1 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:08,840 High above the clouds... 2 00:00:12,400 --> 00:00:13,800 ..there are lost worlds. 3 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:18,480 Unexplored... 4 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:25,280 ..unforgiving... 5 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:29,680 ..wildly unpredictable. 6 00:00:34,560 --> 00:00:39,000 But on the great mountain ranges of our planet, life does exist. 7 00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:44,880 Against all odds, 8 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:47,240 a few extraordinary animals 9 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:50,960 and remarkable people 10 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:54,480 make their home in the highest places on Earth. 11 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:09,560 WIND WHISTLES 12 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:18,080 In the Rocky Mountains, 13 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:20,520 you can sit all day and watch the world go by... 14 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:24,960 ..without seeing a soul. 15 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:31,240 Slap bang in the middle of busy North America... 16 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:37,200 ..for as far as the eye can see, 17 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:38,560 it's just wilderness. 18 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:44,360 In the Rockies, the weather can change on a dime. 19 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:49,160 It can shift from scorching 20 00:01:49,160 --> 00:01:52,600 to Arctic in a few hours. 21 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:58,040 To make it here, 22 00:01:58,040 --> 00:01:59,880 it's vital to know 23 00:01:59,880 --> 00:02:03,000 when to act 24 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:04,520 and when to wait. 25 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:11,680 In the Rockies, it's all about picking that perfect... 26 00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:15,520 ..moment. 27 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:26,960 The Rockies are the spine of North America. 28 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:29,880 They rise up in the South West, 29 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:33,600 travel north through Colorado, Wyoming, 30 00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:37,840 Idaho, Montana, and up into Canada, 31 00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:39,560 to the edge of the frozen Yukon. 32 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:47,400 The Rockies are 3,000 miles long. 33 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:51,880 Five times the length of Britain. 34 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:55,920 There's so many mountains, 35 00:02:55,920 --> 00:02:57,760 many don't even have names. 36 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:04,240 This is a world of unknown peaks 37 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:05,760 and hidden valleys. 38 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:12,600 The last great sanctuary of the iconic animals of North America. 39 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:18,880 Buffalo still roam free... 40 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:26,160 ..and grizzlies raise their young. 41 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:37,160 It's winter. 42 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:40,120 Minus ten. 43 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:41,880 The days are short. 44 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:47,560 But before the animals go into lockdown, 45 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:50,120 one event is about to stir the Rockies. 46 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:57,680 It's all down to Bighorn sheep. 47 00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:01,560 Normally docile, but today, 48 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:02,840 a scent is in the air. 49 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:10,040 And it's turning the males into warriors. 50 00:04:12,360 --> 00:04:15,280 It's the most important moment in their year. 51 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:21,800 All the males are picking up the scent... 52 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:26,440 ..drawing it up into the roof of their mouths. 53 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:30,400 Analysing the smell. 54 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:43,280 The females produce this particular perfume only when they're in heat. 55 00:04:44,640 --> 00:04:47,440 Each female is fertile for just two days. 56 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:52,120 Not a chance a red-blooded ram wants to miss. 57 00:04:56,640 --> 00:05:00,880 But to get to mate, they first have to fight the other males. 58 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:05,480 It begins 59 00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:07,240 with pushing and shoving... 60 00:05:11,200 --> 00:05:13,760 ..but quickly goes below the belt. 61 00:05:18,960 --> 00:05:21,880 Goading each other, seeing who's strongest... 62 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:25,800 ..who's up for it. 63 00:05:29,280 --> 00:05:31,600 And then the fight is on. 64 00:05:36,640 --> 00:05:38,440 This is their one chance. 65 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:44,000 They've got to take it. 66 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:49,560 The horns can weigh 30 pounds. 67 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:55,600 As much as the rest of their bones. 68 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:00,440 It's the biggest rumble in the Rockies. 69 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:06,120 It echoes for miles around the mountains. 70 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:11,200 Clashing horns with eight times the 71 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:13,760 force that would fracture a human skull. 