Ptarmigan, Below Valenciennes Col, British Columbia (February, white)

This fellow was a good omen. We had just skied 4000 feet down from the East Peak of Mount Alan Campbell into a big hole quite a distance away from the Campbell Icefield Chalet where we were staying and were facing a long ski back to the lodge over new terrain. As we started up from the low point I found this bird, and took that as a good omen.