patterns in the ice

a suspended ice shelve on the bank of the river.

hexagonal ice plates

With the increasing daylight and the sun being out, just below zero Celsius temperatures, it was lovely today.

I skied/walked to the Mendenhall river. Actually  I did see a human in the distance.

But as always I am more excited by animals.

I followed otter tracks for a long way, I also found hoof prints on the ice, an elk maybe?

I do wonder how the otters survives here, there is no open water to speak of. I did follow his trail to the meadow and it led me to a muskrat push-up. Yes otters do eat muskrat apparently, and are said to be ingenious hunters. As I stood above the muskrat push-up, trying to peek in, which is not possible. I did hear the water disturb, as if it had noticed me and swam of.

and not to forget I saw many tiny tiny trails, of the little creatures.