There was a moose spotted at Colonial Creek South Campground, taking a dip in the cold waters of Diablo lake recently. Here’s some fun facts about moose. 🫎 The name “Moose” comes from an Algonquin word meaning “twig eater”, which would explain their diet of mainly leaves, twigs, buds and aquatic vegetation. 🫎 Moose are the largest member of the deer family. Cows usually weigh between 600 and 800 pounds, while bulls can weigh over 1,000 pounds and stand nearly 6 feet tall at the shoulder. 🫎 They are characterized by their long legs, barrel-shaped bodies, long snouts and large paddle-like antlers, which males grow every Spring and shed in the Fall. 🫎 Moose typically prefer climates where temperatures stay below 60 degrees in summer and 30 degrees in winter and prefer forested environments with an abundance of lakes, marshes and wetlands. 🫎 According to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, there are approximately 3,000 moose in the state. Most reside in Northeastern Washington, but there are smaller populations known to inhabit the North Cascades. 🫎 While Moose may be a more common site in the North Cascades than in previous decades, the long-term outlook on their survival here is not good. Moose have been impacted by climate change nationwide and their numbers have been in decline since the early 1990s. (fb)

Happy summer solstice! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 😎 Summer officially will start later today at 7:41pm pacific time⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 😎 In the Northern Hemisphere, the June solstice occurs when the Sun travels along its northernmost path in the sky ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 😎 This marks the astronomical start of summer in the northern half of the globe. In the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the opposite,the June solstice marks the astronomical start of winter when the Sun is at its lowest point in the sky⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 😎 On the day of the June solstice, the Northern Hemisphere receives sunlight at the most direct angle of the year, resulting in the longest day of the year (longest period of sunlight hours). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ How are you celebrating the summer solstice? 📍Ancestral homelands of the Upper Skagit, Swinomish, Sauk Suiattle & Nlaka’pamux people 📸: @pnwpolishgirls (fb)