Weasel?

It,s a stoat ....it has a black tail a weasels tail is the same colour as it,s body ,

Well done for getting the pic. it,s so sweet and wanted you to play lol

Good picture

He will become totally white when winter comes...all except for the black tip on his tail? Ermine?

I'll investigate. He was really the cutest thing. I was surprized to find he liked me so much. Another person came along and he was off through the brush.

So you weren't the only hiker on the trail? Do hikers travel in packs up there? for safety's sake if for no other reason...?

Every group that day was 2 people. This is a well used trail. I saw probably 8 groups just on my walk. We were the dawdlers that were passed up again and again.