Zach Youngberg

Bluebird with Some New Birds on Chickadee Ridge

By Zach Youngberg

A day spent snowshoeing through the trees with good people is pretty hard to beat.

people snowshoeing into chickadee ridge — Snowshoeing into Chickadee Ridge
Zach Youngberg

My friends and I decided to take a snowshoeing trip to Chickadee Ridge, just past Mount Rose Ski Resort near the Mount Rose Meadows. The trail is very easy and it only takes about a 15-20 minute hike in to get to the tree and hangout with some pretty cool little birds.

Feeding the chickadees or any wildlife of any kind is not only extremely uncool, it’s also illegal. Human food is not healthy for wild animals, and they do not need food from humans to survive. Wild animals have specialized diets, and they can become malnourished or die if fed or become dependent on human food. The good news at Chickadee Ridge is this: the birds are so used to people in the area that they will naturally land on your hand, even without the allure of snacks.

You’ll know when you’ve arrived at the part that puts the “Chickadee” in “Chickadee Ridge”—just listen for chirps and watch for fluttering. The best part? Just sick your hand out and you’ll have cute little birds all around you in no time. It took a couple of minutes for the birds to get used to us, but once they were comfortable, it made for some pretty great photos.

woman enjoying snow at the mt rose wilderness area — Mt. Rose Wilderness Area
Zach Youngberg

Nobody wanted to leave, but our new little winged friends had had enough visiting for the day and we had to hike back to the truck before it got dark out. A day totally well spent in the Meadows with some fun wildlife and great friends.

woman holding a bird in chickadee ridge at mt rose meadows — Chickadee Ridge at Mt. Rose Meadows
Zach Youngberg

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