"Today we checked out a short side stream. There were fresh bear tracks lining the shore. We parked the boat and walked up the stream. There was a small waterfall flowing from a large lake held back by a very old beaver dam. Although we were not far from the Kobuk River, we had entered a different world."

Find six.

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The open spruce woods on the hillsides is so very different from the dense williow brush that lines the river's edge.

White lichen, green Labrador tea and other plants turned red by the fall carpet the forest floor.
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Some of the hidden treasures are tasty!
Blueberries are an important food source for animals, especially bears.

A blue berry is nestled among bright red leaves.
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"The brillant yellow stands of Aspen trees on the hillside tell us a lot about the ground there. They only grow on sunny south-facing slopes, where the ground is not frozen and the soil is well drained."

Looking up at bright yellow aspen leaves against a blue sky.
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"Every small opening is an invitation to explore and find treasures."

A green canoe sits along the shore of a small side stream that reflects the reds and golds of fall.
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"In the stillness away from the windy river, we hear the sound of falling water and follow it to an ancient beaver dam."

A small waterfall plunges over an old beaver dam grown over with grass.
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"The beavers have made their own world behind the dam."

View looking down on a clear beaver pond behind a dam, surrounded by spruce and birch forest.