Odd tracks in the snow

RobFromRedland · Post by **RobFromRedland** » April 5th, 2009, 9:04 pm

I went to the "other" Eagle Creek Trail today, and happened upon these tracks in the snow. I looked like one foot had two "pads" (or whatever they were), and the other had 3. I had a hard time getting a picture of them since my dog didn't want to stop and let me get ahead of him.

Anyone know what they might be? I thought it might be some sort of kitty, but they don't match the prints my book shows. The prints were about 3" or so across.

RobFromRedland · Post by **RobFromRedland** » April 7th, 2009, 7:12 am

I've done a little more poking around, and I have no idea what might have made these tracks......It doesn't look remotely like any of the tracks I saw in my book or on the several websites I looked at.

I'm really curious what could have made these tracks. Anyone have any ideas? Any at all? Bueller? Bueller?

Swede · Post by **Swede** » April 9th, 2009, 4:22 pm

Rob, I have no idea what these tracks are. But I do have a question about the Eagle Creek trail. Did you get to the trailhead via George and Harvey Roads, crossing Longview Fibre land? Last summer that route was blocked by a locked gate, so I'm wondering if it's been reopened.

chameleon · Post by **chameleon** » April 9th, 2009, 5:18 pm

The tracks are very familiar to me, though I'm not sure its the explanation you are seeking. I've run across similar tracks on many Gorge escapades. They are especially common near streams. I have found them in other spots too however such as ridges where you can look far distances. They are usually made the rare and allusive "waterfall hound" aka shutterbug. It seems they carry these odd devices with three blunt feet, placing them into snow, along rocks next to streams, etc...

lol. In all seriousness, at least in the photo, it appears youve tracked down the common tripod. However, if you have another photo post it and I'll re-evaluate my conclusion.
-Zach

RobFromRedland · Post by **RobFromRedland** » April 9th, 2009, 5:54 pm

Swede wrote:Rob, I have no idea what these tracks are. But I do have a question about the Eagle Creek trail. Did you get to the trailhead via George and Harvey Roads, crossing Longview Fibre land? Last summer that route was blocked by a locked gate, so I'm wondering if it's been reopened.

I don't remember George road, but Harvey road was the last "real" road I was on that turned into a forest road. I thought it crossed over private land, but there were no locked gates on Sunday.

RobFromRedland · Post by **RobFromRedland** » April 9th, 2009, 5:59 pm

chameleon wrote:The tracks are very familiar to me, though I'm not sure its the explanation you are seeking. I've run across similar tracks on many Gorge escapades. They are especially common near streams. I have found them in other spots too however such as ridges where you can look far distances. They are usually made the rare and allusive "waterfall hound" aka shutterbug. It seems they carry these odd devices with three blunt feet, placing them into snow, along rocks next to streams, etc...

lol. In all seriousness, at least in the photo, it appears youve tracked down the common tripod. However, if you have another photo post it and I'll re-evaluate my conclusion.
-Zach

That could be, although it really did look like a 2 or 4 legged creature of some sort. There were no human footprints near these, and there was a set of three pads on one "foot" and two pads on the other "foot". Unfortunately, I don't have any other pictures of these. I had a hard enough time getting this one. My dog doesn't like it when I get in front of him, and he was destroying the prints....

baker9903 · Post by **baker9903** » April 10th, 2009, 10:37 am

This is interesting. I"ve been watching to see what others say. I have no idea. Was it just a single print or two? Or was there a long series like it was walking along? I'm not certain about the tripod because they look really close together. If its a single print, then I could imagine it being a tripod, or maybe just a phlumph of snow that fell from above.

RobFromRedland · Post by **RobFromRedland** » April 10th, 2009, 11:18 am

baker9903 wrote:This is interesting. I"ve been watching to see what others say. I have no idea. Was it just a single print or two? Or was there a long series like it was walking along? I'm not certain about the tripod because they look really close together. If its a single print, then I could imagine it being a tripod, or maybe just a phlumph of snow that fell from above.

It wasn't just a single print, it a whole series of prints along the trail, just like it was walking. One side had the three points, and the other "foot" had only two points on it. The prints were about 3" across. I now wish I had gotten more pictures of them....

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Odd tracks in the snow

Odd tracks in the snow

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