We quickly followed the urge to get up on Sugarloaf. This day in particular the weather wasn't real clear, but a very nice day overall because there was no wind and most of the day there were beautiful, delicate snowflakes floating down to greet us.
Out of the forest thankfully (post holing through deep snow wears on you) and almost above treeline.
Sugarloaf has great knife-edge ridges to walk.
Once we reached the saddle right behind me, we were just 700 ft. from the summit. We could have made it but we would have been pressed for finishing the day in the daylight. So, we decided to cross over to the neighboring ridge and descend it, making a loop. A great decision that really paid off! We had been seeing Dall sheep tracks and sign all day, but trying to spot white sheep in a white landscape is kind of hard. Once we reached the other ridge and started heading down, we found ourselves about 75 yards above eight big rams! Once they saw us or realized that we had spotted them, they took off running at full speed!
They are so fat! It looks to us that they are about twice the size they are in the summer! I'm sure some of it is from their winter coat, but I guess they have been eating really well too.
Bye-bye big boys! What an awesome sighting!
Heading down.
Looking back at the ridge we have been coming down.
The winding Nenana River down below us.
It's hard to see those sheep, even in the picture.
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