May 19 - Lambs Canyon

  Beautiful sunny day with temps in the low 70s.

Heading out to walk up the road to Lambs Canyon to check on the butterfly situation. I am not planning on seeing how far I get on the trail. Going just to the trail head and maybe a bit on the trail.

Arrive just after 12:00pm.

There's few cars in the lot - most I've seen this year.

I gear up and start up the road.

Along the road, I see Forget-me-knots, Virginia Waterleaf and Biscuitroot still not quite in bloom. I also see the first blooming Bluebells and Arrowleaf of the season.

The creek is flowing fast and making beautiful sounds.

The mountainside is clear of snow near the start but the farther up I go, yes, there's still snow up there.

As far as butterflies: Anise Swallowtail, Spring Azure, Western Tailed Blue (1st of year), 

Orangetip, Large Marble (1st of the year), Juba Skipper (1st of the year), 

Painted Lady, Mourning Clock, Mylitta Crescent (I think I saw them last time but this one is confirmed).

Not bad but the sad thing is that there weren't many of them flying. Even the muddy spots were very boring.

I did walk about 100 yards of the trail. If I had wore my hikers I would've gone farther. Trail dry with some muddy spots. Plants for the most part not far out of the ground.

And there's still big sections of snow in the shadier left side of the trail.

They did a lot of burning over the Fall/Winter/Spring(??). There're one burned section that they have water spewing on. Looks like a black pipe probably in the creek somewhere.

The aspen are starting to leaf out. This week-end I'll see how far I can go.

On the way back, saw a garter snake sitting near the side of the road. 



Good day!



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Aug 23 - Silver Lake (BCC)

Image
 Sunny day with highs near 90s. No hikes today; just a simple walk around Silver Lake due to having stitches in my knee. They say I can hike but wanted to do an easy test run first. Left around 6:30. Saw a lone deer on the side of the road on the way up. Arrived at the parking lot and it was around 58 degrees and still in the shade. Not many cars or people around today. Started my trip around the lake counter-clockwise. No moose to be seen as of yet. Not really much happening. Stop to watch 3 ducks next to the footbridge. Stop at the pier for a look-see. Stopped at the dock on the other side (perhaps for the 1st time since they rebuilt it). And crossed the wetland with yellow monkeyflowers in bloom. But the trail is then closed. Unfortunately they've still not finished this 2 or maybe 3 year project. I do spot a shorebird. I was excited but it flew as quickly as it landed in front of me. Beavers unfortunately absent. They've been very visible the last 2 years but they were rebu...
Read more

May 11 - Lambs Canyon

Image
 Partly sunny with temps around 60 degrees as I start up Lambs Canyon. Hoping for  good butterfly day after the foot+ of snow over the week-end; lots of wet spots for puddling. The start of the walk was sunny but as I got higher (and to the muddy spots), I fell under a cloud (boo). I did see Painted Lady, Rocky Duskywing, Mourning Cloak, Anise Swallowtail, Satyr Comma, and Spring Azure and a White that was not an Orangetip; perhaps a Large Marble. Also a moth I did see a blooming Arrowleaf Balsamroot  in addition to the Forget-me-knots and Virginia Waterleaf And 2 squirrels. I was going to loiter at the trail head but there were two locals there working on a truck and I didn't want to look like I was waiting to pillage their cars so I started down and back into the sun. Still a good day.
Read more

June 14 - Lambs Canyon

Image
Another sunny day with temps in the mid-90s. Heading to Lambs Canyon to hike to the top today for this 1st time this year. Near 70s when I leave Salt Lake. There's a lot of clouds around so that will keep things cooler at least at the beginning. I arrive and surprised to find 2 cars already in the lot. I gear up and start up the trail. Arnica, Solomon's Seal, Bluebells, Strawberries, Violets, Mitrewort and Geraniums in bloom. The Thimbleberry are budding and there are some in bloom. It's a beautiful morning! Upper switchbacks have Larkspur in bloom. Along the way in the shade I find a Western Tailed Blue waiting for the morning sun. Surprise find: Baneberry in bloom!! The entry into the meadow is far less muddy than last time. I continue pass and cross to the other side of the canyon.  Soon I cross again finding Spring Beauties in bloom. I get a little ways but feel like a bathroom stop is needed. Do I believe or not? I decide to head down and it was the correct decision ma...
Read more