2024 Utah Adventure

 Sunny day with highs near 100 degrees. Leave around 6:45 to head up to hike the Alta Summer Road this morning. (Red/White Pine Trailhead is already out onto the road as I drive past.) Not too many cars parked at the entrance of the road this morning. I see a couple cars turn around expecting the road to be open but sorry! No advertised date for an opening yet but they did grade/spray the road on June 26. Good for me!) I gear up and start up the road. New flowers this morning!! I'm seeing Yellow/Red Columbine,  Bog Orchid  and one Shooting Star!! There's still flow along side of the road but it has lessened. About 3/4 of the way up the first switchback, I see a doe crossing the road to the right. I look for her when I get there but do not find her. I see a Marmot where the 1st switchback turns into the 2nd switchback. On the 2nd switchback, I find only a couple of waterfalls. And no porcupine today. :( The views from the 3rd switchback are still wonderful. The Elderberry ...

 Sunny day with highs near 100. Heading up to the Mormon Trail this morning. Again trying to get an early start and catch the butterflies on the way back. I leave at 7am and slowly fight may way thru a road race on the dirt road to the trail. I arrive between 7:30 - 7:45 with a temp of 46 degrees. I gear up and start along the trail. The purple clovers are very prominent now. The Hollyhocks are coming into bloom (love these)! Spittlebugs are also increasing and the Lupine are now blooming. I find this beetle on one of them. I also find a deer/elk carcass. Bones are picked clean but there's the hind. Would think a hunter would've taken the hide. Don't know how I missed it last week. Lots of chipmunks running around this morning. Looking for Bumblebees this morning. They are not very active yet so it's not to hard once I find them. Also what I think is a tiny bee but it's a Bee-mimic beetle (pretty cool)! At one point there were at least 2 Hairy Woodpeckers really goi...

 Sunny day with temps in the mid-80s (a cool down). Heading up to Twin Lakes today; hoping to start seeing some butterflies. Canyon is pretty crowded this morning already; then again I left at 7am and July 4th is coming. Just as I'm reaching the Brighton Loop, the car in front of me stops. There's a cow moose crossing the street. Seems a bit small of an adult but perhaps. Many people already at Silver Lake. Looks like there is a Boreal Toad walk that is drawing a few people. I gear up and start around the boardwalk. Beautiful morning! At the footbridge, it looks like they've cleaned some of the gunk out of the water so it looks nice. Still hardly any ducks on the lake. I make a brief stop at the dock for a view and I find that shorebird (Spotted Sandpiper??) again (same as last week) and a bit farther, a doe and buck!! Then its off on the trail. Same route as last week, up towards Lake Solitude and then up to the switchback where I see one Pika briefly. Then up to Twin Lake...

 Sunny day with a high of 101 degrees - Whew! Heading up the Mormon Trail today (high of 86 degrees) and leaving early and walking 3 miles. Figure I'll catch the butterflies on the way back. Water level will have definitely lowered since it's been 2 weeks since I've been here. Hoping there are butterflies flying too. I leave my house at just after 7:00 am. I arrive about 7:45, gear up and start up the trail. In the shade and hearing lots of birds this morning. I reach the trail and find the Spittle bugs are out!! And the Salisfy are ready for bloom #2, the red clover is finally blooming, Pearly Everlast are still blooming, as are the Yarrow, and Geraniums.  The water crossing are all but dry for the most part; lots of mud still. Just before the meadow, the Jacobs Ladder is in bloom and Wild Onion. I finally see my first butterfly as I work my way past the entrance; one of my favorites the Weidemeyer's Admiral!! They were pretty sightings today. The flowers are still not...

 Sunny day with temps in the mid-80s. Interrupting my work day to head up to Willow Lake. It's actually my 2nd trip of the year. However, the 1st was blocked by a cow moose. I didn't mind but I would like to see the lake today. Leave home around 7am; just trying to beat the heat and the crowds. (Already pretty crowded at the S-curve and Dog Lake parking lots.) And plenty of cars at Willow Lake; lots of campers on a Thursday night? I park, gear up and start up the trail. It's still very shaded. Lots of birds at the start. I identify one which is the Flicker. I'm seeing Geraniums, Jacobs Ladder, Cinquefoil, and lots of Bluebells! As I approach the circle, I can hear water still running at the bridge. I take a short detour for a look. On the long switchback, the Lupine is coming into bloom and there is MeadowRue and more Bluebells. The second switchback has a melted out view of Solitude  and Larkspur and more Bluebells. I also pass 4 ladies on the downhill. Now I'm sur...

 Sunny day with temps in the mid-80s. Heading up to Twin Lakes today - finally! I'm excited as it's the first trip of the year. (I'm expecting a crowd since today is a holiday - but we'll see.) I arrive around 8am; still plenty of spots. (They are charging to visit Silver Lake this year; actually found out last week. They have not put the pay station up yet. Interesting to see how that affects visitation. I'm going because a National Park Pass satisfies the requirements. I wonder if this applies to other trailheads as well.) I start counter-clockwise as normal. Boy has the the water levels receded! I noticed that on the drive up with the creek too. Its still raging but the levels have came down. Not much happening around the lake this morning. I stop at the new pier briefly before continuing to the trail. I do spot a shorebird with spots on its belly. I reach the trail behind 2 other groups of people. I'm figuring the 1st group are heading directly to the lake a...

 Sunny day with highs in the low 80s. That's right, 80 degrees. The heat wave is over for a few days! Heading up to walk the Alta Summer Road again this week-end. Interested in seeing the different in snow levels after a week of 90 degree temps. Quiet drive. The creek is absolutely raging. And this week they finally closed the White/Red Pine trail due to high water levels and a broken bridge. Took them while but after a couple of deaths and several rescues in the last week with people going into raging rivers, I think the Forest Service took a stand, finally. How much would I bet the trailhead will still be packed today when pass by. As I pass, it appears the parking lot is about 1/3 full far less than last week so people appear to be following instructions. It's 43 degrees when I park my car. Lots of snow on the mountains has melted since last week. It's so noticeable. Appears that some ski runs are still snowable. See it I see anymore. I start up the road. Much cooler tha...