72 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:24,880 Other creatures would get brain damage. 73 00:06:27,640 --> 00:06:31,280 But Bighorns have double-thickness skulls to soak up the shock. 74 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:46,880 The losers are left with a sore head. 75 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:52,560 They'll have to wait a whole year for another shot at mating. 76 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:58,080 The victors get the females. 77 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:00,800 They've seized their chance, and won. 78 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:04,880 And choosing that perfect moment 79 00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:08,320 is the secret to success throughout the Rockies. 80 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:14,000 And that's for one simple reason - 81 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:17,000 the weather here is more changeable than 82 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:20,040 any of the other great mountain ranges. 83 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:22,520 The greatest daily temperature swing in the world 84 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:24,320 was recorded in the Rockies, 85 00:07:24,320 --> 00:07:28,720 dropping 56 degrees Centigrade from one day to the next. 86 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:32,880 But the seasonal swing is even bigger. 87 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:37,600 The summers are scorching and dry. 88 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:42,400 Every year, 700,000 acres go up in smoke. 89 00:07:43,360 --> 00:07:45,800 Temperatures soar to 40 degrees. 90 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:57,680 But in the winter, avalanches rip down at 80mph. 91 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:02,760 There's 100,000 every year. 92 00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:08,880 Temperatures plummet to minus 40 - 93 00:08:08,880 --> 00:08:11,560 cold enough to freeze the mercury in a thermometer. 94 00:08:19,160 --> 00:08:22,320 By midwinter, the world is frozen solid. 95 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:25,280 WIND WHISTLES 96 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:35,640 BIRD CALLS 97 00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:39,960 Diamond dust. 98 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:43,680 Ice crystallised by the frozen air. 99 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:47,480 Winter can be beautiful. 100 00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:51,600 But brutal. 101 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:53,920 Winds reach 200mph. 102 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:57,080 ANIMALS GRUNT 103 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:00,720 It can snow six feet in a day. 104 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:08,600 For most, winter is a time of hardship and suffering. 105 00:09:12,680 --> 00:09:16,640 But here in the far north of the Rockies, 106 00:09:16,640 --> 00:09:19,440 it's the perfect moment for one creature. 107 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:24,400 The Wolverine. 108 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:32,520 Most people spend a lifetime here and never even glimpse one. 109 00:09:35,320 --> 00:09:38,920 He feeds on the frozen bodies of animals killed by winter... 110 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:45,920 ..and preserved in nature's freezer. 111 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:51,920 His nose can detect food buried 20 feet deep. 112 00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:58,440 Other animals follow him around hoping to steal a meal. 113 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:08,040 But carcasses are few and far between. 114 00:10:12,280 --> 00:10:15,680 Each day, he must scour the mountains for scraps. 115 00:10:27,480 --> 00:10:29,120 Determination pays off. 116 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:34,240 The frozen remains are as hard as iron, 117 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:37,040 but specially adapted teeth tear them open. 118 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:45,760 Ravens sound the dinner bell. 119 00:10:48,680 --> 00:10:50,880 And it brings the mountains' top predator. 120 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:53,280 HOWLING 121 00:10:56,080 --> 00:10:58,160 The Wolverine has to act fast. 122 00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:01,680 A hungry wolf pack could kill him. 123 00:11:17,960 --> 00:11:21,280 It doesn't take long for wolves to devour a carcass. 124 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:34,520 He melts back into the wilderness, 125 00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:36,560 always searching for another chance. 126 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:54,320 Seizing the moment is crucial for 127 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:56,560 all creatures that live in the Rockies. 128 00:11:58,280 --> 00:12:01,720 And that's especially true of one unique animal. 129 00:12:06,480 --> 00:12:08,280 The mountains call us, 130 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:11,920 but we're not built to live above the clouds. 131 00:12:11,920 --> 00:12:15,960 We, most of all, must gauge the conditions perfectly. 132 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:20,680 For those with the courage and the judgment, 133 00:12:20,680 --> 00:12:23,680 the prize is the freedom of these mountains. 134 00:12:33,680 --> 00:12:38,080 For some, the draw of the Rockies is so strong 135 00:12:38,080 --> 00:12:41,360 they need to go further and higher. 136 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:51,320 I mean, ALL mountains have a moodiness to them, 137 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:52,560 have a personality. 138 00:12:52,560 --> 00:12:55,360 But the Rockies, the Rockies might take the cake. 139 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:03,520 Hillary O'Neil is a professional mountaineer and skier. 