I think this pudgy, winter-ready little friend might be Ochotona princeps, or American Pika. He or she is a little out of place, though. I think the elevation is high enough. At a guess, we were somewhere between 9,000 and 9,500 feet (2743.2 to 2895.6 meters), which would be the lower part of their range. But they are generally associated with rocky slopes above the tree line, where there are lots of the tufty grasses that they pile up to make hay (while the sun shines, of course!) for winter. So maybe he or she is just a misunderstood chipmunk or ground squirrel. He or she didn’t show us the tail, which would tell us definitively. Sure looks like a pika, though. #mammal #rodentsofinstagram #hireclmcdermid #getoutside #seenwhilehiking #evergreencolorado #naturephotography #nature #coloradooutdoors #mountainsarecalling #colorfulcolorado #explorenature #forestfloor #forest #woods #colorado #coloradophotography #parks #pika #pikachu #winteriscoming #mtevans #elevation #natures #naturecapture #nature_up_close #nature_seekers #nature_of_our_world #natgeoyourshot #natgeowild (at Echo Mountain) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3XWmPDl6Oh/?igshid=su4x3ulnhjyx