beyond what humans can see.

So the long and short of whether or not animals can see the colors of fall is yes they can see color. They just may not perceive it the same way we do. The shifting colors in the forest signal the change of season to us, but animals are responding to changes in daylight, temperature and food supply rather than color to signify the change of seasons.

Thanks to: www.wisegeek.com

Woolly Forecaster

On a recent walk I noticed a woolly bear caterpillar (Acrea sp.) crossing the trail. These stout, hairy caterpillars (black on both ends, reddish-brown in the middle) are commonly seen on sunny autumn days and always seem to be in a hurry.

The woolly bear, unlike many caterpillars, feeds on a wide variety of plants such as grass, clover, plantain, dandelion, spinach and cabbage. As a child I was told that the woolly bear could predict the weather. The width of the rust band around its middle is supposed to tell us what kind of winter we are in for. A broad band means a mild winter; a narrow band means a winter to remember.

It is understandable why we look to animals for sign at this time of year. Winter is hard, and long. If we knew in advance how long and cold it was going to get the season might be easier to endure. But the woolly bear is not a forecaster, and cannot predict the severity of the coming winter. Actually the bands of the woolly bear tell us more about the caterpillar itself then the coming season. A young woolly bear has more black than brown. As it grows the band widens. There are two broods: one in June or July, and another in September (the ones we see in autumn.) The September brood have finished feeding for the year and are moving about searching for the perfect spot to curl up and spend winter- under bark, leaves, a rock or a fallen log. After wintering in its chosen spot, the caterpillar awakens on a warm spring day and continues to feed. Soon it forms a cocoon and pupates. In about two weeks an Isabella Tiger Moth emerges. This night flier has three rows of six black dots on the abdomen, a wingspread of almost two inches and tawny yellow wings with a few dark spots; the hind wings are sometimes tinted with dull orange.

If you find a woolly bear scurrying along a trail you can pick it up gently in your hand. Many times it will defend itself by curling into a ball. The thick ¼-inch hairs sticking all over help to dissuade would-be predators from eating the caterpillar. Eventually in response to the warmth of your hand it will uncurl and attempt to continue on it’s journey.

Fall Foliage Update 2009
Check in for weekly fall foliage updates from AMC Naturalists. We will post weekly photos from Pinkham Notch and across the AMC backcountry huts. Check back and follow fall across the White Mountains.

Sept 20, 2009 Photo from Direttissima overlook in Pinkham Notch. The colors are really starting to come out now!

The Purples of Autumn

As leaves start the show of shifting colors there are other subtle changes going on as plants prepare for dormancy. The purple hues of Hobblebush - Virburnam alnifolium are an early example of autumn. Pigments called anthocyanins are building up in the leaves. Anthocyanins are responsible for the shades reds, pinks and purples in the leaves. It is colorless until a sugar molecule attaches to its structure. In the fall, sugar created in the leaf during the day through the process of photosynthesis, cannot escape from the leaf at night because chilly temperatures slow down the movement of sap. From the sugars trapped in the leaves, anthocyanin is transformed into brilliant flaming reds or striking purplish hues. We are seeing this transformation in the red maples and hobblebush at lower elevations and in the blueberries and diapensia at higher elevations.

Diapensia matt on Bigelow

Lawn 9/9/09.

Buds are another sign of impending dormancy. Found at the ends of hobble bush twigs, buds are fully formed, ready to weather the winter season. Buds have actually formed in preparation for next spring. Once the low angle winter sunlight and freezing temperatures have given way to greater day length and more moderate conditions, the buds will break. Tiny leaves will emerge and photosynthesis will begin yet again. In the meantime the buds signal a time of dormancy for the plant. These rather large buds are also a favorite food for browsers such as moose.

Fall Foliage Update 2009
Check in for weekly fall foliage updates from AMC Naturalists. We will post weekly photos from Pinkham Notch and across the AMC backcountry huts. Check back and follow fall across the White Mountains.

