Winter Mortality in Interior Alaska

[AlaskaHunter]

Usually interior Alaska has sugar snow.
This winter it has been a thick coating of ice followed by over 3 feet of snow, then warmth, then cold,
so snowpack is thick concrete. Not good for sheep, moose or caribou. Great for wolves this winter, bears this spring.

One of my hunting partners is an avid photographer and went out to photograph some Dall Rams.
Last year he climbed with snowshoes, this year he walked on 75 inches of snow-concrete.
When he got to the spot that was snow-free last winter, the rams were slipping on a thick coat of ice.
Measured snow depths:
Bettles 36 inches
Healy 46 inches
Denali Park 46 inches
Chulitna River Lodge 54 inches

 

[Bambistew]

Sad situation from what I'm hearing up your way. Have you heard from anyone that's been higher up in the mountains? Was the rain all elevation, or did it stay cold enough up high? We have a ton of snow up high here by Anchorage, but mostly avoided the rain minus some areas in the Valley. The moose and sheep in the Western AK range may be in dire straights. The sheep were already in trouble, but this flat out sucks. Supposed to have a blast of warm weather again.

 

[44hunter45]

I've heard scary reports from SE AK as well. 60" plus snow between December 1st and now.

 

[Akcabin]

The area near Skwetna has had a lot of snow the last few years. I was told that over 100 moose carcuses were found. Many from the wolves. When a wolf cut across a moose trail they can just follow it until it's totally exhausted.

 

[theat]

Sad to hear about the impacts the weather up there is having on the wildlife populations. Any of you know if the 40 Mile area is just as bad? Looks like they are over 200% average precipitation.

 

[Bambistew]

Sad to hear about the impacts the weather up there is having on the wildlife populations. Any of you know if the 40 Mile area is just as bad? Looks like they are over 200% average precipitation.

I haven't heard from anyone about the snow in that country. There really isn't enough (like 2) weather stations in the 40 mile country to estimate the pricip for such a large area. Most of the stations are on the periphery, our monitoring stations across the state are pretty sparse. I just looked at a couple, most are in the 0 to about 25% above normal. That county doesn't get a lot of snow/precip. its in the rain shadow of the AK and Wrangell mountains. The center of the area gets like 12" of precip (rain/snow) a year. I don't think that area got the big icing event.

The central and western AK ranges got pounded with snow and rain. Not much we can do about it. I suppose they'll cut out a bunch of cow tags and may reduce the bull tags issued, but I doubt they'll change the OTC opportunity. We won't know the real damage until this spring when they do moose calf counts, and later in June for sheep.

 

[theat]

I haven't heard from anyone about the snow in that country. There really isn't enough (like 2) weather stations in the 40 mile country to estimate the pricip for such a large area. Most of the stations are on the periphery, our monitoring stations across the state are pretty sparse. I just looked at a couple, most are in the 0 to about 25% above normal. That county doesn't get a lot of snow/precip. its in the rain shadow of the AK and Wrangell mountains. The center of the area gets like 12" of precip (rain/snow) a year. I don't think that area got the big icing event.

The central and western AK ranges got pounded with snow and rain. Not much we can do about it. I suppose they'll cut out a bunch of cow tags and may reduce the bull tags issued, but I doubt they'll change the OTC opportunity. We won't know the real damage until this spring when they do moose calf counts, and later in June for sheep.

Thanks for the info. I kind of figured that might be the case, but like you said there isn't a ton of detailed weather info online for that area. I have a friend I used to work with that is a pilot in Tok. I need to call and pick his brain. I might be taking my new BIL on a moose hunt up there next Sept.

 

[AlaskaHunter]

Sad to hear about the impacts the weather up there is having on the wildlife populations. Any of you know if the 40 Mile area is just as bad? Looks like they are over 200% average precipitation.

The coating of ice may be the worst problem on wind-swept ridges.
Deep snow = high potential mortality from wolves.
Not good for sheep, caribou, or moose.

