2024 Utah Adventure

 Sunny day with a high of 80 degrees. It's a work Friday but I have < 1hr to complete the work week. After 2 hours, I drive off to hike Willow Lake. Canyon is quiet this morning but chilly - there's frost! At the last minute I decide to hike to Lake Solitude. It seems like the right decision as I get a green light immediately to head thru the one-lane road towards Silver Lake. Only a few cars in the lot around 7am. I gear up and head to the boardwalk only to be greeted by a side indicating the path to the trail head is closed. Somehow after 3 seasons of work and trail closures (and the trail to Twin Lakes was closed last year due to construction), they've closed access to the trails. Argh! (At Labor Day week-end no less.) Not sure what they are doing. Maybe it'll be back open today but I'm heading to Willow Lake! I park at Willow Lake TH and start up the trail. The flowers are pretty much gone at this point - even the Goldenrod at past. There are Asters and some ...

 Oh what a beautiful day! I can't waste this one so after work I head up to walk up Lambs Canyon Road. Yes, not the trail as I'm still trying to give my bruised/battered body a break (and test my stitches). It's in the upper 70s in Salt Lake with a nice wind as I head up Parley's Canyon. I arrive and parking near the gate (which is open). I figure the road will be a mix of sun and shade on the way up and mostly shade on the way down. Perfect! And I'm hoping for a few butterflies! Lots of asters, yellow composites and the goldenrod are in bloom! I'm finding lots of rose hips and Elderberry has blue berries. Early on I see two different butterflies. A Woodland Skipper and Purplish Copper! Awesome!! Continuing along, I find a small wasp nest. The stream is still flowing and making awesome songs to listen to. I continue to see Woodland Skippers - not tons of them but here and there. I also see two skippers together. I don't think they are Woodland (too dark); pe...

 Raining morning up at Silver Lake and in the 40s when I arrive. Too bad my body still hurts from the fall because it's an incredible day for hiking. But today it's just a trip around the lake. And I can actually go around it for the 1st time in 3 years because they've finally opened it up!! Wahoo! The passing rain makes everything so fresh and vibrant! No moose when I pop out onto the boardwalk and no crowds that would indicate that a moose was around. The puffy clouds look pretty awesome on the lake. At the trailhead I hear at woodpecker doing it's thing so I go up the trail a bit to check him out. And then I continue along the trail stopping at the pier before continuing along the newly opened trail. They've paved it flat so it much more wheelchair accessible. But it's really muddy! I guess that's no different than before. Still no beavers out but I did meet a guy who someone early in the morning; that's promising. Into the woods, I start seeing many ...

 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...

Sunny day with highs in the mid-90s. Took the day off to head to Cecret Lake and Germania Pass. It's my first time this year! Hoping for butterflies up high. Fingers crossed. I arrive around 7:30 and surprised that the booth was open. Good thing as I don't have to fill out an envelope. I head directly to the Cecret Lake parking lot and surprised there are only a couple of car there - schools back in session!! I gear up and start up the trail. Still a fair amount of flowers down low - Asters, Paintbrush, Lupine, Brown Headed Coneflowers, lots of yellow flowers, etc. Looks pretty in the shade. Get my first glimpse of Devils Castle of the day. And then it's time to get up the switchbacks to the lake. Lots of flowers along the slopes. When I arrive at the Lake there is a group of folks on the other side but no one else. The lake is impressively high despite a very hot and dry summer. Granted we've had some pretty big storms lately but it's still very high. I stop for a ...

 Sunny day with a high around 90 degrees with rain showers late in the afternoon. Heading up BCC this morning to once again hike to Lake Solitude. A bit tired after two day of hiking; mostly my hips that are complaining. Thought about Willow Lake as it's been awhile since I've been there. But I'm thinking it'll be crowded with campers like it was last week. However, when I pass Willow Lake, there are only 2 cars. I drove past anyway thinking if I'm feeling good I have the option of heading to Twin Lakes. When I arrive, there are more cars than I expect but still pretty empty. It rained yesterday so everything is wet and lots of big puddles but no moose visible as I make my way around the boardwalk. Crossing the footbridge, there is one duck tucked in the far corner of the bridge. I start up the trail. Quiet this morning. It isn't until I'm almost to the big slide before I see two deer - Mom and small baby - crossing up high ahead of me. Oh, there's a 3rd...

 Sunny, turning cloudy and then rain showers. Heading to hike the Mormon Trail today. Hey, it's Saturday, I want to go somewhere so why not. I get a very early start this morning; I was at the TH by 7:30. Not expecting butterflies because there's just too much shade but perhaps I'm might get lucky. Things continue to dry and fade. It's quiet; too early even for the birds. But there are a few chipmunks moving around.  When I reach the meadow, I'm in the sun. Briefly because the clouds are starting to form.  The dragonflies are active at the pond but I'm seeing no butterfly movement; not surprising. I continue on to the 2 mile marker before turning around. There are even more clouds now with only peaks of sunlight. I'm just past the dam and I see something flying. It's a Field Crescent!! Surprise!! Then just past the pond (still in the sagebrush), I see another flyer. It's a CO Hairstreak!!  Coming out of the meadow, I see the final butterfly of the da...