140 00:13:03,520 --> 00:13:06,680 She's climbed Everest and led expeditions 141 00:13:06,680 --> 00:13:10,000 to mountains around the world for 15 years. 142 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:12,680 But her home is Colorado, 143 00:13:12,680 --> 00:13:14,920 in the southern Rockies. 144 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:18,000 It's not for the beginner, they're steep mountains, they're rugged. 145 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:19,880 It keeps you on your toes. 146 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:25,080 I think I could spend ten lifetimes here 147 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:29,600 There's one mountain in particular she wants to climb. 148 00:13:31,160 --> 00:13:34,440 And now, in late winter, it's the perfect moment. 149 00:13:36,600 --> 00:13:38,360 Mount Sneffels. 150 00:13:41,680 --> 00:13:43,720 The highest peak for miles. 151 00:13:46,640 --> 00:13:50,000 At 4,300 metres high, 152 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:53,440 the air's 40% thinner than at sea level. 153 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:56,120 And the winds can blow over 100mph. 154 00:14:00,800 --> 00:14:04,120 She's set herself a task to climb it, 155 00:14:04,120 --> 00:14:07,720 and then, for the very first time, 156 00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:10,920 she will ski down the treacherous north side, 157 00:14:10,920 --> 00:14:13,680 down a steep gully called The Snake. 158 00:14:18,880 --> 00:14:21,440 I mean, there's, you know, lots of catchphrases 159 00:14:21,440 --> 00:14:22,960 about the Rocky Mountains. 160 00:14:22,960 --> 00:14:25,560 And the one that always kind of sticks in my head is, you know, 161 00:14:25,560 --> 00:14:29,000 "If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes and it'll change." 162 00:14:30,560 --> 00:14:33,280 For me, it makes me want to go out in the mountains every day, 163 00:14:33,280 --> 00:14:36,280 because I think it's going to be different every day. And sometimes, 164 00:14:36,280 --> 00:14:38,680 sometimes I think the mountains around here 165 00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:41,840 are warm and welcoming, and other times you're like, 166 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:45,160 "God, I just hope they let me go and let me out of their grasp, 167 00:14:45,160 --> 00:14:46,680 "and I can go home!" 168 00:14:49,520 --> 00:14:52,440 It's a long slog to the summit. 169 00:14:52,440 --> 00:14:54,000 With the air getting thinner. 170 00:14:56,120 --> 00:14:57,800 And the snow getting deeper. 171 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:03,320 I often feel threatened when I'm up here. 172 00:15:04,560 --> 00:15:07,640 I think it's a good thing to feel fear cos that means you're pushing 173 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:12,080 yourself a little bit. And that makes you feel alive 174 00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:14,720 and, yeah, I would take that any day. 175 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:18,960 There's no time to stop at the summit. 176 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:23,040 She quickly abseils down to the start of the gully. 177 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:39,960 Every minute, the wind is picking up. 178 00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:43,880 There's no time to waste. 179 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:48,040 SHE PANTS 180 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:08,400 These mountain gullies act as funnels for avalanches. 181 00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:20,520 As she approaches the bottleneck... 182 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:25,000 ..the snow is getting more and more unstable. 183 00:16:27,920 --> 00:16:29,240 Oh... 184 00:16:47,160 --> 00:16:48,600 Woo! 185 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:52,800 The hard work done, 186 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:54,440 now she can claim her prize. 187 00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:19,440 When I go and do something new in these mountains, 188 00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:21,480 it feels pioneering, 189 00:17:21,480 --> 00:17:23,720 in a modern way. 190 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:27,400 And I think that is a lot of the spirit of the people 191 00:17:27,400 --> 00:17:29,360 that still live around these mountains. 192 00:17:41,000 --> 00:17:43,600 The Rockies have always attracted pioneers. 193 00:17:46,440 --> 00:17:49,080 Thousands flocked here in the 1800s. 194 00:17:51,960 --> 00:17:53,320 Some made fortunes. 195 00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:56,960 For others, the timing was wrong. 196 00:18:00,280 --> 00:18:02,520 Mining towns, 197 00:18:02,520 --> 00:18:05,320 abandoned after the gold and silver ran out. 198 00:18:11,360 --> 00:18:15,920 Farmers were also lured west with the promise of cheap land. 199 00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:22,960 Early March, 200 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:27,880 and the last snow of winter falls on an abandoned ranch in Montana. 201 00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:30,120 The home, reclaimed by nature. 202 00:18:35,960 --> 00:18:37,560 Mule deer. 203 00:18:37,560 --> 00:18:42,240 They have been forced down from the mountains in search of grass to eat. 204 00:18:42,240 --> 00:18:43,400 But they're nervous. 205 00:18:44,680 --> 00:18:47,440 And rightly so. 206 00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:50,000 Something here is very wrong. 207 00:18:55,440 --> 00:18:58,560 Each barn is littered with corpses of other deer. 208 00:19:00,800 --> 00:19:02,640 A predator is close by. 209 00:19:07,440 --> 00:19:09,600 Magpies feed on the latest victim. 210 00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:15,440 But the mule deer have a terrible choice. 211 00:19:15,440 --> 00:19:17,840 If they go back to the mountains, they'll starve. 212 00:19:19,120 --> 00:19:21,440 If they stay here, 213 00:19:21,440 --> 00:19:23,240 the predator may get them. 214 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:28,640 During the daylight, they're safe. 215 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:34,520 But as night falls... 