There are few among us who aren’t anxiously awaiting more snow. After all, summer and fall are beautiful in the high country, but winter — and winter sports — are calling to us. Although official winter doesn’t start until December 21, recent months with temperatures well above average in the mountains and the Front Range, not to mention wildfires, are cause for concern.
We humans need snow for more reasons than just recreation. After all, over 80% of the water that Coloradans drink, utilize and recreate in comes from snowpack and spring runoff. And up to 90% of the Colorado River’s flow has its origin as snowmelt from the Rocky Mountains and smaller mountain ranges of the Colorado Plateau.
But people are not the only Coloradans who need snow. Many of our High Country wildlife neighbors need snow to survive, and not only to provide water for drinking. One of these is arguably the cutest critter in the High Country.
The tiny American pika doesn’t hibernate but still can survive seven to nine months of winter conditions above tree line. For this, the pika needs snow, and lots of it. Pikas survive winter in their high-Alpine habitat by heading for the subnivean zone — the area between the surface of the ground and the top of the snowpack.
The subnivean zone is created as snow piles up, capturing the warmth of the ground underneath and causing water vapor to rise through a process called sublimation. As the water vapor cools and condenses, it forms an ice layer on t.