 Sunny day with highs in the mid-90s. (Had 2 days of very good monsoon rains this week - finally and much needed!) Heading to hike to Lake Solitude and back (with a detour up to the switchback to look for Pika) this morning. Need something quick because I'm wearing a heart monitor. Left home at 6:30; trying to beat the traffic (road construction at the mouth of BCC for the next 3 weeks), the sun, crowds (hoping with school starting most of them have gone home) and the heat. On the drive up, I see a cow moose grazing road side and a bull moose a little farther down the road walking along the side of the road. Didn't stop for either but still very fun to see!! Also see a deer crossing the road near Solitude! Oh, at Mill D there some shrubs changing colors already. Eek! I arrive at Silver Lake and it's pretty empty. It's still dusk and in the mid-50s. Beautiful morning! There are visible moose around the lake this morning. Pretty quiet. Reach the trail and start my way to ...

 Sunny day with highs in the mid-90s. Heading out to hike the Mormon Trail today. May be my last time for the year; let's see what I see. Heading down the dirt road, I slow for 2 guys and a dog walking the road. At that same time I see large birds flying with white flashing wings. What could they be? Thankfully they all landed and yes! They are 4 Sandhill Cranes. There's a male/female pair and two others. Very cool start to the morning!! I arrive at the trail and start my way up; it's a bit after 8am and in the 60s. Everything continues to brown and die. There are Geraniums and Yarrow hanging on. But the yellow composites (Fall flowers) are beginning to bloom. Pretty quiet morning. Very few birds flying except this hawk that keeps screeching as he flies above. (He was doing that on my return as well.) The first sightings of the day are GSF (males). Some are looking pretty worn at this time. Followed by a W. Admiral as I reach the meadow. In the meadow, I find this Bee Fly s...

 Sunny day with only a high of 90 degrees (a cooling trend finally).  Original plan with to head up to Germania Pass (LCC) but I changed my mind and decided to do the Twin Lakes loop. And it was a good decision. Got an early start leaving before 6:30 - maybe I'll see a moose. Just pass Solitude, I have to stop for a Mom deer and her offspring crossing the road. I arrive at Silver Lake and the parking is pretty much empty (no early risers or perhaps the summer vacation visitors have gone home). I like it. As I head to the bathroom, I stop a bull moose eating off the board and I do make it over to him. Just happily munching away at the veg. I eventually wander off to start my hike. As I reach the trail, I see a lone deer. (That's 3!) Squirrels sure have been busy; lots of piles of pine cones "leaves" in spots along the trail. The Fireweed is about at its top bloom now. I continue up the trail to Lake Solitude. The birds are busy this morning as are the chipmunks! I get ...

 Mostly sunny day with temps around 100 degrees again. Leave just before 7am to head up to Silver Lake. I'd like to hike to Twin Lakes (or the empty lakes) but I'm wanting to be home to watch the Olympics Live this morning (swimming and track). Many people already there want I arrive before 7:30am -- I'm a bit amused. But I gear up and start down the boardwalk. Beautiful morning with temps in the high 50s. Silver Lake is calm this morning as I pass by and head up the trail to Lake Solitude. Not much different on the trail then a couple days ago other than it rained here last night. I do see 2 deer at one point. Wondering if Mom and yearling (young buck) as one looked smaller than the other. They were not phased by my presence as I was pretty darn close. No pika sightings on the way to the lake; not even a peep. Lake Solitude was solitude this morning. Just a family of ducks swimming around. It's still overcast; perfect to head up to Twin Lakes and it's only 8:05 so ...

Sunny day with temps over 100 degrees. Heading to hike the Mormon Trail today. Just looking to a female GSF up close as the only ones I've seen have been flying. I arrive around 8:15 and start up the trail. Like prior weeks, the trail is in the shade right now and just hoping to catch some flyers on the way back. There's also clouds in the sky which will probably have an impact. Got to escort a biker to the trail. Met as I was going over the bridge and he was coming back. He was confused so he followed me out thru the tall grass maze to the forest. He turned around just shy of the forest as he has never been here before. But then he was on his way. Very dry at this point. Most flowers have dried up. I do find some Geraniums, yellow flowers, Yarrow in bloom.  I stop for a bee-like insect: Western Aphideater a yellow spider which I scare before getting a photo and a Gold Finch male. Surprise, I find blooming Milkweed. I've looking for it over the last 2 years and today, it...