First Flakes
Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) Kawuneeche Valley - Rocky Mountain NP - Colorado
The first big winter storm rolls through the Rockies, leaving a blanket of white snow in its path. Winters are vicious in this part of the park. Nestled between the Never Summer Mountains and the Continental Divide, storms usually drop most of their precipitation here, in the Kawuneeche Valley, before moving eastward over the rest of the park. While most animals are heading for lower ground, there are a few holdouts. The red fox is perfectly adapted to harsh winter conditions, and wasted no time getting out in the snow to hunt.