June 18 - Silver Lake (Big Cottonwood Canyon)

 Mostly cloudy day with highs in the low 80s.

Heading up Big Cottonwood Canyon for the 1st time since last Fall (woohoo). Just heading to Silver Lake. I'm hoping the snow is gone so I can get around the lake.

Boy is it green out!! And the creek is still flowing very fast even those most of the snow is gone except in the highest of peak (my guess over 8000ft).

The S-curve is already packed before 8am with people hiking up to Lake Blanche!!

I make a quick stop at Mill D - south for a look and scan for moose. Mt Reynolds still have plenty of snow!

No moose but they have finished the bridge across the wetland. I'm attempted but that means going down a steep-ish hill. I'll give myself a week. The bridge looks great and it's supposed to keep people off the road but everyone is on the road :)

I continue up the canyon. Around the Solitude area, there starts to be snow on the ground mostly in more shady spots and high in the mountains.

I arrive at Silver Lake and the view is clear - I should be hiking by now :(

I head to the boardwalk and it looks like I should be able to make it to the other side but I don't know what's in the trees.

Lots of birds chirping this morning.

Solomon's Seal plants are up out of the ground as are a few other plants 

and pussy willows are starting to fuzz.

The area between the boardwalk is matted down a very wet looking.

Just before the detour to the pier the water is really high - I wondering if got above the boardwalk earlier this Spring.

The boardwalk down to the pier has a little section a bit underwater.

I step onto the pier for a look. 

I only see one Mallard pair which is odd. Maybe they gone to impatient waiting for the snow to melt and went elsewhere.

I continue into the woods spotting some fresh leaves popping in the stream water.

As I expected, there is snow in wood. It's hard packed so I decide to walk carefully thru. Lots of tree wells - though there's probably less than a foot left.

I make it thru the snow but there's a big mud puddle and I just don't want to take my shoes and walk-thru. Now, if I were in my hikers....

Well, this is my stopping point and it's probably a good place on my first outing. 

I talk a quick break and start my way back.

I see a Stellar's Jay on my way back. And a hummingbird perched high on a tree branch. And a Mallard pair.

Back in my car, I drive around the ski resort. The hill up to Lake Mary is still 90% snow covered.

There are a few big weird looking dirty snow piles.

And hey, a Marmot!!

Oh, I saw a lone deer on the way down!

Good day!