March 2 - Antelope Island

 I have the day off on Friday but they have snow in the forecast in the AM but there's sun today so I'm taking off early today (12:30) and heading up to get a hike in and enjoy some sun before yet another snowy week-end.

It's clouding up as I arrive at the gate but still filtered sunlight..

No eagles but lots of ducks just before I reach the Island.

It's about 1:30 PM so there's no Island cruise, I just head for the Gravel Pit. (I'd love to do Sentry Peak but I'm pretty sure it's going to be quite muddy.)

There are bison behind the Visitor's Center on the rocks. And a couple at the intersection with the West side. And a nice sized herd about 100 yards south. The bison have arrived on the north side!

I head directly for the Gravel Pit. Things are looking good: little wind and I don't see any bison in my way (so far).

I gear up, step out of my car and a bit behind the pit toilet are 2 bison staring at me. Shoot!

Off to White Rock!

When I cross over to the west side, there's a large herd of bison south of the corrals - I guess I would have run into these guys on the Gravel Pit trail.

And a few bison just west of the campground. But I look good to go...until I park and look at the rock at the start of the loop. There are two dark objects....shoot bison! Argh!

I head up the trail anyway hoping they are easy enough to get around.

I guess I should say that the landscape has less snow then last Friday but there's snow and I'm trekking thru it on my way up to the loop.

As I approach the loop I reduce my speed and look for where those bison are.

The one is feeding but the other has spotted me. I can't safely walk the trails past but I think I can cut the trail short and get around. As I start the off-trail trek, the one bison takes several steps in my direction. Head is up so I don't know if he's irked by me or just moving to feed. I stop and he stops. I decide to take a few more steps but he does too! I'm turning back. Dang it!



Oh well I tried. I did get to enjoy a bit of sun.

I could try Bison Point but it's 2:30 at this point, I'd rather beat the rush hour at this point. And that I did was home by 3:30 and then walk 2+ miles to Chik-a-fil (and around Sugarhouse Park).

Not the afternoon I was hoping for but still much better than being at work. :) Here's to hoping they change the forecast for Friday.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dec 25 - Little Dell Reservoir

Image
Merry Christmas! It cold and snowless in SLC.  And even colder in the mountains so I'm going part way to the Reservoir this morning. I have wool, fleece, light winter coat, wool hat and my best gloves and mask. It's not an early start; more like closer to 10 am. I wind up Emigration Canyon this morning. Great view down into the SL valley as the inversion is not strong yet. I crest at the Pass and start going downhill. I'm looking around hoping I spot a deer/elk/moose. I'm about 1/2 way down and I spot some dark in the trees farther down. Fortunate for me, there's a pull-off and I pull in and get out of my car for a look. At first I see nothing but then there's the dark spot. I zoom in with my camera and.... it's Moose!!  Awesome Christmas present! There's no antlers so I'm not sure male/female but it's actively eating.  I watch for a bit before heading down. Not many people out this morning - not unexpected. The water is unfrozen but there's
Read more

Dec 24 - Gravel Pit/Beacon Hill (Antelope Island)

Image
 Sunny w/ a few early clouds with highs in the low 30s. Heading up to Antelope Island this morning. The plan is Gravel Pit/Beacon Hill; bison permitted. It's in the upper 20s when I arrive on the causeway.  It's frosty this morning with a few hawks flying around. But no critters except gull and a few ducks. I arrive on the Island and there are no bison in sight. In fact, I don't see any critters except a lone bison after the pit toilets.  Oh, there was what looked like a Kestrel that some folks were taking a photo of at the rocks near the Frary Peak turn-off. Quiet morning. No bison near Sentry Peak, I so want to hike that. Soon I will; just giving my hip some more time. I turn at the Ranch and start north. Across from that lone bison but far to the west, I see a few blacks dots on the mountain that I'll bet are bison! Then rolling up on the Frary Peak round, there's about 20 pronghorn heading north!!! Yea!! I arrive at the Gravel Pit trail. There's one car alre
Read more

Sept 7 - Catherines Pass and beyond (LCC)

Image
 Sunny day and 88 degrees in the valley but where I'm heading after work is only in the upper 60s - AWESOME! Yes, the 4th annual Albion Basin Camping trip. Well, it'll be only the 3rd time I've gone. Last year is was over 100 degrees so I took a Pass. But today is absolutely perfect! I leave work at 2pm, make quick trip to Walmart for a new lamp; I left the batteries in the old one and they have gone to acid - yuk! Then it's home to pack, Subway for an early (3:30)  supper and off to my campsite #16 for the 3rd time. Love that site because it's right next to the trail from the campground to the Catherine's Pass. I arrive around 4:30 and get my tent setup, I change and start my hike. Still plenty of flowers around but they fading. I'm seeing Paintbrush, Asters, Geraniums etc. I'm also seeing butterflies: Blues, Parnassian, Milbert's Tortoiseshell and Frits. I'm a little surprised because it's so late in the day. Oh, and bees too! It's a be
Read more