One of my kids favorite things to do in spring is check out all the little ponds in Glacier for salamander, and frog eggs. This year the lower ponds are loaded with salamander egg clusters! It is so fun to watch them grow! One thing that makes salamander eggs particularly fun is that the eggs are clear so you can see the baby inside and watch them change shape and grow gills before hatching. They start out as little round balls and slowly open up and get longer and longer. Eventually their little gills pop out and you can see their defined tails. In the late spring when the snow is melted off, the ponds up around Mt. Baker Ski Area will also fill with salamander eggs. When your up hiking around take a look for a large ball about the size of a grapefruit that looks much like clear jello. They will be floating or attached to sticks in the ponds. But don’t disturb them! They are very fragile! They also camouflage pretty well, so it’s easiest to see them when the sun shines into the water, or if you get down close and look in.