Colors are still very subtle looking across at the Presidentials from Square Ledge in Pinkham Notch, but with the recent chain of cool nights and sunny days changes will soon be dramatic. The photo below was taken 9/11/09.

A Season of Change: Fauna on the Move

Migration is the periodic movement of an animal from one region to another. Animals migrate to mate, escape extreme temperatures of different climates, and to find resources that become scarce at different times of the year Did you know that even insects migrate! Many insects migrate south from New Hampshire in winter, including several species of dragonflies, fireflies, butterflies, and moths. The most commonly studied of these is the monarch butterfly. Interesting note: monarch caterpillars feed only on milkweed plants and incorporate toxins from this plant into their bodies, making them poisonous to any hungry predators. At the end of each summer, the year’s last generation makes an epic journey south to overwinter in the forests of Michoacán, Mexico.

Not all animals migrating away from New Hampshire are headed South! For some animals, New Hampshire is a winter destination. The snow bunting is well adapted to cold and snowy conditions, spending its winter in the northern half of the continental US. When spring ensues, this bird heads North to more arctic climes.


The journey isn’t always long… When New Hampshire’s lakes start to freeze over, the common loon travels to the Atlantic Ocean to spend the winter. Loons can be spotted in their gray winter plumage off the coast of Maine, less than 100 miles from their summer locale.

There are some animals whose migration is measured by altitude, not latitude. Pine martens, which are members of the weasel family, live at or above tree-line during the warmer months. Once the weather turns colder, they migrate down in elevation. Many birds are also known to do this, including Dark-Eyed Juncos, which frequent the Pinkham Notch Visitor Center birdfeeders every winter.

Interested in learning more about the natural history of the White Mountains? Join a Naturalist Guide at the AMC’s Pinkham Notch Visitor Center for a guided walk or hike. Call ahead (603-466-2721) for program times and details. Have a natural history question that you would like answered in this blog? Send out an e-mail to amcpnvcnat@outdoors.org.


Kassie Fenn
AMC Naturalist Guide

Fall Foliage Update 2009
Check in for weekly fall foliage updates from AMC Naturalists. We will post weekly photos from Pinkham Notch and across the AMC backcountry huts. Check back and follow fall across the White Mountains.

Sept 4 photo from Square Ledge, Pinkham Notch, NH

A Season of Change: Fall in the White Mountains

As the days grow shorter and winter's chill creeps over the horizon, the natural landscape undergoes some dramatic and often beautiful changes. For us humans, Fall represents the harvest and our gladness in these gifts. I have many fond memories of apple picking and enjoying my ambrosial treat under a Maple, unaware of the changes taking place around me. As the weeks progress, the New England landscape transforms itself into a fiery mosaic of color.

When the warm (often wet) days of summer are gone, the machinery ofrom chemical pigments that are present in the leaves all summer, hidden by the green pigment of chlorophyll. Pigments called carotenoids and xanthophylls give the yellow, orange, and brownish colors of many leaves. These accessory pigments capture additional light to be used in the process of photosynthesis to make food for the plant.

Anthocyanin a pigment produced by leaves with high sugar content, is responsible for the brilliant reds. In the warmth of fall days, sugar is produced in the leaves, and then trapped by the night’s chill. This f nature slows down. Many plants, including New England’s well known Maple, shut down their metabolic processes, and in response their colors change. The bright colors we see are sugar bonds with other pigments, forming Anthocyanins. These pigments are thought to help with disease resistance as well as additional light capture.

View from the Parapet near Mt. Madsion

















Here at Pinkham notch, the changes in color are barely noticeable. However, as the season progresses, we will be treated to one of nature’s most magnificent displays. Keep an eye out for changes at and around mountain summits, as fall progress much quicker at those elevations. This view from near Madison shows some browns in the grasses but not much change in the valley. Plants up in the alpine zone and down in the valley are fruiting as well. Mountain Cranberry, a delicious alpine treat is in full fruit, providing fall migrants a sugar boost for their long journey south.

Mountain Cranberry in Fruit


















Check back weekly for updated pictures and information as the season progresses.


David Weston
Backcountry Education Assistant