The fog came in today. The forecast was originally for temperatures to get up into the mid-60’s, but I suspect it did not make it that high in town. This morning I decided to take Connor and drive up Harbor Mountain Road. I hoped that we would be able to get above the layer of fog and clouds. A couple of weeks ago, Melissa, Connor, and I had driven up to the third gate. At the time, there was still some snow on the road, but given the warm weather since, I suspected there would be little, if any, remaining. We passed above the clouds a couple of miles up the road, and continued on in the bright sunlight. Upon reaching the third gate (still locked) we walked up the road to the next view point where we could look out over Sitka Sound. The layer of clouds was extended as far out in the ocean as I could see. The peaks on Kruzof Island extended above it, as did the very top of Middle Island. To the north, I could see that there seemed to be less fog. In particular parts of Nakwasina Passage appeared to be clear. After taking a few pictures, we headed back down. The fog never did dissipate completely. For a time in the late afternoon I could see parts of Gavan Hill, but the water was still completely obscured.

While walking along Indian River trail yesterday, I noticed that many of the skunk cabbage plants looked like they had been cut off. At first I thought that maybe someone walking along the trail had done it, but it was so widespread, I began to suspect that maybe deer were doing it. I have heard that bears will dig up the roots when they awake from hibernation, but I have not heard that the leaves and flower stalks were eaten. Skunk cabbage are one of the first new greens of the year, so perhaps that makes them attractive.

While I was at the muskeg this afternoon, I decided to check around for ants. I looked closely at a mound of moss that had built up around the base of a tree and did not notice any ants. I poked at it a little bit, moving moss around a little bit to see what was underneath it. While I was doing that, I noticed an ant crawling around. As I watched, many other ants appeared. Perhaps I had disturbed their home and they came up to see what was going on. I have no idea what kind of ants they are, but I would like to find out.

It looks to me like most shrubs have budded and started putting out leaves already, but not the devil’s club. I looked closely today at the stalks, and there did not seem to be even the slightest bit of swelling from the buds. I guess it is a relatively late starter.