216 00:19:37,560 --> 00:19:40,760 ..the ranch becomes the realm of the phantom killer. 217 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:46,920 Under the cloak of darkness, 218 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:50,320 catching sight of this silent killer is almost impossible. 219 00:20:10,080 --> 00:20:14,680 In some Native American myths, this is a creature of the underworld. 220 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:18,120 A harbinger of death. 221 00:20:26,920 --> 00:20:28,000 The mountain lion. 222 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:33,840 Secretive, silent, and smart. 223 00:20:36,400 --> 00:20:39,360 She uses these buildings to hide her kills 224 00:20:39,360 --> 00:20:42,680 from the prying eyes of other animals, 225 00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:45,680 so she can feed unnoticed, undisturbed. 226 00:20:48,280 --> 00:20:52,120 The mountain lion is the top ambush predator in the Rockies. 227 00:20:54,400 --> 00:20:57,640 Powerful back legs for lightning-fast leaps, 228 00:20:57,640 --> 00:21:00,160 huge front feet for catching prey 229 00:21:00,160 --> 00:21:02,760 and a long, heavy tail for balance. 230 00:21:07,600 --> 00:21:10,760 With a full stomach, she slips into the dark. 231 00:21:18,360 --> 00:21:19,960 And the herd is safe. 232 00:21:21,360 --> 00:21:23,720 Until tomorrow night. 233 00:21:39,480 --> 00:21:40,920 It's the end of March. 234 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:48,080 Across the Rockies, billions of tonnes of water 235 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:51,040 have been locked up all winter as snow and ice. 236 00:21:57,160 --> 00:22:00,600 But today, for the first time this year, 237 00:22:00,600 --> 00:22:03,480 the sun is in the sky for more than 12 hours. 238 00:22:06,120 --> 00:22:09,320 And, at last, spring has arrived. 239 00:22:17,400 --> 00:22:20,160 The mountains are waking up, 240 00:22:20,160 --> 00:22:21,680 the tap is being turned on. 241 00:22:24,880 --> 00:22:28,320 3,000 waterfalls appear across the Rockies. 242 00:22:33,600 --> 00:22:37,720 Hundreds of billions of gallons are released from the mountains. 243 00:22:41,640 --> 00:22:44,440 A thousand frozen lakes are unlocked... 244 00:22:46,480 --> 00:22:47,880 ..and filled with meltwater. 245 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:57,040 The Rockies nourish 900 million acres across America. 246 00:22:59,920 --> 00:23:01,920 The good times are coming. 247 00:23:05,360 --> 00:23:08,000 Spring grass is rich and wholesome. 248 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:13,120 Everyone is hungry... 249 00:23:15,560 --> 00:23:17,320 ..including the predators. 250 00:23:22,400 --> 00:23:25,120 BIRDS CHIRP 251 00:23:29,080 --> 00:23:31,760 In the mountain meadows of Wyoming, 252 00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:33,600 an elk calf has just been born. 253 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:38,920 The timing of her birth was impeccable. 254 00:23:38,920 --> 00:23:42,240 Any earlier, and frosts would have killed her. 255 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:44,760 Any later, she would miss the spring grass. 256 00:23:46,600 --> 00:23:49,080 But it's also the most dangerous time. 257 00:23:49,080 --> 00:23:51,000 Hungry predators are all around. 258 00:23:54,360 --> 00:23:57,960 When she's just born, her legs are too weak to hold her weight. 259 00:24:07,960 --> 00:24:10,560 The calf can't run to save herself. 260 00:24:10,560 --> 00:24:12,600 Instead, she has to hide. 261 00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:21,480 Her mother has a strong scent. 262 00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:23,400 A beacon to predators. 263 00:24:26,840 --> 00:24:30,080 The only way to protect her baby is to leave her. 264 00:24:53,480 --> 00:24:56,680 The first night of her life will be the longest. 265 00:25:09,680 --> 00:25:12,520 HOWLING 266 00:25:12,520 --> 00:25:13,720 Wolves. 267 00:25:13,720 --> 00:25:15,280 HOWLING AND BARKING 268 00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:17,200 Coyote. 269 00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:19,560 Even cougar. 270 00:25:19,560 --> 00:25:22,840 On that first night, the sounds of hunting are all around her. 271 00:25:25,840 --> 00:25:27,960 Instinctively, she knows to stay still. 272 00:25:46,440 --> 00:25:48,120 Dawn is a long time coming. 273 00:25:57,800 --> 00:25:59,640 The calf has survived the night. 274 00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:06,200 But the chatter of magpies signals not all newborns were so lucky. 275 00:26:11,040 --> 00:26:14,720 Scavengers bicker over the remains of a calf killed overnight. 276 00:26:18,480 --> 00:26:20,120 And now there's a new threat. 277 00:26:23,440 --> 00:26:27,280 During the spring, one third of all newborn calves 278 00:26:27,280 --> 00:26:30,880 are killed by one highly specialised deer-hunter. 279 00:26:43,840 --> 00:26:48,880 This grizzly bear has just come out of a five-month hibernation, 280 00:26:48,880 --> 00:26:50,360 and she's famished. 281 00:26:54,320 --> 00:26:58,960 The grizzly's sense of smell is 2,000 times better than a human. 282 00:27:06,120 --> 00:27:10,000 But this calf has a trick to avoid being sniffed out. 283 00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:15,000 She has been born almost without scent herself. 284 00:27:16,240 --> 00:27:18,640 The bear's nose is no use. 285 00:27:25,360 --> 00:27:28,840 But grizzlies are smart, and have other tactics. 286 00:27:30,080 --> 00:27:32,280 She methodically combs through the meadow. 287 00:27:54,920 --> 00:27:58,040 The calf must stay absolutely still. 288 00:28:00,920 --> 00:28:02,960 The worst thing to do now is run. 289 00:28:30,400 --> 00:28:35,040 The bear ambles away, unaware of the meal that was under her nose. 290 00:28:43,360 --> 00:28:45,400 The mother returns to her calf. 291 00:28:50,280 --> 00:28:51,880 Her legs are growing stronger. 292 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:02,160 Her mother can now lead her back 293 00:29:02,160 --> 00:29:05,360 towards the mountains and the safety of the herd. 294 00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:11,440 In the Rockies, 295 00:29:11,440 --> 00:29:15,840 sometimes the bravest animals come in the smallest sizes. 