Alpine Giant

It takes a powerful animal like the moose to truly call the mountains home, moving quietly from valley to valley in search of food and a mate, sustaining a body built for the wild. Their antlers, known as a rack, can stretch an impressive 4–5 feet wide and weigh up to 25–30 pounds, shed and regrown each year in a remarkable cycle of renewal.

Standing 6–7 feet at the shoulders and weighing as much as 1,600 pounds, their long, muscular legs carry them effortlessly through dense forest, over thick brush, and into the open alpine meadows and lakes they depend on.

On a crisp early fall morning in Jasper, Alberta, I was fortunate to come upon one of these incredible giants, quietly feeding on willow bush in a meadow. It’s a moment you don’t soon forget. But as awe-inspiring as they are, moose demand respect… and distance. These are not animals you ever take a chance with.

- Stan Masters

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