Colorado Parks and Wildlife studies Pikes Peak bighorn sheep herd

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)-- Colorado terrestrial biologist Ty Woodward and volunteers make the trek up Pikes Peak every week to study the mountain's bighorn sheep herd. It sounds like fun but the crew must make the 14,115-foot summit before dawn to get in position, according to the CPW SE Region Twitter.

On Thursday, October 14th, the crew made their way up the mountain again, through 50 foot visibility in dense fog and freezing temperatures. Through spotting scopes the team saw lambs bearing the harsh conditions. CPW shared this photo of a lamb covered in ice from a storm that had just passed.

Despite the conditions, Woodward said the lamb is health and eventually hopped away with its ewe. “It was strong enough to withstand the brunt of the storm,” he said. Those are the exact types of observations Woodward and his crew were there to make.

CPW biologist Ty Woodward said it's clear winter conditions on Pikes Peak are pushing bighorn sheep off the summit. According to the crew, some sheep have already migrated to winter habitats lower on the mountain.