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Background Information: Dumpling Mountain
On August 20, 2015, Ranger Mike Fitz hosted a live chat from Dumpling Mountain, which included some of the background information below. A recording of the live chat is on the Explore Bears & Bison YouTube channel.

Live chat summary:

Ranger Mike begins this live chat with a view of steaming volcano, Mount Martin. He answers questions about the larger Katmai NP&P landscape, geology of the mountains, geology of the lake basins, volcanic history, glacial history, area plant life, and habitat of Dumpling Mountain. Learn how plants have adapted to survive in this area and enjoy Ranger Mike's identification of some berries and plants on Dumpling Mountain.

At approximately 2:23 into the video, Ranger Mike begins a panoramic tour of the view to the West, panning around to the North of the mountains and lakes that can be seen from atop Dumpling Mountain, including Lake Brooks, Mount Brooks (or Brooks Mountain), Mount Peulik (a volcano to the South in the Becharof National Wildlife Refuge on the other side of Becharof Lake), some of the islands in Lake Brooks (none of them have official place names), then moves on to some of the Katmai stratovolcanoes... Mount Martin, Mount Mageik, Trident Volcano, Kukak Volcano, and Devils Desk, while also sharing views of Mount Katolinat, and Mount La Gorce. In the process  of the panoramic view, Ranger Mike also discusses Katmai Pass, the Valley of 10,000 Smokes, the Brooks River area, Naknek Lake. Iliuk Arm of Naknek Lake, Hallo Bay, Ukak River, Savonoski River, North Arm of Naknek Lake, Bay of Islands, Fure's Cabin, Lake Grosvenor, Katmai National Preserve, and finishes the panoramic view at approximately 12:28 with a view of the summit of Dumpling Mountain.

Ranger Mike then discusses how the topography is defined by the glacial and volcanic history. Mount Katmai, Mount Griggs and Fourpeaked Volcano come into discussion when answering viewer questions. The Iliuk Moraine, a breached terminal glacial moraine that can be seen from the lower river and Dumpling Mountain cams was also discussed.

Ranger Mike then provides a view of the Bristol Bay Lowlands and discusses the glacial sediments of the Alaska Peninsula. Sharing close up views of a rock on Dumpling Mountain, Ranger Mike discusses the Jurassic Age. He then moves on to the alpine tundra and the plants found where he is doing the live chat from on Dumpling Mountain, showing close-up views of black crowberries and blueberries and discusses the arctic ground squirrels. Ranger Mike shares how the bears will come up to Dumpling Mountain, Mount Brooks, or Mount Kelez to eat the crowberries and then carried the seeds in their stomach after which the seeds can be discovered in the bear scat down by Brooks River where the crowberries do not grow.

The birds that can be observed on Dumpling Mountain like rock ptarmigan, willow ptarmigan, lapland longspurs, snow buntings, robins, and sparrows were discussed. Ranger Mike also mentions how caribou can sometimes wander up on to Dumpling Mountain (41:17 & 57:56).

Early season plant growth like alpine azalea was a topic that came up when answering a viewer question, along with how blooming continues and ends from June to August, and the climate impacts on insects and bumble bees that pollinate the plants. Poisonous plants found in the area are also discussed. Soils were discussed, which prompted the topic of ash from the impact of the 1912 eruption of Novarupta. The Good Friday 1964 earthquake in Alaska was discussed regarding its effects on the Katmai region and the wildlife that call it home. The sedimentary rocks, mixtures of sandstones and conglomerates at Brooks Falls were discussed.

Grazing animals were the topic of a viewer questions. The wind strength on top of Dumpling Mountain was the subject of another viewer question which led to the 2014 radio repeater wind damage on top of Dumpling Mountain and the 89 mile per hour winds recorded at Brooks Camp this season. Ranger Mike discussed bear denning habitat and survival adaptations of animals in the area. The solace that wilderness can provide was discussed.

Other Videos from Dumpling Mountain
Field Chat #3: Beneath Dumpling Mountain / September 22, 2013

Part 1 - Explore Documentary Films (YouTube)

Part 2 - Explore Documentary Films (YouTube)

Live Chat hosted by Rangers Roy Wood and Mike Fitz, Katmai National Park. With Ranger Leslie Skora, Bear Monitor, Katmai National Park.

Explore Live Cam Installation / 2014

Explore Documentary Films (YouTube)

Time lapse video from Dumpling Mountain.

Dumpling Mountain / October 14, 2014

MsDebbiB (YouTube)

Live Chat hosted by Ranger Mike Fitz, Katmai National Park. With Rangers Landis Ehler and Aaron Camire, Katmai National Park.

Live from Dumpling Mountain / June 25, 2018

Katmai National Park & Preserve (Facebook Live)

Live Chat hosted by Mike Fitz, Explore.org Bearcam Fellow, and Ranger Andrew LaValle, Katmai National Park.

'''Why Did Bear Cam Go Down? Q&A from Dumpling Mountain''' / July 7, 2021

Explore Bears & Bison (YouTube)

Live Chat hosted by Mike Fitz, Explore's Resident Naturalist.