WATCH: Adorable surprise encounter on the slopes goes viral

Digital WritersThe Weather Network
Digital Writers

This cute little creature has become an overnight star.

Last month, skier Kerwyn Jones and a friend had an adorable surprise on the slopes.

They spotted a little face poking out from the snow, blending perfectly with the wintry landscape.

Jones originally called the creature a "little snow mouse," but it's a white mountain ermine native to North America.

Getty Images: Ermine. | Credit: mlharing Creative #: 512681530 License type:	Royalty-free Collection:	iStock / Getty Images Plus

Ermine switch from brown to white in winter, then back again to brown in spring. (Image source: mlharing/Getty Images Plus/iStock)

Their fur changes to snowy white in winter, making them hard to spot.

Jones called it a lucky sighting, as these creatures are rarely seen in the wild.

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It turns out the encounter enchanted others, as well: Jones uploaded video of the ermine to Instagram, and, at the time of this writing, it had been viewed nearly 11 million times.