Near timberline, we traversed a boulder field and spotted a guinea pig-sized sentinel perched on a rock above us, announcing our presence. It did not linger at its vulnerable post. Not long after delivering the alarm, the pint-sized ball of fur disappeared into a maze of rock crevasses and passageways. If you have hiked the alpine and subapline zones (above 10,000 feet) of the Colorado Rockies, you have, no doubt, heard or seen this diminutive mammal called the American pika, or just pika. (It's also known as a cony in some parts of the country.)
At first glimpse, the pika, with its rounded ears and large incisor teeth, seems to fit the profile of a rodent, but its genetics tell us otherwise. Biologists place the pika in the order of mammals known as Lagomorpha, which includes the rabbits and hares. Identifying a pika by sound can be relatively easy as they often reveal their presence by squeaking out alarm and territory calls as they scurry among rock piles. Spotting them among the lichen-covered rocks and boulders is another matter entirely. The pika’s grayish-brown coat blends in well with its surroundings and it does not remain in plain view for very long. If you do not see the animal, look for other evidence; tiny, rounded scat pellets deposited on rocks to mark territory.
Starting about mid-July, you may find small piles of vegetation beneath rock overhangs. These 'haypiles' are the pika’s harvest, dried in the sun, then stored under boulders in a complex of stashes. This cache of food (which is often large enough to fill a bathtub!) serves as insurance against an especially harsh winter.