296 00:29:25,800 --> 00:29:27,440 It's late spring. 297 00:29:28,920 --> 00:29:30,880 And the sun heats the mountain rocks... 298 00:29:33,000 --> 00:29:37,120 ..which warms the surrounding air, making winds, 299 00:29:37,120 --> 00:29:39,640 which are forced up the valley sides. 300 00:29:42,520 --> 00:29:44,880 Winds made by the mountains. 301 00:29:46,920 --> 00:29:49,600 It's the perfect place to be a bird. 302 00:29:58,160 --> 00:30:00,520 I dreamed about flying when I was a kid. 303 00:30:02,800 --> 00:30:05,640 I've always had a fascination and a curiosity 304 00:30:05,640 --> 00:30:07,800 with the freedom that birds have. 305 00:30:11,920 --> 00:30:14,160 Just not being attached to earth. 306 00:30:20,080 --> 00:30:23,520 Jeff Shapiro lives in the heart of the Montana Rockies. 307 00:30:28,120 --> 00:30:31,440 Every other day in the spring and summer, 308 00:30:31,440 --> 00:30:33,520 he climbs into these mountains. 309 00:30:33,520 --> 00:30:37,120 I've always wanted to be in places that were bigger than me, 310 00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:39,760 to show me how insignificant I am. 311 00:30:42,120 --> 00:30:45,400 You could spend a lifetime in the Rockies and not see another person. 312 00:30:46,680 --> 00:30:49,920 They just go on for miles and miles and miles. 313 00:30:51,000 --> 00:30:54,000 And that gives me a feeling like there's still adventure. 314 00:30:55,520 --> 00:30:59,040 The conditions must be perfect before he flies. 315 00:31:00,280 --> 00:31:01,720 As I'm approaching the jump, 316 00:31:01,720 --> 00:31:05,120 I try and pay attention to what the birds are doing. 317 00:31:07,560 --> 00:31:11,800 I try and pay attention to how the leaves on the trees are moving. 318 00:31:11,800 --> 00:31:15,080 It all gives me information that will help me stay safe. 319 00:31:21,320 --> 00:31:23,840 One of the most important factors is timing. 320 00:31:26,120 --> 00:31:28,360 The moment I choose to jump off the cliff 321 00:31:28,360 --> 00:31:31,600 is the most important moment in my life. 322 00:31:31,600 --> 00:31:32,960 Because I've committed. 323 00:31:34,960 --> 00:31:38,240 The valley floor is 3,000 feet below. 324 00:31:50,840 --> 00:31:52,440 HE EXHALES SHARPLY 325 00:31:52,440 --> 00:31:56,760 Three, two, one. 326 00:31:56,760 --> 00:31:58,640 See ya! 327 00:32:34,960 --> 00:32:38,480 The first time I stepped off the ground and escaped from gravity... 328 00:32:40,880 --> 00:32:44,600 ..that sense of speed and you're connected to the mountain, 329 00:32:44,600 --> 00:32:46,200 you're connected to the terrain... 330 00:32:48,360 --> 00:32:50,960 I guess it could be described as, like, pure joy. 331 00:32:57,600 --> 00:33:01,000 To have that sense that anything's possible... 332 00:33:04,400 --> 00:33:06,080 ..that, to me, feels like freedom. 333 00:33:18,880 --> 00:33:20,400 Summer has arrived. 334 00:33:21,840 --> 00:33:23,680 The mountain peaks are now bare. 335 00:33:26,320 --> 00:33:30,040 The melting snow has made temporary ponds in the mountain meadows. 336 00:33:33,720 --> 00:33:35,480 They're full of life. 337 00:33:35,480 --> 00:33:38,360 But in the heat of the summer sun, they won't last long. 338 00:33:42,760 --> 00:33:44,480 In ponds like this... 339 00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:49,240 ..young salamanders are growing. 340 00:33:50,280 --> 00:33:51,920 Just three inches long. 341 00:33:53,560 --> 00:33:57,000 But the biggest beasts in this tiny kingdom. 342 00:34:00,320 --> 00:34:03,320 The manes around their heads are gills. 343 00:34:04,320 --> 00:34:07,840 The feathery fronds soaking up the oxygen from the water. 344 00:34:14,880 --> 00:34:18,320 Their small mouths are just big enough to swallow their lunch. 345 00:34:19,760 --> 00:34:22,400 But with microscopic teeth, 346 00:34:22,400 --> 00:34:24,320 eating is a slow process. 347 00:34:26,240 --> 00:34:29,040 At first, all is well. 348 00:34:29,040 --> 00:34:32,960 But in the summer heat, the pond starts to shrink. 349 00:34:41,880 --> 00:34:44,040 The salamanders 350 00:34:44,040 --> 00:34:46,760 become a little too close for comfort. 351 00:34:49,440 --> 00:34:53,080 Soon, the cupboard starts to run dry. 352 00:34:54,640 --> 00:34:58,560 And the salamanders are hungry. 353 00:35:02,760 --> 00:35:07,080 And it's now that the mood starts to darken. 354 00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:26,360 The biggest salamander in the pond starts transforming... 355 00:35:28,400 --> 00:35:31,240 ..into something more sinister. 356 00:35:33,960 --> 00:35:35,800 His mouth has grown wider. 357 00:35:38,200 --> 00:35:41,200 He's developed hundreds of needle-sharp teeth. 358 00:35:42,360 --> 00:35:45,080 They'll stop his new victims from wriggling away. 359 00:35:51,480 --> 00:35:56,280 The other salamanders may well be his brothers and sisters, 360 00:35:56,280 --> 00:35:58,960 but they're starting to look quite tasty. 361 00:36:01,920 --> 00:36:05,760 He has transformed into a cannibal. 362 00:36:20,400 --> 00:36:22,840 The mountain sun keeps shrinking the pond. 363 00:36:25,520 --> 00:36:28,880 So there's no escape from Big Brother. 364 00:36:31,800 --> 00:36:36,280 But then the victims start to fight back. 365 00:36:36,280 --> 00:36:40,080 The other salamanders also start to turn into cannibals. 366 00:36:45,680 --> 00:36:47,640 Everyone wants to eat everyone else. 367 00:36:54,760 --> 00:37:01,240 Soon, in this pond, there's just a single, very plump salamander. 368 00:37:03,280 --> 00:37:06,920 Everyone else has mysteriously disappeared. 369 00:37:09,320 --> 00:37:11,640 But it's an empty victory. 370 00:37:11,640 --> 00:37:15,200 The mountain sun has turned the pond into a puddle. 371 00:37:15,200 --> 00:37:18,480 Eventually it will dry out completely 372 00:37:18,480 --> 00:37:20,200 and he too would die... 373 00:37:22,600 --> 00:37:26,840 ..except he has performed another even-greater trick. 374 00:37:27,640 --> 00:37:30,240 His gills have disappeared, 375 00:37:30,240 --> 00:37:32,080 reabsorbed into his body. 376 00:37:33,800 --> 00:37:37,160 Inside him, he has grown a pair of lungs. 377 00:37:40,160 --> 00:37:44,600 Then, as the mountain sun dries up the last of the puddle, 378 00:37:44,600 --> 00:37:47,760 this Houdini steps out 379 00:37:47,760 --> 00:37:51,800 and fills his lungs with the cool mountain air. 380 00:37:55,280 --> 00:37:57,280 The ultimate transformer. 