While many going up to Mount Evans or Trail Ridge Road look for the larger mammals and the views, I love to find these little creatures, pika. They really are becoming my favorite to photograph. Not only do they offer spunk, cuteness and the trick of being patient enough to find one, they are undoubtedly the most charming and photogenic mammal I have come across.
The size of guinea pigs, pikas are members of the rabbit and hare family. They prefer talus fields, which are rock slides that collect on the side of a mountain slope or cliff. The myriad nooks and crannies created by these rocks of various sizes offer pikas the perfect escape cover from predators. Talus slopes can be treacherous for both photographer and equipment, so tread carefully! 
Very active in the daylight hours, pikas collect grasses, wildflowers and other greens, spreading them out in the sun to cure. These little “haystacks” can be as big as three feet in diameter and are vigorously defended. When you find a pika haystack, you are going to see pikas. Sit long enough and before long you’ll hear the pikas high-pitched call.
The cutest animal to photograph – Pika
To photograph pikas, I arrive early morning before the temperatures rise enough for the pikas to warm up and become active. Sitting patiently and being observant is most important as you never know when a pika might suddenly be right beside you. Being sneaky little creatures, I get this suspicion that something is watching me and as soon as I see the pika and aim my lens, it disappears. Eventually the pikas became accepting of me as they scurry about the rocks, sometimes mere inches from my feet. All it requires on my part is to move slowly, sit, watch, listen and photograph.