{"id":90046,"date":"2021-06-08T05:42:21","date_gmt":"2021-06-08T11:42:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=90046"},"modified":"2026-02-26T13:27:22","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T19:27:22","slug":"uinta-chipmunks-in-the-high-uinta-mountains","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/06\/08\/uinta-chipmunks-in-the-high-uinta-mountains\/","title":{"rendered":"Uinta Chipmunks In The High Uinta Mountains"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"UintaUinta Chipmunk in front of a sunlit tree trunk \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/2500, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I spent yesterday morning traveling Mirror Lake Highway in the Uinta Mountains<\/span><\/a> and came home with a few photos of Uinta Chipmunks. I should say I am reasonably sure that these are Uinta Chipmunks and not Least Chipmunks because of their dark ears, the reddish coloration in their tails and the pattern of the stripes on their backs and sides. If I am incorrect I don’t mind being corrected.<\/p>\n

I’ve submitted a few of these photos to iNaturalist<\/span><\/a> for verification but I haven’t had great success in getting answers from iNaturalist with chipmunks in the past so I am not holding my breath.<\/p>\n

This chipmunk was on a rock in front of a sunlit tree trunk which gave me this spotlight type effect.<\/p>\n

\"UintaUinta Chipmunk on a small rock \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/4000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

There was a pair of the chipmunks chasing each other around on the rocks at the edge of the road and a forest of trees not far from the summit of Bald Mountain pass. I would say that this was a male chipmunk because I could see two little male bits in other photos. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

\"PairPair of Uinta Chipmunks \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1600, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The Uinta Chipmunks<\/span><\/a> moved around on the rocks and boulders at lightning fast speeds which meant that they were hard to keep up with. Sometimes they were close to each other and sometimes they were apart.<\/p>\n

\"UintaUinta Chipmunk in the high Uinta Mountains \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1600, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Even though it was hard to track them with my long lens I had fun doing it. I adore chipmunks.<\/p>\n

\"UintaUinta Chipmunk on a lichen covered boulder \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/2500, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I also liked the setting that the chipmunks were scurrying around in. Some of the boulders had lichens on them in the most fascinating patterns.<\/p>\n

\"UintaUinta Chipmunk resting on a sunlit boulder \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

When the two chipmunks finished chasing each other around this male laid down and rested on a sunlit boulder for a few seconds.<\/p>\n

\"UintaUinta Chipmunk grooming on a boulder \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

And then he groomed his fur. This is this chipmunk’s “good side” His left side had two large patches where his fur was missing. I can only wonder why he had those patches of missing fur.<\/p>\n

\"BaldBald Mountain Pass View – June 7, 2021 – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/3200, ISO 500, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 18mm, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

