Travel Making memories It was obvious that heli-hiking was a great family bonding opportunity for parents, grandparents and children. The adults in our group took great delight in seeing our discoveries through children’s eyes. Hearing a “cheep, cheep,” Michelle spotted a mother ptarmigan protectively ushering her chicks behind some rocks. “I’m bringing this fallen feather to school for my show-and-tell,” she said proudly. “Hey Dad,” she yelled. “Can I take a picture?” Her father nodded andMichelle pointed her camera to a fir tree-studded meadow with a glacier-frosted mountain backdrop. After we resumed our hike, Ally pointed out sizable pawfuls of upturned earth. “A grizzly bear was probably looking for ground squirrels here,” she noted. We spotted a curious marmot observing us from his hole and, a few steps later, examined wolverine tracks in a muddy riverbed. Ally showed us various rock formations, ranging from pencil slate to snow-white quartzite. “That rock looks like a Fred Flintstone sandwich,” saidMichelle, pointing to a layered rock. Everyone agreed. Two ptarmigan Michelle photographs a fr tree-studded meadow and glacier-frosted mountain Family bonding during heli-hike Curious marmot 20 | www.snowbirds.org
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