2024 Utah Adventure

 Well it's been an awesome 2024 on the trail! It went fast and I didn't return to several places that I intended to go but I can't complain. And I finally got to Yosemite twice. Perfect timing for the Spring waterfalls and a little late for the summer butterflies (not too mention losing 2 days due to the Delta outage. But I got there and had a great time!! Looking forward to 2025:  JeanetteKlodzen2025@blogspot.com

 Final day of 2024! Amazing how time flies! Heading up to Antelope Island to hike the Gravel Pit to Beacon Trail (hopefully, because there is a herd of bison hanging out here recently). I arrive on the Causeway just after 8am. Sunny and 29 degrees with little wind; perfect winter day! Nothing happening along the causeway this morning except for a few duck hunters. Hoping to see some Bald Eagles but no luck. I arrive on the Island and head south towards the Ranch and it's dead empty. Not a critter to be seen on the way. No sightings at the Ranch either. Not sure where all the bison are but they are not on the east side of the Island. I think this is a first for me; perhaps a second though. Definitely, super, super rare! I start back north and quickly spot some white dots in the distance to the west. I stop and sure enough it's a large herd of Pronghorns! Yea!! Continuing on, I see a wide travel path up the hillside near the Frary Peak potty. I think a large herd of bison has mov...

Sunny day with highs in the upper 40s. And I'm finally back on the hiking trail after over a month. But hips feel as good as they can so that's awesome! Plan was to head up and hike the Gravel Pit today just as an almost 5 mile warm-up. I leave work around 8:30 and head up. When I reach the gate, it's a drive in a heavy fog bank on the 1st portion of the causeway. Not much visibility at all. It does open in the middle section. It's a frozen/frosty lake edge as it's only in the 20s. A bit father along, I enter another fog bank that thankfully ends just before reaching the Island. I head around the northern and then western sides just to have to avoid a slow driver in front of me. I do find a few bison in the fog behind the Visitor's Center. Once back at the main road, I go directly to the Gravel Pit trailhead and gear-up. As I get out of my car, I see a few bison not far from the trail - boo! I could go around but it would be a big detour. I don't mind the de...