Pilchuck Wildlife

There is an abundance of wildlife on Mt. Pilchuck. Most noted, there are many various types of song birds that inhabit the forest of Pilchuck. My favorites are the Hermit Thrush and the Rusty Song Sparrow just to mention a few. There are the birds of prey too . . . ravens, hawks, owls, and eagles. Grouse (blue and ruffed) band-tailed pigeons and ducks are found here and there also. Cirques are great places to see and hear the birds of Pilchuck.

Pilchuck also has a wide variety of ground animals such as: lots of black bear, deer, goat, coyotes, marmots, pika, marten, beaver, ect. I am sure there are cougar and bobcat too, but I have never seen them here though there tracks have been witnessed. The last "lone wolf" on Pilchuck was seen in 1949, according to a report in the book PILCHUCK by Higman/Larrison, as well as in a phone call conversation I had with them many years ago. There are NO grizzly bear on Pilchuck, nor is there any Bigfoot! Note: if there had been, I'd have seen them . . .

Wildlife Sightings Out of the Norm: On Pilchuck Ridge (near Eagle's Nest) once while climbing, I came face to face with a mountain goat (Nanny) warring a tag and collar, she and her kid were as shocked as I at the "face to face" encounter and we both damn near fell off the mountain on opposite sides. I believe she was one of those attempts during a goat relocating/transplanting program the Wa. Dept. of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) had in progress. Other: I once sighted a marten in a huge fir tree near Hemple Lake as I traversed off-trail from Bear Lake.

Lastly, I enjoy wildlife however big or small, never have I been worried about wild creatures on Pilchuck or for that matter anywhere in the woods or mountains.

KJM

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