Dall sheep ram on the mountain slopes of Denali National Park, Alaska.Canon 1Ds Mark III, 75-300mm 5.6 DO IS, (285mm), 1/320 @ f7.1, ISO 200
On a recent trip to Denali National Park, I hiked up a mountain to photograph a band of Dall sheep rams. About half way up, my brother and I were caught in an intense hail storm. We were pelted with hail the size of marbles–and it hurt. After taking shelter along the lee side of a rock outcrop to get out of the driving force of the hail, I glanced across the mountain to see a lone Dall sheep ram doing the same thing. Once on top, the ground was white with piles of hail that looked like moth balls. Once the storm dissipated, the rams gathered back together and one group, seeking to join up with the others, walked right past me (about 10 feet away). This ram sports a full curl, and the astute can age them by counting the growth rings on the horns.
