2024 Utah Adventure

 Sunny day with temps in the low 40s. Have visitors; my sister/Greg and Mallory just came in for Marc's wedding. After dinner, I decided to take them up to Little Dell Reservoir. Saw a parasail on the way into the Parley's Canyon. We were talking about moose/elk/deer; watching for them in the canyon as it's closing in on dusk when they start moving around. And has luck would have it, when I exited on East Canyon, there's a moose at the top of the exit behind the metal fencing. Woot! Woot! (First sighting for both Greg and Joyce!) Onward to the reservoir. It's a beautiful evening. The sun is just above the peak. We decide to go down the hill to get closer to the water. We pass rabbit tracks and moose pellets on the way down. Wonderful end to the day! Time to climb back to the parking lot. I stop because I hear something. It's coyotes howling and yipping. Always great to hear! Greg thinks he sees them in the distance on a ridge but neither me or Mallory find them....

Sunny day with temps in the upper 50s. And yes, another hike; before winter returns for the next two days. Planning on hiking either the Gravel Pit or White Rock depending on where the bison are located. On the up the new highway, I see a colorful male pheasant (2nd one so far)!! As I cross the causeway, I see 2 large dark birds flying on the Salt Lake side. They turn and I see the tell-tale white head; Bald Eagles!!! Just before reaching the Island, a Jackrabbit finishes hopping across the road. Very cool! Soon I'm on the Island and turning south.  There is a group of bison behind the VC. I head to the west side to find a group of bison on the north side of Bison Point (by the campground) and at the right turn for White Rock. I don't see any bison along the White Rock trail or the Gravel Pit. Guess the big herd has definitely split up - confirming what I thought on Friday. Time to head to the Gravel Pit. Yes, I'm not driving the Island since I did that 2 days ago. When I a...

Sunny day with temps near 50 degrees.  It's 37 degrees and sunny when I reach the causeway to Antelope Island. Lovely to see all the water on both sides of the causeway. No eagles today but still lots of gulls. Well, there are some large black birds out on Farmington Bay. (I think they are just Raven but... after seeing 2 Bald Eagles on Sunday 25th, perhaps they were Eagles.) I reach the Island and turn south towards the Ranch. No bison behind the VC. I take a short detour to the west side to check to see if the bison have moved on but I quickly find bison. Shoot! But I'm hiking Sentry Peak (the whole thing) so bison on the north side is a good thing. I backtrack and head south. I find bison among the rocks confirming they are still hanging out on the north side. No other critter until just south of the Frary Peak road where I find a very small herd of Pronghorn. And then there's the Porcupine across from Frary Peak. I was tempted to stop for a peek but decided not too. I r...

Mostly sunny day with highs around 40 degrees. But it's starting as a chilly morning with temps in the high 20s. I arrive on the causeway to partly sunny skies but there is clearing to the west. No activity, other than sea gulls and a few ducks, along the causeway this morning. And no bison behind the VC. But there is a group of bison (~15) at the intersection of the road heading south and west. Also from that area I can see 3 bison on the lake bed heading south. Moving south, I see bison in the rocks. I'm assuming the whole herd is still on the northern side of the Island so definitely no Gravel Pit trail today! On the downslope from the Gravel is a lone Pronghorn. The only critter I see on my way to the Ranch. The antelope herd that has been hanging out on the slopes under Beacon Hill for the last 2 weeks has moved on. I reach the Ranch and the way to Sentry Peak is clear. I gear up and start toward the trail head. I do see at least on Bison hanging out at the Ranch. If I was...

Sunny day with temp 22 degrees with highs in the mid-30s. Day starts good with sightings of lots of Canadian geese heading south, a Blue Heron and a male Pheasant all along the new highway extension. When I arrive at the Antelope Island gate,  there is, thankfully, no wind. Lots of water on both sides of the causeway as it was a very wet week - over 4 feet of snow in the mountains. No hawks, coyotes, or Bald Eagles this morning just a lot of Gulls. As I approach the Island I can see lots of black dots - bison behind the Visitor's Center. I reach the Island and head south. I can lots of bison in the rocks just after the fence line. They can make it touchy whether I can hike the Gravel Pit today. I continue south seeing the same herd of Pronghorn (20'sh) under Beacon Hill. I stop to watch and get to watch a young Pronghorn learn how to joust to 2 adults - fun stuff! Fight #1 Number #2 Moving on, I do see a lone Pronghorn walking south in the Frary Peak area. Then there is nothing...

 Heading to Antelope Island today. Was hoping to hike Sentry Peak but we got a bunch of rain on Friday and some sneaky stuff early Sat night so sticking with the Gravel Pit. Forecast is for sunny skies and highs in the low 40s but it's 29 degrees when I leave my house just before 8am. I arrive on the causeway. Sure looks wet (lots of water) this morning thanks to the recent rains. Wish it looked like this all the time. See lots of gulls and a couple of ducks this morning. (Of course no Bald Eagles as there's no ice anymore.) I arrive on the Island and there is a small herd (< 10) of bison behind the VC. And a few more right at the edge of the road closer to the fence. Quiet drive until the Beacon Hill area where I find a herd (<20) of Pronghorn along the slopes happily feeding and enjoying the morning sun. I continue on to the Ranch with no additional sightings. However, at the Ranch, there is still a herd hanging out. 2 on the east side of the road and the rest in the ga...