High Sierra Topix

As my wife and I were recovering from the "quadriceps-fest" that is the ascent of Grinnell-Hopkins ridge, we noticed a strange piece of equipment attached to a rock. Emblazoned with a "Property of the Department of Fish and Wildlife", it dawned on us that we were (almost certainly) getting our photo taken by a (motion-activated) wildlife camera. It took me a while to get around to sending a query to DFW, but once I did, I got a prompt response from Brian Hatfield, who is in charge of the project that installed this camera. Their target: the endangered Sierra Nevada red fox (SNRF for short).

Point #1: I have never seen a SNRF. Have any of you?

Point #2: Brian kindly attached several photos of what that camera has detected (but no SNRFs). I'll append them below, because they belie my complaint that we were deprived of seeing any large (or moderately large) mammals on our recent trip in that area (besides humans, and not too many of those!).

Point #3: Remember to smile when you next reach the Grinnell-Hopkins ridge!
Cameron

I may have seen a fox or a small coyote on a ski tour once. It wasn't red though.

In a similar vein, the Henry Coe Facebook account posts a lot of wildlife cam footage. It's pretty cool.

I've not, but did the trail cam look like this one?
I saw this one earlier this summer near Bishop Pass between the top of the pass and the base of Mt Agassiz, off trail, on a giant boulder. I too meant to look into it but forgot. I assume it was tracking bighorn sheep or something. I didn't notice any indications on it of what it was or who it belonged to, it was near the boundary line so I wasn't sure if it was the NFS, NPS, or some random person.

Avizzini,
Yes, it looked exactly like that. And there was another TR recently (in Yosemite) that reported a similar camera. I suspect they are used for tracking a number of threatened/endangered species. Brian indicated that there are initiatives both within the parks and others (like, his) outside the parks.
Incidentally, I did a separate post in Backpacking to the effect that if you are lucky enough to see one of these foxes, please try to get a photo. There is a link for reporting the sighting in my other post.
And, C9: well, maybe coloration is seasonal?
Cameron

The ones I worked with were hidden much better than the one in the photo. But these were in more public areas and more care was taken to prevent theft/vandalism. A hiker passing by would need really sharp vision to spot one. We had trouble finding them and we knew where they were.

dave54 wrote: ↑Thu Aug 04, 2022 4:12 pm The ones I worked with were hidden much better than the one in the photo. But these were in more public areas and more care was taken to prevent theft/vandalism. A hiker passing by would need really sharp vision to spot one. We had trouble finding them and we knew where they were.

This was the first time I recall ever spotting one. This one was a fair ways off the trail, facing away from trail. I didn't notice it on my way up Mt Agassiz but I did on my way back. What caught my eye was likely the rope or the carefully placed rock atop the boulder, I was probably subconsciously looking for cairns.

there’s a very similar looking camera at the top of little slide canyon, just as you are entering yosemite.

We came across a trail camera not far from there two years ago. It was either at Stanford Col or just up the ridgeline. We assumed it was for tracking bighorn sheep.

I remember seeing that last summer - I think I referenced it when I commented on / added to on the XC pass entry for it. Thanks again for that find, it was a great way to cross between those two basins.

There's a similar one near Cataract Creek / Observation Pass, but very built up and not labeled. I'd be curious if your contact knows anything about it.

Erutan,
Brian obviously is the fox guy and operates in National Forest, but he did note that there were other initiatives targeting other species in the parks. Why these guys have to abide by these arbitrary (jurisdictional) boundaries seems a bit silly to me, but that's how our world gets by.....I'm sure the critters do not give a flip! Cameron

PS. And like you, I am pretty fond of that Grinnell-Hopkins ridge, especially once one reaches the ridge! The bonus on this trip is that Hopkins basin was as pretty as I've ever seen it!