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Alaskan Sheep LbNA #65297

Owner:Wisconsin Hiker
Plant date:Jun 30, 2013
Location:
City:Fairbanks
County:Fairbanks North Star
State:Alaska
Boxes:1
Found by: Sahalie
Last found:Aug 5, 2014
Status:F
Last edited:May 14, 2016
Last checked/found: 30-JUN-13

Location: Parking area along the road near the intersection of Sheep Creek Road and W. Tanana Drive
Time: ~1-1.5 hours
Terrain: Grassy/dirt trails with gentle ascent/descent. Mostly shaded.

From the parking area, cross the street and go through the cyclone fence gate opening at the trail head.

Dall Sheep are the northernmost wild sheep in the world and inhabit the mountain ranges of Alaska. They are typically all white and are known for their horns which are composed of keratin, the same material as our fingernails. Males have thick curling horns while the females have shorter, more slender, slightly curved horns. The age of the sheep can be calculated from the number of growth rings on their horns. Perhaps you saw a sheep if you visited nearby Denali. To find one of these impressive animals for your own collection, head uphill/east on green.

Take a right at the "T" for a short way, then a left at a 4-way.
Enjoy the winding trail through the spruce and then take a left at a "T".

Dall sheep spend most of their lives on the jagged slopes of mountains. Their cloven hooves with rough pads help them cling to cliff edges and broken ledges, where they flock to elude predators. Luckily you will not have to climb to these heights to find your sheep today!

Continue straight through an intersection and straight through some yellow gates to a large dish.
Behind the nearby map post, take the Walking & Snowshoe trail at Start Point 03.

During the summer when food is abundant, the sheep eat a wide variety of plants. The winter diet is much more limited, and consists primarily of dry, frozen grass and sedge stems available when snow is blown off, lichen and moss. Many Dall sheep populations visit mineral licks during the spring to restore the nutrients they lost during the long winter.

Continue until you reach a clearing, then turn left and then right on the road.
Turn left at the J map pole.
Go thru the yellow gates and see 3 trail choices. Choose the left trail.

Adult rams live in bands, or groups, associated with ewe groups during the mating season. Since Dall sheep are very loyal to their social group, they have very specific home ranges. After joining a social group, sheep are never known to leave it. One adaptation of living in a social group is safety from predators. With so many eyes watching for a sign of danger, a predator can be spotted sooner so the whole group can flee.

Stay under power until you reach the "Midnight Express", and then make a left.
Keep a sharp lookout in the woods on the right for a square sign divided into 2 triangles, one white & one orange. Take the small trail on the right near this sign. (near Tee 11?)
Emerge from the small trail and cross the wide trail to find a "V" for victory made from 2 logs. The sheep is nestled behind the right log, near the point of the "V".

After logging in, replace and cover the box well before proceeding on the wide trail to the right.
Curve around and up.
Take a right at a "Y", then an immediate left.
Watch for a small trail on right. Take it.
Continue straight through an intersection, then take a left at a "T", then a quick right at the next intersection to find the gate near the road and your parking spot.

We live quite far away and can’t check on the box, so we would appreciate an email to let us know how the Sheep is doing in her home. Thank you!

Hike length: 2-3 miles