May 10 - LIttle Cottonwood Creek Trail

 Mostly sunny day with temps in the low 60s. Heading out to hike the Little Cottonwood Creek Trail. I used to hike this all the time but in recent years, I haven't. No good reason but that changes today. Hoping to see more butterflies as it's SL Valley elevation at the start BUT after 3 feet of snow in the mountains over the week-end and valley snow that remains to be seen.

Start up the trail just after noon. Noticeably absent is the sound of the creek which I'm sure is flowing but being tapped off to water storage.

No signs of snow around the parking area or beginning of trail. I only see Larkspur blooming so is still very early (or maybe I missed the earlier flowers).

I do find some butterflies: Mourning Cloak, Orangetips, Rocky Mt Duskywing, Cabbage White, Anise Swallowtail and CA Tortoiseshell so I'm happy. All of those butterflies are before the bridge/waterfall.

Along the trail I find OregonGrape, 

Woodland Star and Dame Rocket. The Solomon's Seal are after the bridge and they are just about ready to bloom. Oh, I do find some Fairybells but for some reason my camera did not focus.

I reach the bridge and clearly not even close to peak flow.

After the bridge, I start seeing snow along the trail and as I get higher it's covering the trail. Don't know if this is solely from the week-end snow/rain event and/or winter. But it's very shady so who knows.

The view along the creek openings are wonderful!

I reach the 1st footbridge and continue higher.

It's pretty much snow covered soon after that bridge. There's also a log that I need to climb over.

I reach the bigger bridge

and then it's the 2nd water building. But I can't go past because there is a huge deadfall across the area. I look for a way to sneak thru because I can see the other side of the trail but I give up. Oh well!

Time to head down.

I find Wild Cherry just about ready to bloom on the final stretch to the parking lot. Not sure how I missed it before.

I'm almost to the parking lot when I see what look like a large dark bird sneak behind some sagebrush. I sneak up on it and scare a turkey that is laying behind the plant!! It wanders into woods as I'm tracking from the trail. Eventually, it pops back onto the trail

walks down the trail for a few steps and then continues north into the trees. 

Total surprise!! How awesome is that!!

Great day!

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