It was a cold, gray day in early spring. Snow lay in patches on the mountainside, alder stretching skyward, not yet green. I was pushing my was upwards through tangled branches, crunching in a thick layer of leaves from the last year and post-holing through some deep stretches of snow. Puffing up a steep section, I paused for a breath and heard a scratching sound nearby. Some stealthy investigation led me to this chunky marmot snuffling in the leaves. Standing silent, I watched as it selected a pawful of alder leaves and munched them down, then grabbed another and another. While this marmot sports a normal color pattern, some marmots in Glacier Bay National Park are melanistic, or completely black, others browish. Because of the insularity of marmot habitat, the pelage color can vary quite a bit, even on adjacent ridges. After taking a few photos, I continued on my way, leaving my furry friend to his meal. Photographer: Emily Mount