Bullwinkle and friends stop traffic in Big Cottonwood Canyon

We came around a bend and ... oh my gosh. Twenty cars were pulled over onto the shoulder of the road. People were dashing back and forth with cameras and phones in hand. The two way traffic slowed to a crawl so as to not run over anyone. Such chaos can only mean one thing: Wild animal spotted.

There they were: Four moose at the edge of a small clearning showing off their big antlers. One plopped down on the snow to watch as two others had a pushing match. Antlers clacked as they shoved each other. The big boys seemed to be sparing for practice rather than having a serious conflict. But it was fun to watch -- and to hear the sound of those big anters.

Seeing moose on the way to ski at Brighton or Solitude is a treat. They're sometimes spotted munching on the willows that line Big Cottonwood Creek. Watch for them -- and also watch for the give-away traffic jams.

Moose are the largest member of the deer family. Their large hooves act like snowshoes to support their weight on snow and mud. In winter, they eat shrubs and pinecones and they use their big hooves to scrape away snow so they can snack on moss and lichen. They can run up to 35 miles an hour, which means they can easily outrun you.

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