Utah Adventure 2023

 Mostly sunny day with highs in the low 90s. Heading up to Twin Lakes today!!! Yea, 1st mountain hike of the year!! The normal route to Twin Lakes (Silver Lake) has been closed since late June and will be until Sept 1 (hopefully). The closure is because they are rebuilding the boardwalk around Twin Lakes. They started counterclockwise last Fall and they are still working on the initial part - wish I knew why it is taking so long. But there's another way to get from the Brighton area near the Milly Express. I've never taken that route but I will be today. I arrive around 8am (delayed because of 2 one-way lane closure on BCC road). I make a quick stop at Silver Lake 1) to go pee 2) to check on the status of the trail. Trail is still closed as expected. I head around the corner to Brighton Building (w/ restrooms) and the Milly Express Lift. There's one car and a couple of people sitting at the lodge. Not sure where to park but I just park in front of some rails - there's n

Cloudy morning after some rain last night. Heading back to Willow Lake hoping I'll make it to/around the lake this morning. And of course, hoping for a moose or some deer. Another early start leaving my house at 7am. Plenty of parked cars but I'm sure most are overnighters. I gear up and start up the trail. Plenty wet this morning as it rained up here as well. I'll be soaked soon. Oh, it's also 55 degrees. Quiet this morning - the birds are absent at this point. When I reach the loop, I decide to take a look at the little waterfall that is making lovely sounds this morning. Plants are droopy and plenty are overhanging the trail from the rain. And yes, pants getting wet. And tons of worms on the trail!!  At one point I meet a couple heading down, they say they've seen a few deer. Guess I'm getting to the lake today!! Soon I'm up the switchbacks and heading to the meadow. The only thing left of the moose from Friday are some snapped branches from where he was

 Partly cloudy day with highs in the 90s (w/ a chance of thunderstorms) It's a work Friday but I had all but 0.8 hrs left to work today so I worked those plus 1 hour for next week and at 7am, I off and headed up BCC. Leaving early to hopefully see a moose at the lake. Hoping to get there before any one does - don't want them to scare anything away. I arrive and there's one car along side of the road - shoot!  I think the people have left way before me but nope, 2 guys and a young boy get out and start up the trail. Double shoot! Fortunately, it's a loop trail so I tail behind to which way they head. I should note that the flowers have really faded in the last couple weeks. Only white and purple asters and some goldenrod along the trail. Sure there are other flowering strays like Paintbrush but they are few and far between. Pretty quiet morning. Still cloudy but also clear. Temps are in the 50s but humid as it looks like it rained here yesterday. No Spiddlebugs, Hummingb

It's Mt Baker Day - yea! I leave around 7am because 1) I'm not sure how crowded it will be 2) I have to timeline to be in Seattle by 6pm. Easy drive in open country for quite a bit and then there's plenty of time on windy roads thru thick NW woods. Very calming drive. I takes about 1.5 hours to reach the Heather Meadows signage. It's cloudy out so it's hard to see the peaks. At some point, I do get a glimpse of Mt Baker. But seeing peaks is almost impossible. I come across Picture Lake but I'm not stopping. 1) Most of the trail is closed due to boardwalk replacement 2) Mt D is not out. Maybe later. I pass the sign to Bagley Lake. I do want to hike that but I think getting to the top to hike Artist Point first maybe the best plan because that parking area will probably the most crowded. After Bagley, the road gets very steep and the switchback corners get tighter. I pass over Bagley Lakes  the Visitors Center and Table Mountain. And here's the end of the road

It's whale watching day today - San Juan Cruises! There's on-n-off drizzle as I leave the hotel; hopefully it won't last. Pretty easy drive to the terminal and pretty easy parking right at the terminal.  I check out the pier first. Before heading over to the Marine Park. I quickly see a Blue Heron near the shore. I walk along the gravely beach -- it's a small one -- finding a used crab shell. I'm about to walk back but 1) it's earlier 2) there are a bunch of kayakers gathering and I want to watch. I found a picnic bench on the south side of the very small park and waited for the kayakers to launch. It was a bit before that happened so I sat and watched the Heron catching breakfast. While waiting, a Harbor Seal was near shore. Finally, the kayakers take off - yea! Now it time to head back to the terminal and wait. I loop the pier again. There's a lady with crab traps attached to the pier. I head over and talk to her as she's pulling a trap out. There are

Continuing east with next stop of the Northern Cascade Visitor's Center. My GPS is still telling me the road is closed. I arrive at the Center and take the River Loop (1.8 miles, 100ft). Again thru the mossy woods. Again big trees. And it's a long walk to reach the river. It's probably at the 1/2 way point. The water here is moving a bit fast than at Razar Park. The other side of the loop passes thru a section of the forest that experienced a burn some time ago. Nice to see the forest recovering. It wasn't raining when I walked the loop - yea! But it started when I took the short walk on the Sterling Munro boardwalk to an overview -- a cloudy, raining overlook. Back in the VC, I checked the board. It said the road is open to local traffic only and no stopping for the 14 miles where the fire is. I then talk to the Ranger, who said the road is open (thanks to the rain) to everyone just no stopping. Hmmm, should I go thru. I really want to go on the Whale Watch now and to