Under Interstate 90, a small mammal believed to be a river otter or beaver was
documented using the newly constructed large Gold Creek underpass as it filled with
water in April. This is the first photographic evidence of wildlife using the underpass
since the completion of construction. The season also provided our first attempt to
directly monitor within these two new underpasses, allowing a pilot of protocols and
set up we can repeat in future seasons.
The site experienced many false triggers from traffic on the interstate itself, light
changes, and weather. We experimented with different angles of the camera and
settings to improve this, but found that some level of false triggers in this location is to
be expected. Human traffic, not only construction but recreational use including
kayaking, was documented during the season, and anecdotal reports of heavy
snowmobile use in the underpass was reported during site preparation. This human use
may impede wildlife use.
The central Cascade winter monitoring locations witnessed the bulk of winter wildlife
activity for this monitoring season. Every site in the central Cascades (Chiwaukum,
Colockum, Johnny Creek, Oak Creek, Snow Lake) documented at least one species of
interest to our program and several sites, including Chiwaukum, Colockum, and Oak
Creek, documented over 40 separate site visits by individual species. The Chiwaukum
camera alone had over 130 separate site visits, mainly from one individual wolverine.
The sheer number of visits to the Chiwaukum site is likely because the site was baited
throughout the winter. The Colockum monitoring site documented the highest number
of species with five separate species documented throughout the course of the winter
monitoring season (bobcat, cougar, coyote, elk, and mule deer). This lower elevation
site in the foothills bordering the eastern edge of the Wenatchee‐Okanogan National
Forest offers a tangible example of the value of lower elevation habitat for wildlife
during the winter months. Additional lower elevation winter monitoring locations,
including Naneum Canyon, Oak Creek Wildlife Area, and the Johnny Creek site in Icicle
Creek Canyon, also showed consistent movement of wildlife through these lower
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CWMP 2012-2013 Winter Field Season Report
