Utah Adventure 2023

 Still sunny but warmer as I arrive in Alta. I take a quick "look-see" at the summer road which is gated and clear. Stop for a photo of Devil's Castle. Then head back to the Wildcat Parking. Still plenty of snow everywhere except the south facing slopes.  The Wildcat trail (nature trail) is flat so I start up. I can hear the water running down the slopes and then into Little Cottonwood creek. Lots of mud on the trail and water.  I get about 1/2 way and run into snow - time to turn around. I do see a ground squirrel. Then I head back up to the summer road and park. The road is not a steep hill but it is still uphill (I read mostly 5% grade but up to 10%.) Time to test the foot! I pass a waterfall at the gate but then the road is clear and quiet and surrounded with trees and snow. Higher up (and out of the trees) are clear patches of ground. My goal is to reach the end of this 1st stretch and check out the trail that leads to an actual trail up into the meadows. I'm sur

 Sunny and low 40s when I arrive at Silver Lake around 7am. There's only a few cars in the lot. I go around the right side of the VC today for the 1st time as they have the new entrance boardwalk completed. Looks great! But lets get the rest down (including the footbridge)! I start my trek clockwise. The meadow is even wetter today than last week and that's not just my perspective as there are signs of higher water (water crossing over the bridge) and just water. I have to wade thru a small section of water on the boardwalk just because the pier. But it's beautiful! There is a light frost on the boardwalk and I find tracks (muskrat - I think as they are small but they could be beaver) More pussy willows fuzzing up. The snow in the woods has greatly lessened though there is still a couple of sections. I make it thru no problems. (And I'm ready for mud as I have my hikers on this morning.) I'm out of the woods and rounding the other side of the lake making a stop at t

 Sunny and 67 degrees when I arrived at the trailhead. The trail is closed thru 7/8 for fire mitigation and from what I read on Alltrails, at about 1.5 mile mark (which is pretty close to the end), there are several large trees down making the trail pretty much impassable. I was hoping to walk at least to the first switchback (< 1/4 mile) but that leaves the road and I can tell when I pulled into the parking lot, there are butterflies flying (and in the mud) unlike last week. I walked about 0.2 miles downhill checking out mostly the wet/muddy areas alongside the road. And it was an awesome day!! Four species of yellow Swallowtails in flight! Found a 2-band Skipper and the Sleepy/Dreamy Duskywing pair. Quite a mix of still early season flyers (which are late because of the record snowfall) and June flyers. Noticeably absent is the Weidemeyers Admiral - usually flying in early June...it start any day now. Here's the amazing list: Anise Swallowtail (1) (w/ a Pale Swallowtail) Weste

 Still sunny and in the 60s as I reach Aspen Grove. Plenty of parking available. Sure wish I could hike to Stewart Falls or the 1st waterfall on the Mt Timp trail but not in my cards today. Just happy to be here though especially with the view from the parking lot. I start up the trail towards Mt Timp. I just want to get a closer view and hopefully see some butterflies along the way. Again the trail is a gradual incline partly a dirt trail and partly a rocky trail. I'm really testing my foot today!  In the woods, I'm finding OregonGrape in bloom, Solomon's Seal in bud, Virginia Bowers in bloom and Twisted Stalk in bloom. Once out of the woods, I cross a foot bridge with rushing water flowing beneath. I continue up the trail looking for that Mt Timp view. Hey, I find butterflies!! I see a few Rocky Mt Duskywings,  an unknown Blue, a Mourning Cloak, Milbert's Tortoiseshell,  a CA Tortoiseshell  and a Western Tiger Swallowtail.  Not bad for a hike of less than 100 yards. N

 Happy 1st day of Summer!! Heading to the Wasatch Back this morning to walk at Cascade Springs. This is a new one for me (and frankly, the only reasons I'm going today is because I can't hike and it's supposed to beautiful.) Cascade Springs is a large artesian spring where 7million gallons of water flow over limestone terraces and pools. The trail (2 loops with connectors) is around 0.8 miles. I leave just after 7am and east past Park City. The large balloons are going up on this cool mid-40 degree temperature (at my house) morning. Then it's south towards Heber City. At some point before reaching the city, I directed to head west and wind my way the up mountainside. Great view of a reservoir below. Slam on my brakes for a deer crosses the road. Then past the Wasatch Mt State Park and arriving at the upper Cascade Springs Trailhead (actually this might be lower Cascade Springs because I had to climb in elevation to get to the second loop - hmmm). Happily, I'm the on

 Mostly cloudy day with a high in the mid-80s and then becoming very windy. I'm ok with clouds and wind because today I'm heading up to Antelope Island. I am curious at what the Great Salt Lake and Farmington Bay water levels look like since most of the snow has melted. (Last I heard the Great Salt Lake was up over 5 feet and that was end of April). I arrive just after 7:30 am. There's so much green on the Salt Lake side, the cows are way out on the Great Salt Lake grazing. Both sides are devoid of visible water as I start cross. Visible water on the Salt Lake start far sooner than Farmington Bay. But there are pockets of water/green grasses on the Farmington Bay side. And those areas have shorebirds. As I cross, I see gulls, Franklin Gulls,  tons of Avocets, Sandpipers, Ibis, a Mallard and probably many others. Oh, and a Yellow Headed Blackbird - probably the 1st time I've seen one on the Island and 2nd time ever in Utah!! I finally reach "real" water on the