381 00:38:07,640 --> 00:38:09,280 Midsummer. 382 00:38:09,280 --> 00:38:11,720 But even now, autumn is around the corner. 383 00:38:14,680 --> 00:38:18,720 Everyone's in a hurry to make the most of nature's gold rush. 384 00:38:25,120 --> 00:38:28,160 And no-one is busier than this creature. 385 00:38:31,600 --> 00:38:33,400 A Rufous hummingbird. 386 00:38:34,520 --> 00:38:40,000 The tiny master of the Rockies weighing less than a penny, 387 00:38:40,000 --> 00:38:43,760 and with a pulse rate of 1,000, no heart beats faster. 388 00:38:50,360 --> 00:38:54,400 In summer, they live at the very north of the Rockies, 389 00:38:54,400 --> 00:38:57,400 using the long days to raise their family. 390 00:38:59,600 --> 00:39:04,000 These tiny newborns are the size of a sugar cube, 391 00:39:04,000 --> 00:39:07,760 in a nest so light it's held together with spider silk. 392 00:39:13,400 --> 00:39:16,760 Their busy mother feeds them 60 times a day 393 00:39:16,760 --> 00:39:20,400 on a mix of regurgitated nectar and insects. 394 00:39:21,720 --> 00:39:23,200 Hummingbird rocket fuel. 395 00:39:29,560 --> 00:39:33,160 She can raise a whole family in just 18 days. 396 00:39:39,480 --> 00:39:41,520 Soon, there's only one chick left. 397 00:39:45,080 --> 00:39:47,240 But she's reluctant to fly the nest. 398 00:39:49,480 --> 00:39:52,280 She's still getting used to the big, wide world. 399 00:39:54,320 --> 00:39:57,120 But the biggest moment of her life is about to begin. 400 00:39:58,960 --> 00:40:00,800 The flowers here are dying. 401 00:40:02,160 --> 00:40:04,640 She must fly south in search of food. 402 00:40:05,800 --> 00:40:10,200 She's the smallest creature on the greatest journey in the Rockies. 403 00:40:17,280 --> 00:40:21,880 3,000 miles from the very north to the very south. 404 00:40:23,080 --> 00:40:27,200 Less than a month old, totally on her own, 405 00:40:27,200 --> 00:40:31,480 she must race down the Rockies to catch the blossoming flowers. 406 00:40:33,920 --> 00:40:37,920 She crosses the border, from Canada to the USA. 407 00:40:38,760 --> 00:40:40,200 And then flies south... 408 00:40:41,640 --> 00:40:43,240 ..over mountain lakes... 409 00:40:45,560 --> 00:40:47,080 ..over five states... 410 00:40:49,760 --> 00:40:51,200 ..over great peaks... 411 00:40:54,640 --> 00:40:57,600 ..and down through huge mountain passes. 412 00:41:02,360 --> 00:41:04,600 At the very south of the Rockies, 413 00:41:04,600 --> 00:41:07,160 the mountain meadows have just a moment 414 00:41:07,160 --> 00:41:09,760 when every flower is full of nectar. 415 00:41:20,320 --> 00:41:21,640 It's hummingbird heaven. 416 00:41:22,880 --> 00:41:25,240 And she's arrived at the perfect time. 417 00:41:27,120 --> 00:41:29,640 Here, she has a pit stop to refuel. 418 00:41:31,240 --> 00:41:33,240 But not a moment to relax. 419 00:41:40,200 --> 00:41:41,920 She's off again, 420 00:41:41,920 --> 00:41:43,360 further south, 421 00:41:43,360 --> 00:41:45,840 chasing the sun. 422 00:41:45,840 --> 00:41:48,080 The tiny hero of the Rockies 423 00:41:48,080 --> 00:41:51,280 with the most epic journey of all. 424 00:41:59,360 --> 00:42:01,840 Summer is all too brief in the Rockies. 425 00:42:03,280 --> 00:42:05,920 As soon as it arrives, it's gone. 426 00:42:08,360 --> 00:42:11,560 The hot summer nights begin to lengthen, 427 00:42:11,560 --> 00:42:14,680 and the stars put on a spectacular show. 428 00:42:19,400 --> 00:42:21,960 High above, the Milky Way drifts by. 429 00:42:25,640 --> 00:42:27,160 PEOPLE SQUEAL 430 00:42:28,920 --> 00:42:31,560 Down below, the people of the Rockies 431 00:42:31,560 --> 00:42:34,560 celebrate the end of summer in county fairs. 432 00:42:35,600 --> 00:42:38,000 The first frosts will soon be here. 433 00:42:39,040 --> 00:42:41,680 For most, this is a time to relax. 434 00:42:43,640 --> 00:42:45,360 But not for everybody. 435 00:42:59,440 --> 00:43:04,600 Oliver Pakotas is about to face the toughest race in the Rockies. 436 00:43:08,720 --> 00:43:11,800 Months of practice have led to this one moment. 437 00:43:11,800 --> 00:43:14,400 CHEERING 438 00:43:19,080 --> 00:43:21,160 The Indian Relay - 439 00:43:21,160 --> 00:43:25,640 a Rocky Mountains speciality of bravery and split-second timing. 440 00:43:27,000 --> 00:43:30,120 Each rider must complete three laps of the track. 441 00:43:30,120 --> 00:43:34,080 At the end of each lap, they must jump from one horse to another. 442 00:43:34,080 --> 00:43:36,720 And it's all done bareback. 443 00:43:38,800 --> 00:43:42,040 It's a speciality of Native American Indians, 444 00:43:42,040 --> 00:43:46,280 different tribes competing for the honours. 445 00:43:46,280 --> 00:43:49,160 The winner is the first past the post. 446 00:43:53,600 --> 00:43:57,440 Keep him going, keep him going. Push it on and make him work. 447 00:43:57,440 --> 00:43:58,880 Give him the work. 448 00:43:58,880 --> 00:44:00,640 Holy cow! 449 00:44:00,640 --> 00:44:02,120 That's pretty good. 450 00:44:03,200 --> 00:44:06,760 Judging the perfect moment to jump bareback onto the horse 451 00:44:06,760 --> 00:44:08,560 takes Oliver months of training. 452 00:44:09,680 --> 00:44:11,920 There's a team of four involved. 453 00:44:11,920 --> 00:44:12,960 All family. 454 00:44:14,760 --> 00:44:18,160 Brother Winfred holds the horses in the race. 455 00:44:18,160 --> 00:44:19,760 So does his father, John. 456 00:44:21,200 --> 00:44:23,520 Father-in-law Carey is the trainer. 457 00:44:26,280 --> 00:44:28,160 And Oliver is the jockey. 458 00:44:31,720 --> 00:44:33,840 You always represent where you come from. 459 00:44:33,840 --> 00:44:36,880 And that's where Grizzly Mountain comes from - 460 00:44:36,880 --> 00:44:39,080 it's the biggest mountain on our reservation. 461 00:44:40,400 --> 00:44:43,160 So I represent my home people, 462 00:44:43,160 --> 00:44:45,000 so when I go on the road, 463 00:44:45,000 --> 00:44:47,880 I let people know that this is where I come from. 464 00:44:47,880 --> 00:44:51,720 This is my mountain, and this is our mountain, my family's mountain. 465 00:44:51,720 --> 00:44:55,800 In all the years since I've ever been a kid, we've always had horses. 466 00:44:55,800 --> 00:44:58,200 And they're like brothers and sisters to us. 467 00:45:00,040 --> 00:45:02,760 These horses need specialist training. 