2024 Utah Adventure

Sunny and in the mid-60s today. From the snowstorm the other day, Alta reported 8 inches - not where near the 16 predicted but still a good amount of snow. Thought about heading up to Twin Lakes but I want something easier, different and one I can really check out the snow situation - I believe a lot of it melted yesterday. So today I'm hiking the Alta Summer Road. The road is closed for the season because of the storm so it's a safe easy hike. Driving up LCC, there really isn't much snow except on the highest peaks. And I'm surprised by that but I'm liking it. (Guess I won't need the one YakTrak that I brought.) The peaks look great though. Still a fair amount of yellow color around the Red Pine but bare higher up. I'm the 2nd car near the gate as I pull in around 8:30. It's 43 degrees; I have a fleece and light winter coat. I stuff the fleece in the backpack and leave with the light winter. I think I can lose the light winter as I head up the 1st switc...

 Sunny day with temps only in the mid-50s. It's finally feeling like Fall. Heading up to Antelope Island to hike the Gravel Pit to Beacon Hill trail. In the 40s when I start crossing the causeway. There is a noticeable decrease in the waterfowl population. I guess the big storm that dropped temps from the low 80s to 50s might be the reason. But there are ducks and lots of gulls. About 1/2 down the causeway I notice something interesting on the Salt Lake bed. Hey! It's a coyote! He was stopped but now moving east. Awesome! I reach the Island - no bison behind the VC today. I head down towards the Ranch. I do find a small herd of bison on the lake bed just before the Frary Peak turn-off. And then nothing until I'm at the south end of the large lakeside meadow. There are bison there and they are a little stretched out towards the Ranch but it is not big herd. Looks like the huge herds have broken up or they moved south or west. I turn around at the Ranch and head back north.  ...

The last sunny 80 degrees of the week and possibly the year. I've taken the day off to hike the Twin Lakes loop then out to Lake Mary and Dog Lake. Arrive at Silver Lake just after 8am. It's in the 50s, sun still rising and very windy - it's kinda cold. There no moose or deer as I trek around the lake to the TH. I start my way to Lake Solitude. Leaves are all but gone even in the distance; just small pockets left. As I'm walking, it's a bit of a struggle. Guess that hike up Lambs Canyon has down a number on my legs. Sad as they should be in shape at the end of year. Seeing no deer or moose so I'm continuing the "empty string". But it's still a nice walk. Soon I'm at the big avalanche slide.   There are a couple of ladies hanging out; they say it's too cold due to the wind at the lake. When I reach the lake I confirm that. No duck or any critters visible. I look at the big hill and wonder if I should push my way up there. Last snow-free chan...

 Another sunny 80 degree day but they are coming to an end on Thursday with rain and Winter Storm Watch for the mountains on Thurs & Friday. So I took off work at 2:30 and am heading out to hike up Lambs Canyon. The plan was to make it to the top for only the 2nd time this year (yes, that's really sad) but since I decided to take tomorrow off to going hiking before the storm, I'm only going to the meadow which is about 1/2 way. (Got to save the legs...and hip.) I arrive and chat with a bow hunter who is extremely happy for not seeing a thing today; he just enjoyed the experience which is awesome. He was looking for elk and told me about a time he heard an elk call and figured it was just humans. But when he came in the meadow (my stopping point for the day), he ran into a whole herd them - that's awesome! I've only heard elk once in Lambs Canyon coming down on an after work hike.  That was a fun chat but time's a ticking as it get dark early. As I start up the t...

Sunny with high around 80 degrees. Heading up to Antelope Island to hike the Gravel Pit to Beacon Hill. Get an early start leaving a little before 7:30. Arrive on the causeway with it is still being in the shade. Far less people lining the causeway than last week but the birds are still hanging but the temperatures have been in their favor. Arrive on the Island and head south towards the Ranch. Large herd of bison up on the mountains. Just a handful of bison on the east side behind the Ranch. Then it's very quiet until after Frary Peak where there is a small herd on the west side of the road and an even smaller herd on the east side. A very large herd in the flats on the east side. The Ranch is quiet. Not feeling well so decide to Pass on the hike. On the way back that small herd is just starting to cross the road and I get to watch!!! Decide to head over to the West side. There's a good size herd behind the VC. I do not find any critters around White Rock. Good day!

Yet another sunny day with temps in the 80s. Still very much Summer even though it looks like Fall. Looks like we got another week of this before temps normalize which isn't going to feel good. Heading up to do a hike to Lake Solitude today; just not feeling anything big. Really not too excited about doing this either but it's easy and that's what I'm looking to do. Canyon colors are fading. The color of the Oaks never really popped this year; just a dull faded red. The yellows are fading as well. Lots of leaves down just patches of yellow. But the Silver Fork/Willow Lake area are still pretty sharp. Brighton area, the leaves have mostly fallen. Sure there are small patches but it's mostly naked. I get there around 8:30 today; just a slow start. It's in the 50s and the parking lot is pretty empty. No moose or deer sighting around the Silver Lake area. Just a few dragonflies zipping around and a duck in the middle of the lake. I head out to Lake Solitude. I see o...

Sunny day with a high of 80 degrees. Heading to Antelope Island for hike since the temps will be in the low 50s when I arrive. Arrive around 8am. Lots of folks pulled off along the causeway. Some are birding watching; we are in the middle of migration season. The others I have to assume are hunting duck, maybe deer. Most I've ever seen to be honest. No coyotes today; just lots of waterfowl. I arrive on the Island and head south towards the Ranch. The goal is to hike Sentry Peak. Pass by some bison at the split after the VC. And a barely visible Pronghorn. There's a large herd after the first pull-off. Many are in the sagebrush. (Maybe these are the ones from last week.) More bison heading south just before the Frary Peak turn-off. And another big herd across from Frary Peak and stretching south. Coming upon the pit toilets I spot 4 doe marching south.  There's actually a 5th one but she's hanging way back of the others for some reason. Arriving at the Ranch, there are n...

Sunny with a high in the mid-80s today. Yes, summer is has a stranglehold on us (unfortunately).  Again big plans, but decide in the end to just do the Twins Lakes Loop deviating at the end past the Millie Lift for the 3rd week for a butterfly check. Thankfully no big dump trucks in my way this week. However, the road construction is still going just before the Brighton Loop. The leaf colors at the bottom of the canyon are just getting going.  The best area is around the Silver Fork area. At the top, it's fading; lots of leaves down. But there are still some colorful patches. I pull in around 8 and there are more cars than normal but still pretty empty. It's in the mid-40s so a little cool but nice hiking. The Toad closure is done so I can walk directly to the TH. No sightings of deer, moose, beaver today. I start up towards Lake Solitude and there a very very few flowers remaining. Also lots of the colorful leaves have dropped. There trail is not covered in leaves yet but it...