Down in the river valleys snow depth is currently
30 inches at Robertson River, 20-34 inches at Tok stations, 32 inches at Delta, 37 inches at Eagle
up in the Tanana Uplands currently as high as 40 inches at Chena Dome,
90 inches at Jack Wade Junction.
https://www.weather.gov/aprfc/Snow_Depth

 

[BradA]

I heard it got warm and into the 40-50 degrees and imagine that would melt some snow

 

[AlaskaHunter]

I heard it got warm and into the 40-50 degrees and imagine that would melt some snow

That was down in the Anchorage bowl.

 

[BradA]

Hmm that’s rough

 

[AlaskaHunter]

Does not look good for calf survival, even in areas with low wolf densities.

 

[AlaskaHunter]

Winter moose with deep snows can be dangerous as they do not want to leave the trails or roads.

 

[Dave N]

Winter moose with deep snows can be dangerous as they do not want to leave the trails or roads.
View attachment 213634

Yup, just ask that gal out practicing for the Iditarod!

 

[AlaskaHunter]

Yup, just ask that gal out practicing for the Iditarod!

Yes Bridgett is one tough lady!
She still has enough heathy dogs to run the Iditarod as a rookie next month (Bridgett Watkins).

 

[kwyeewyk]

Winter moose with deep snows can be dangerous as they do not want to leave the trails or roads.
View attachment 213634

Speaking of not wanting to leave the road, this is crazy, make sure your volume is turned up.

 

[Akcabin]

Took the family for a short snogo ride Saturday. Saw 15 or so. I'm in S C . The snow was up to the bellies but they looked pretty good for this time of the year. Dark hair, laying flat n shiney. Not many rough spots. Bellies looked good. Was still plenty of birch , willow n poplar browse. The aspen haven't overtake this area. If the winters n wolves aren't bad enough the bear problem is bad. I've visited with biologists doing calf survival rates studies near Tyonic n Sleeping Lady. That they pick up the odors of the birthing process pretty easily n will follow the cows. They will pull the calf right out while birthing. And there's lots of blacks, plenty of the brown varieties to.
In the northern S central region there is areas where the aspen just overtake all. So very little available browse n more snow. More wolves.
Hey folks if you would like to come on up to Ak n hunt wolves lots of folks would say welcome n thanks.
Yeah there though but have to be. The snow is bad. Add the wolves , unedible alders outgrowing the local vegetation, thousands of bears a year were taken from some areas as the game board authorized emergency use of snares to harvest bears . Calf birth survival rate was 6-7%. And they still have to get to be breeding adults. Tough going.
Thought I'd point out a few issues that when combined show how much stress they are under.

 

[ThunderNocked]

Sad situation from what I'm hearing up your way. Have you heard from anyone that's been higher up in the mountains? Was the rain all elevation, or did it stay cold enough up high? We have a ton of snow up high here by Anchorage, but mostly avoided the rain minus some areas in the Valley. The moose and sheep in the Western AK range may be in dire straights. The sheep were already in trouble, but this flat out sucks. Supposed to have a blast of warm weather again.

I talked to a couple of people who have said they heard reports of rain even on the high elevations.
I can't confirm that at this point so just repeating what I've heard here locally in Fairbanks.

 

[ThunderNocked]

I heard it got warm and into the 40-50 degrees and imagine that would melt some snow

things have warmed up but then keep dropping down low which is creating more issues in many ways.

I had to shovel off my roof this weekend as they were estimating snow load at 40+ PSF* and I can't remember what the older rafters are rated at. it broke off in sheets with several thicker ice layers between. And I didn't go all the way to the roof because the rake wouldn't handle the last thick layer of ice from December. It may let the snow settle some but it isn't completely getting rid of the issue - especially at higher elevations etc.

Edited PSF not PSI

 

[rogerthat]

things have warmed up but then keep dropping down low which is creating more issues in many ways.

I had to shovel off my roof this weekend as they were estimating snow load at 40+ PSI and I can't remember what the older rafters are rated at. it broke off in sheets with several thicker ice layers between. And I didn't go all the way to the roof because the rake wouldn't handle the last thick layer of ice from December. It may let the snow settle some but it isn't completely getting rid of the issue - especially at higher elevations etc.

40+ psf. 40 psi would crush your house into rumble