468 00:45:02,760 --> 00:45:05,280 And that means getting deep into the mountains. 469 00:45:06,520 --> 00:45:09,480 I like to take them in the mountains and it's just you and the horse, 470 00:45:09,480 --> 00:45:11,400 you know, and you almost become one. 471 00:45:11,400 --> 00:45:16,880 And that's how it feels, too, it's like their legs become my legs. 472 00:45:20,960 --> 00:45:25,040 You know, a bird could fly up or a coyote could run by or something. 473 00:45:25,040 --> 00:45:28,040 Once they get used to that, then I know they're ready 474 00:45:28,040 --> 00:45:29,720 to go do some relay racing. 475 00:45:29,720 --> 00:45:32,600 We develop a trust with each other out there with them 476 00:45:32,600 --> 00:45:34,560 that you can't get on a racetrack. 477 00:45:40,480 --> 00:45:43,680 Indian Relay is the oldest sport in the Rockies. 478 00:45:44,880 --> 00:45:49,040 It grew from the life of the Native American tribes. 479 00:45:53,000 --> 00:45:54,880 The horse was so important to us 480 00:45:54,880 --> 00:45:57,200 when they were out hunting and gathering, 481 00:45:57,200 --> 00:45:59,560 and even when you went out to chase your buffalo, 482 00:45:59,560 --> 00:46:02,160 you had to have a second horse or a third horse. 483 00:46:07,480 --> 00:46:10,640 The family has special ways to prepare their horses. 484 00:46:12,160 --> 00:46:15,760 Their local mountains have a salt lake 485 00:46:15,760 --> 00:46:19,680 that cools the horses' aching muscles, and heals any cuts. 486 00:46:25,520 --> 00:46:28,600 Oliver burns mountain sage in a ceremony 487 00:46:28,600 --> 00:46:31,360 to protect horse and rider from injury. 488 00:46:33,480 --> 00:46:35,480 You're putting a shield over your horses. 489 00:46:37,200 --> 00:46:39,600 I don't know how many people really believe in it, 490 00:46:39,600 --> 00:46:41,360 but I believe in it. 491 00:46:41,360 --> 00:46:43,240 That's how come we're here, 492 00:46:43,240 --> 00:46:45,840 is because our ancestors did the same thing. 493 00:46:45,840 --> 00:46:52,360 # ..the land of the free 494 00:46:52,360 --> 00:47:02,480 # And the home of the brave. # 495 00:47:02,480 --> 00:47:04,800 It's the day of Oliver's big race. 496 00:47:13,280 --> 00:47:16,200 The evening starts with a Rocky Mountain rodeo. 497 00:47:43,160 --> 00:47:46,160 When I walk out onto the track, you almost... 498 00:47:46,160 --> 00:47:49,080 I guess I'd call it getting into a warrior mode. 499 00:47:49,080 --> 00:47:51,240 Nothing else matters in the world. 500 00:47:54,560 --> 00:47:56,160 HEARTBEATS 501 00:47:58,600 --> 00:48:00,880 When you're bareback, horses can feel your heartbeat. 502 00:48:00,880 --> 00:48:03,680 So if I'm staying calm, you know, 503 00:48:03,680 --> 00:48:05,880 they know there ain't nothing to worry about. 504 00:48:10,000 --> 00:48:11,280 Oliver's primed. 505 00:48:12,720 --> 00:48:14,120 The other horses, ready. 506 00:48:15,400 --> 00:48:17,240 The moment has come. 507 00:48:20,280 --> 00:48:22,520 CHEERING 508 00:48:32,520 --> 00:48:35,120 You almost get this sense of invincibility. 509 00:48:39,520 --> 00:48:42,200 All that matters is that next three minutes. 510 00:48:47,560 --> 00:48:50,280 Almost like you're going to go into battle. 511 00:49:11,800 --> 00:49:13,920 CHEERING 512 00:49:16,080 --> 00:49:19,400 Oliver's won. Timed to perfection, 513 00:49:19,400 --> 00:49:21,680 all that Rocky Mountain training has paid off. 514 00:49:36,920 --> 00:49:40,440 Oliver is back in the land belonging to his tribe. 515 00:49:49,120 --> 00:49:52,280 It takes a certain spirit to make it in the Rockies... 516 00:49:56,160 --> 00:49:58,040 ..of determination... 517 00:50:05,880 --> 00:50:08,360 ..of patience... 518 00:50:08,360 --> 00:50:10,600 but above all, 519 00:50:10,600 --> 00:50:12,800 knowing when to seize the moment. 520 00:50:14,880 --> 00:50:16,960 Take a chance and win 521 00:50:16,960 --> 00:50:18,960 in these ever-changing mountains. 522 00:50:22,360 --> 00:50:25,680 For the bold and the brave, 523 00:50:25,680 --> 00:50:28,240 their reward - 524 00:50:28,240 --> 00:50:31,120 the freedom of the Rocky Mountains. 525 00:50:51,080 --> 00:50:55,120 To film the most mysterious animal in the Rocky Mountains, 526 00:50:55,120 --> 00:50:59,680 the team relied on the expertise of cameramen Casey Henderson. 527 00:50:59,680 --> 00:51:03,600 Casey is mountain-lion mad and spends his life 528 00:51:03,600 --> 00:51:05,680 tracking them around the mountains. 529 00:51:05,680 --> 00:51:08,120 Of all the animals out there, 530 00:51:08,120 --> 00:51:11,320 the one that I'm the most obsessed with is the mountain lion. 531 00:51:11,320 --> 00:51:16,400 And if you can get, like, just one moment of watching this animal, 532 00:51:16,400 --> 00:51:18,600 who's almost impossible to watch, 533 00:51:18,600 --> 00:51:20,840 yeah, it's really the biggest path, 534 00:51:20,840 --> 00:51:22,600 for me, the greatest gift ever. 535 00:51:23,920 --> 00:51:28,560 Casey's tracking skills led him to an abandoned ranch, 536 00:51:28,560 --> 00:51:32,040 which he suspected may be visited by a female mountain lion. 537 00:51:33,040 --> 00:51:35,200 I was walking here and it was just 538 00:51:35,200 --> 00:51:37,800 ten times more than I could ever believe. 539 00:51:37,800 --> 00:51:41,400 I mean, every one of these buildings has a dead deer in it. 540 00:51:41,400 --> 00:51:43,440 So she's been using these buildings, 541 00:51:43,440 --> 00:51:47,040 killing outside of them, caching these deer in here, 542 00:51:47,040 --> 00:51:48,520 calling this place home. 543 00:51:48,520 --> 00:51:50,960 And really kind of a dream come true, 544 00:51:50,960 --> 00:51:52,760 even though it's kind of nightmarish. 545 00:51:54,760 --> 00:51:57,280 Casey wants to catch her red-handed 546 00:51:57,280 --> 00:52:00,280 as she drags her kills into these barns. 547 00:52:02,120 --> 00:52:06,640 But first he will need to learn her movements in this vast wilderness. 548 00:52:11,880 --> 00:52:15,120 Casey and fellow cameraman Brad Orsted 549 00:52:15,120 --> 00:52:17,000 go into the mountains every day. 550 00:52:20,920 --> 00:52:24,600 They search for prints she may have left behind. 551 00:52:24,600 --> 00:52:26,680 I can see her tracks right here. 552 00:52:28,240 --> 00:52:29,600 Watch your head. 553 00:52:31,200 --> 00:52:34,000 They put cameras where she may be sleeping. 