Adult squirrels are 13 - 19 inches long including the tail which is 3-6 inches long. They weight 1-2 pounds. Some at Prudhoe Bay weigh 4-5 pounds. They are a rusty yellow in color with a darker back than front.

Young are born in May with 5-10 in the litter. They weigh 1/4 ounce at birth. They live 2-3 years. Their predators are foxes, golden eagles, hawks, weasels, grizzly bears, lynx and wolverines. They eat seeds, roots, bulbs and stems of plants. They also eat insects, bird eggs and carrion (ncluding other squirrels).

They are common in mountainous areas with slopes and loose soil with good drainage. Sometimes they are found in the tundra. They are found in most of Alaska except the Seward Peninsula and the Southeast.