White-tailed ptarmigan than forest grouse, but still prefers running to flying. It ranges from Alaska and western Canada south to northern New Mexico. Males return from their wintering areas to establish territories on spruce-willow timber line breeding grounds in April. Females arrive in early May and pairs are formed. The white-tailed ptarmigan is the only bird in North America to reside permanently in the alpine zone. Its habitat includes areas of boulders, krummholz, snowfields, rock slides, frost-heaved soil and upland herbage. Even in winter it stays in high valleys and mountain slopes where alder, willow, birch and spruce poke through the snow
2010 Arctic Winter Games held in 2012 in Whitehorse, Yukon. 2010 Arctic Winter Games The 2010 Arctic Winter Games were held in Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada from March 6 to 13th. The Arctic Winter Games is an international biannual celebration of circumpolar sports and culture, held in Canada or Alaska. Over 2,000 athletes from nine teams (Alaska, Alberta North, Yukon, Yamal-Nenets, Northwest Territories, Greenland, Nunavik Québec, Nunavut and Saami) participated in the games. Sports included alpine skiing, arctic sports, badminton, basketball, biathlon, curling, dene games, dog mushing, figure skating, freestyle skiing, gymnastics, hockey, indoor soccer, snowboarding, snowshoeing, speed skating, table tennis, volleyball and wrestling.