554 00:52:34,000 --> 00:52:35,720 Look at that angle. 555 00:52:39,520 --> 00:52:43,560 Having the opportunity to follow this cat around for such a long time 556 00:52:43,560 --> 00:52:48,200 and really start to develop her patterns and movement... 557 00:52:49,640 --> 00:52:51,920 If I know she's been in here, I know where she's going next. 558 00:52:51,920 --> 00:52:55,160 And if she goes here, she's going to go down to the drainage, 559 00:52:55,160 --> 00:52:57,760 she's going to go hunting down towards the ghost ranch. 560 00:53:03,520 --> 00:53:06,080 Even at night, they're on the mountain lion's trail. 561 00:53:09,800 --> 00:53:14,600 After months of patience, the evidence trickles in. 562 00:53:14,600 --> 00:53:17,320 CAMERA CLICKS 563 00:53:17,320 --> 00:53:23,200 True detectives, Brad and Casey log every sighting, movement, and track. 564 00:53:24,320 --> 00:53:26,120 It's starting to pay off. 565 00:53:26,120 --> 00:53:29,080 We're really connecting the dots and being rewarded 566 00:53:29,080 --> 00:53:32,320 for all that knowledge that she's given us into her life. 567 00:53:32,320 --> 00:53:35,560 Her pattern is to go that direction, so the ranch could be next. 568 00:53:37,000 --> 00:53:39,400 But their good luck is about to change. 569 00:53:41,880 --> 00:53:44,760 In the Rockies, hunting is a way of life. 570 00:53:44,760 --> 00:53:47,120 And a mountain lion is a top prize. 571 00:53:51,000 --> 00:53:54,160 to force mountain lions out into the open. 572 00:53:54,160 --> 00:53:59,160 From his house, Casey hears the sound that he fears the most. 573 00:53:59,160 --> 00:54:01,520 HOWLING AND BARKING Hunting dogs. 574 00:54:04,400 --> 00:54:07,040 The mountain lion could be in danger. 575 00:54:07,040 --> 00:54:09,600 Yeah, in America, you're allowed to hunt mountain lions. 576 00:54:09,600 --> 00:54:11,360 Predator control. 577 00:54:11,360 --> 00:54:15,560 And they're always worried about their livestock, 578 00:54:15,560 --> 00:54:18,600 and their livelihood and 579 00:54:18,600 --> 00:54:24,280 they think that the predators are going to make their lives worse. 580 00:54:32,080 --> 00:54:34,640 It's the mountain lion Casey has been tracking. 581 00:54:38,280 --> 00:54:40,280 Hang tight. Real quick. 582 00:54:42,240 --> 00:54:44,840 He sets off to talk to the hunters, 583 00:54:44,840 --> 00:54:48,000 leaving the camera behind, so as not to antagonise them. 584 00:54:50,360 --> 00:54:53,320 The mountain lion is cornered on the cliff face, 585 00:54:53,320 --> 00:54:55,560 with dogs blocking her every move. 586 00:55:02,400 --> 00:55:04,640 The only chance the mountain lion has 587 00:55:04,640 --> 00:55:08,800 is if Casey can persuade the hunters not to shoot. 588 00:55:08,800 --> 00:55:10,800 The cat's life hangs in the balance. 589 00:55:13,240 --> 00:55:15,520 She's in danger of becoming one of 590 00:55:15,520 --> 00:55:18,600 the 400 mountain lions shot in Montana each year. 591 00:55:27,680 --> 00:55:30,120 Casey eventually wins the hunters over. 592 00:55:32,120 --> 00:55:33,840 And they call off their dogs. 593 00:55:33,840 --> 00:55:36,000 DISTANT SHOUTING AND WHISTLING 594 00:55:42,320 --> 00:55:46,120 I laid it all on them as chummy as I could. 595 00:55:46,120 --> 00:55:48,240 Now they heard me out. And they basically 596 00:55:48,240 --> 00:55:50,760 made up their mind that they're not going to kill a cat today. 597 00:55:50,760 --> 00:55:53,680 If we didn't come up here, they easily could have shot her. 598 00:55:55,080 --> 00:55:57,200 Yeah, I feel like, I feel pretty... 599 00:55:59,400 --> 00:56:01,200 ..I don't even know the right word. 600 00:56:02,760 --> 00:56:04,000 Emotional about it, for sure. 601 00:56:04,000 --> 00:56:07,000 Because it is life and death. 602 00:56:07,000 --> 00:56:10,600 You know, in the wild, there's so much to worry about. 603 00:56:10,600 --> 00:56:12,560 And she's out here dodging wolves and... 604 00:56:13,960 --> 00:56:16,040 You know, living a crazy life. 605 00:56:16,040 --> 00:56:18,840 And then these guys come up here and that could have just... 606 00:56:20,080 --> 00:56:22,560 One little moment could have been over. 607 00:56:22,560 --> 00:56:26,840 And to be involved in that, somehow getting embedded in that today, 608 00:56:26,840 --> 00:56:28,200 to make that not happen... 609 00:56:32,040 --> 00:56:34,120 ..so thankful that that happened, 610 00:56:34,120 --> 00:56:35,520 that it worked out this way. 611 00:56:36,760 --> 00:56:38,160 Yeah, pretty heavy stuff. 612 00:56:40,000 --> 00:56:41,880 You know, like all things, you know, 613 00:56:41,880 --> 00:56:43,920 I wish I had a long lens and a tripod. 614 00:56:47,800 --> 00:56:53,160 But the good news is that, at last, Casey has concrete evidence that the 615 00:56:53,160 --> 00:56:55,000 mountain lion is close by. 616 00:57:05,720 --> 00:57:07,200 Guess who's back! 617 00:57:09,440 --> 00:57:11,480 It's her. 618 00:57:11,480 --> 00:57:15,120 You know, getting this footage back and having, you know, 619 00:57:15,120 --> 00:57:17,800 all that hard work and all that speculation that was happening, 620 00:57:17,800 --> 00:57:20,400 and then having it pay off right here to prove that it is our girl, 621 00:57:20,400 --> 00:57:21,920 it is our mountain lion, 622 00:57:21,920 --> 00:57:25,120 and she's doing this very cool thing in a very cool place, 623 00:57:25,120 --> 00:57:28,760 utilising this old ghost town to thrive. 624 00:57:28,760 --> 00:57:31,000 This is amazing. This is exactly what 625 00:57:31,000 --> 00:57:33,920 we've been busting our butt for, to see this stuff. 626 00:57:33,920 --> 00:57:36,640 See here, she's walking over and giving the camera a sniff. 627 00:57:38,960 --> 00:57:40,960 Yeah, it's me! 628 00:57:40,960 --> 00:57:45,600 Yeah, this is the first time that anybody's ever documented 629 00:57:45,600 --> 00:57:48,040 a mountain lion in a ghost town. 630 00:57:48,040 --> 00:57:51,280 But I think, most importantly, she's back. 631 00:57:51,280 --> 00:57:53,120 And that proves that she's OK. 632 00:57:54,360 --> 00:57:56,600 And that's the biggest reward of this, by far. 633 00:58:11,640 --> 00:58:15,160 The highest mountain range on the planet. 634 00:58:15,160 --> 00:58:19,960 A magical world, where the strangest animals, 635 00:58:19,960 --> 00:58:25,200 ancient cultures, and extraordinary people all make a home. 636 00:58:25,200 --> 00:58:28,000 It can only be the Himalaya.