My Episode For Mutual of Omaha

7/8/2014

Well, we are sitting in a layer of clouds waiting for an opening to fly the helicopter to the lodge to drop off supplies to fix the office. For those of you who have been up this year, I am sure you noticed the office is in need of repair. We have a crew ready to go as soon as we can get the supplies on the mountain. Yesterday was a gorgeous day with a high of 68º and low of 52º. We have not been so lucky today.

Chris and I were talking about how our trip up the mountain, on Sunday, seemed like an episode from Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom.

We started off on the lower section of Alum by watching a baby shrew walk along the trail. It was so bold, it walked right between my feet. It looked like a little brown cotton ball with a long tail. I believe it was a pygmy shrew. It looked just like this photo I found online.

We then continued our journey around the bluff and toward the half way point. We heard the cry of the Peregrine falcon while he was hunting for his lunch. As we came up to the half way point, a couple pointed out that he had landed in a tree. It looked like he had caught his lunch. We walked up the trail and looked straight up and could see the feathers from his meal. I think he had caught a small bird. I am always so amazed when I get to see the falcons in action.

We continued our climb and reached the flat section before the lodge. Just before the Rainbow/ Alum split, I heard a loud noise that was only a few feet from me. It sounded big, but I couldn't focus on what it was. Finally, as I got my bearings, I realized it was a deer and she blended in perfectly with the brush. She did not care one bit that we were standing so close. I don't normally like to be that close to wild life, they are "wild", but it happened by circumstance and I didn't want to spook her. We watched her for a minute and continued on to work. We had a great commute and it gave us some great stories to tell.

tomk in SC

7/8/2014 02:12:58 am

Many years ago I had a similar experience near the lodge with a deer grazing less than 2 meters away. I froze and watched for quite awhile until she casually moved on. It was awesome!
To fully replicate Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom, you need one more scene. There was an older guy (Merle?) and a younger guy. The older guy usually did the narration and the younger guy starred in the adventure shots. To complete the scene you need a picture of (Merle?) busting across the screen while being chased by a bear. The clip was clear when you followed the shock of white hair cutting across!
"Just as the mother bear protects her family, you can protect your family with Mutual of Omaha's . . . ." The ultimate in embedded advertising.

Meg

7/8/2014 05:25:14 am

tomk, the younger guy was Jim Fowler. He is also the guy who has brought animals on the Tonight Show in the past. I got to meet him when I was a teen.

Rebecca

7/8/2014 02:40:34 am

Great story. Even the smallest hike or walk can be rewarding. If you are quiet and observant you will be rewarded. I am always thinking while walking of the other things you miss because wildlife can be so concealing.

Kim

7/8/2014 03:28:16 am

Can you tell me any news about the hiker that fell on the AT.

High on LeConte

7/8/2014 06:57:11 am

Kim, we have not heard about anyone falling. Sounds like you know more than we do.

ric

7/8/2014 03:29:01 am

Marlon Perkins was the old guy. his best episode was when he tried to tack the "giant amazon anachondra". jum fowler had to go "help" him out. allyson - after seeing the pygme shrew, next time youre in the low lands with time to kill you really have to watch "Killer Schrews". old b&w low budget. good way to kill an hour. saw it when i was 10 and never forgot it. (62 now...)

norman

7/8/2014 05:08:24 am

this has to do with yesterdays comments & wallpaper! a picture from Barbara McCollum's site July 6, 2014 won out (flame azaleas at Roan Bald courtey of Patricia McAlpin) when i first saw your title for today, i though you had insurance problems! some times i read every thing and still don't understand. so do you want me to stop commenting?

Fred

7/8/2014 08:33:42 am

I don't want you to stop commenting. Keep on commenting

Chris

7/8/2014 08:38:45 am

Is anyone aware of a large American Chestnut tree on/along the Rainbow falls trail? If so where?

Debi

7/8/2014 01:52:14 pm

I'd love to see that! We had a chestnut tree at our 1st house just down the road. Not sure if I remember correctly. But disease have got most of them in Michigan anyway. My husband grew up at that house and a man came and asked if he'd pick up him some nuts so he could plant them. He gave him 20 bucks. Then when my oldest son was little he came back and gave him 20 bucks for picking them up for him. He said he hadn't planted them and a few of them took off. The tree is on its last legs. Very old. I think my husbands Grandpa planted it and if still alive he would've been 122 years old. Or maybe even his dad had planted it. But those things you couldn't walk around it without getting pickers in your feet. But it sure has some history of seeing all went on around here.

7/8/2014 01:54:16 pm

Opps, had planted them. Kind of got off the subject of the mountain. But was wondering if there plentiful down there or very rare like they are here in Michigan.

Sherry

7/15/2014 04:06:56 am

Thanks for that picture! I have never seen one of those cute little furballs before. :-)

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My Episode For Mutual of Omaha

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