It wasn’t a very birdy trip into the high Uintas but I enjoyed the views, the birds I did see and the clean, fresh mountain air. It was great to be back in these mountains.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Uinta Chipmunk photos plus facts and information about this species<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I spent yesterday morning traveling Mirror Lake Highway in the Uinta Mountains and came home with a few photos of Uinta Chipmunks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":170611,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1731,11868,8514,3886,26],"tags":[4004,11873,4956,4383,5352,5370,716,11872,299,3291,4062,4069,7533,2139,4156,4470,344,165,10660,7532],"class_list":["post-90046","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-summit-county-utah","category-uinta-chipmunks","category-uinta-mountains","category-uinta-national-forest","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-bald-mountain-overlook","tag-boulders","tag-chipmunk","tag-chipmunks","tag-forest","tag-grooming","tag-hidden-forest-chipmunk","tag-high-uintas","tag-lichen","tag-male","tag-mountains","tag-tamias-umbrinus","tag-pair","tag-resting","tag-rocks","tag-scenery","tag-spring","tag-tree-trunk","tag-uinta-chipmunk"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/uinta-chipmunks-uinta-mountains-mia-mcpherson-5018.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-nqm","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":107040,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/10\/09\/cuddling-uinta-chipmunks-in-the-wasatch-mountains\/","url_meta":{"origin":90046,"position":0},"title":"Cuddling Uinta Chipmunks In The Wasatch Mountains","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 9, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"On my most recent trip to the Wasatch Mountains, I relished the fall colors, a Ruffed Grouse, and a pair of cuddly Uinta Chipmunks.","rel":"","context":"In "Morgan County"","block_context":{"text":"Morgan County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/morgan-county\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Cuddling Uinta Chipmunks, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/uinta-chipmunk-chokecherry-mountains-mia-mcpherson-9290.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/uinta-chipmunk-chokecherry-mountains-mia-mcpherson-9290.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/uinta-chipmunk-chokecherry-mountains-mia-mcpherson-9290.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/uinta-chipmunk-chokecherry-mountains-mia-mcpherson-9290.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":109055,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/12\/28\/some-mammals-i-loved-in-2023\/","url_meta":{"origin":90046,"position":1},"title":"Some Mammals I Loved In 2022","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 28, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"This morning I am sharing some photos of the mammals I loved finding, seeing, photographing and having in my viewfinder in 2022.","rel":"","context":"In "American Badgers"","block_context":{"text":"American Badgers","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/wildlife\/american-badger\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American Badger in profile, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/american-badger-wasatch-mountains-mia-mcpherson-0292.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/american-badger-wasatch-mountains-mia-mcpherson-0292.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/american-badger-wasatch-mountains-mia-mcpherson-0292.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/american-badger-wasatch-mountains-mia-mcpherson-0292.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":99148,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/01\/21\/squirrel-appreciation-day-2022\/","url_meta":{"origin":90046,"position":2},"title":"Squirrel Appreciation Day 2022","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 21, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"January 21st is Squirrel Appreciation Day around the globe. There are many reasons to appreciate these furry, four legged, cute creatures.\u00a0","rel":"","context":"In "Box Elder County"","block_context":{"text":"Box Elder County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/box-elder-county-utah\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Baby Uinta Ground Squirrel calling from a rock, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/uinta-ground-squirrel-baby-calling-mia-mcpherson-4066.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/uinta-ground-squirrel-baby-calling-mia-mcpherson-4066.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/uinta-ground-squirrel-baby-calling-mia-mcpherson-4066.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/uinta-ground-squirrel-baby-calling-mia-mcpherson-4066.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":115226,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/08\/17\/least-chipmunk-nibbling-a-serviceberry\/","url_meta":{"origin":90046,"position":3},"title":"Least Chipmunk Nibbling A Serviceberry","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 17, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Two days ago, while I was up in the Wasatch Mountains, I photographed this Least Chipmunk nibbling on a serviceberry that wasn't anywhere near ripe.","rel":"","context":"In "Least Chipmunks"","block_context":{"text":"Least Chipmunks","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/wildlife\/least-chipmunks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Least Chipmunk nibbling on a serviceberry, Wasatch Mountains, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/least-chipmunk-eating-serviceberry-mia-mcpherson-7649.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/least-chipmunk-eating-serviceberry-mia-mcpherson-7649.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/least-chipmunk-eating-serviceberry-mia-mcpherson-7649.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/least-chipmunk-eating-serviceberry-mia-mcpherson-7649.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":40757,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/08\/02\/wasatch-mountain-range-chipmunk\/","url_meta":{"origin":90046,"position":4},"title":"Wasatch Mountain Range Chipmunk","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 2, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"It seemed like every where I looked I saw little chipmunks scurrying around on the ground and climbing in the scrub oaks that dot the western side of the Wasatch Mountains.","rel":"","context":"In "Davis County"","block_context":{"text":"Davis County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/davis-county-utah\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Least Chipmunk in the Wasatch Mountains, Wasatch National Forest, Skyline Drive, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/least-chipmunk-wasatch-mountains-mia-mcpherson-7183.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/least-chipmunk-wasatch-mountains-mia-mcpherson-7183.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/least-chipmunk-wasatch-mountains-mia-mcpherson-7183.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/least-chipmunk-wasatch-mountains-mia-mcpherson-7183.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5194,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/06\/17\/creatures-great-and-small-red-rock-lakes-national-wildlife-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":90046,"position":5},"title":"Creatures Great and Small – Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 17, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"There are many mammals to see at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in Montana, I haven't seen them all yet but I hope to one day. On this last trip I saw Moose, Elk, Skunks, Ground Squirrels, Chipmunks, Foxes, White-tailed and Mule Deer, Yellow-bellied Marmots, and Pronghorns.","rel":"","context":"In "Montana"","block_context":{"text":"Montana","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Moose with calf in Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/moose-calf-mia-mcpherson-8746.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/moose-calf-mia-mcpherson-8746.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/moose-calf-mia-mcpherson-8746.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/moose-calf-mia-mcpherson-8746.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90046","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=90046"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/90046\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/170611"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=90046"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=90046"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=90046"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}