Muir Valley Memories

One cannot think of Muir's "wildlife" without thinking of J.J. There are many campfire stories about climbing adventures with J.J. that qualify him for his presence in this category.

As there is no hunting permitted in Muir Valley, deer seem to be at ease with all the climbers and are regularly grazing in Muir's meadows.

Someone had apparently tamed this deer as she walked right up to Liz. However, wild animals should not be fed or tamed and should remain wild.

Of course this is not a wild animal but rather a rooster... and more specifically a fighting cock that went AWOL. He would spend nights roosting in Muir's trees, safe from foxes and coyotes.

Throughout Muir Valley's existence, and undoubtedly for millennia before Muir, beavers have built dams and ponds here. They are prolific loggers, as this photo shows. The Weber's policy with Muir is "live and let live." So these gnawing rascals get a free pass. And, they reward us with beautiful beaver ponds. These ponds may last a season or two before spring floods wash them away, after which the beavers start over.

We really love our beaver, but kinda wish they would switch their diet to something other than trees.

This dam is about 3 feet high. The highest built here in Muir Valley in the past twenty years has been just over 4 feet.