Utah Adventure 2023

 Sunny day with temps around 80s. Heading up Little Cottonwood Canyon to hike up to Cecret Lake and Sugarloaf Pass this morning. I was supposed to do this hike when I camped here but I forgot my breakfast. Not is the time to complete the hike. Got my 40 hours done, geared up and headed up to the Albion Basin. The colors are fantastic. There's room for improvement but with rain/snow coming in Sunday/Monday/Tuesday, I think the best is pretty much over. :( I arrive around 8am; temps are in the mid-40s but it is very windy and cold. I start up the trail which is still in the shade. The flowers are all but gone except Yarrows and patches of Purple Aster. Devil's Castle is in the shade but there's still some of last week's snow on its slopes. Soon Sugarloaf Peak is in sight and I start up the switchbacks to the lake.  There's nobody here yet - it's perfect (except for the wind). I arrive at the lake. Wow! I'm surprised it still so full! Awesome as always! I head

 Sunny day with highs near 85 degrees; it's a great day to take a last minute vacation day! I get start just after 7am. My plan was to hike Lake Mary, Martha, Catherine and then up to Snake Creek Pass but when I woke, I just wanted to go to Twin Lakes. My last minute changes have paid off so far this year. Let's see if that continues today. It's 38 degrees when I arrive at Silver Lake and the sun is coming up. I see no moose as I start around the boardwalk. The trees are really starting to change now so it's really looking wonderful. Soon I'm heading towards Lake Solitude. I'm quickly disappointed when I see a lady coming down the trail -- she's probably scares the critters away. And she has a dog; dogs are not allowed in the canyon. I want to say something but in today's world that's too big of a risk. But as well pass, she is blocking the dog from me and I see a big red cross on her packet. Perhaps she (and her dog) are with ski patrol. I continue

Sunny day with temps near 78 degrees. But it's cold this morning at 45 degrees when I leave my house. The plan was to hike up to Germania Pass but I'm sticking to my Sunday normal and heading to Willow Lake. It's 35 degrees when I arrive at the trailhead (and only a couple of cars for overnight camping).  As I start up the trail, the colors are really starting to change on the forest floor and the aspen (at least some of them) are starting to turn too. Very quiet morning - too cold for the birds. Even fewer flowers in bloom - pockets of purple aster for the most part now Soon I arrive at the meadow. A few of the trees behind the lake are yellow now. I notice a guy on the right side of the meadow - he's off trail and wandering around. There's also someone in the trees on the right side of the meadow. It's a bit strange. Then I hear it - it's an Elk bugling. How cool/! The call is off to the right (about 1-2 o' clock).  I move on and stop again because I h

It rained last night and supposedly snowed in the mountains. I'm excited to tramp thru the 1st snowfall this morning so I'm heading up to Twin Lakes the morning. I arrive around 8am. I don't look at the temp but it's quite chilly. And it's beautiful! The snow did not reach the ground at Silver Lake BUT the mountain tops have a light dusting. So nice! I head around the VC. The boardwalk is covered in ice. Luckily it's not to bad to walk on because it's rough ice. I scan for moose but do not see any. Personally, I think they got scared off by all the boardwalk construction the last year. But I keep aware. I enjoy the views as I walk around to the trailhead. Then I start up a very muddy trail towards Lake Solitude. The vegetation is quite wet and there are frozen snow pellets on the plants, on the ground in various spots. Not far up the trail, I scare a lone deer off the trail. At least she sticks around after running downhill for a bit. I continue on. Not many

 Back at Willow Lake this Sunday. No reason why except I wanted a shorter hike. I arrive early with the sun not shining in the canyon yet. And of course, I arrive with another hiker (shoot). But I get started before he does. It's 43 degrees. Trees not yet changing though I saw some good patches of color as I drive up the canyon. Flowers are still fading; it's mostly asters hanging up at this point. I'm not that far up the switchback when the guy catches up and passes me by. He's flying and even jogs past me before stopping to walk. At the corner of the switchback, I pass a couple. Otherwise it's a quiet walk. I arrive at the meadow and some trees on the other side of the lake are changing. There are ladies in front of me and since they head directly to the lake, I head to loop the lake counterclockwise. I'm part way thru the woods when I meet the guy again and he warns me about a moose about 100 feet ahead just off the trail. Maybe he's farther off since the

 Yea!!! The boardwalk is FINALLY complete at Silver Lake so the trails are open!!!!! (The whole loop around the lake is not complete but the part I care about is done.) And it's a sunny day with highs around 80 degrees - perfect! It's a work day however, but I have my 40 hours in on Thursday; I'm just working for next Friday off. So just before 7am, I'm heading towards Silver Lake. Slow drive because I got behind a Concrete truck but hey, looks like Rocky Mt Power is down with their 2 year fire migration and the road is 2 lanes all the way up - yea! I arrive around 8am. It's sunny and 48 degrees but it feels colder for some reason. I reach the new boardwalk and it so nice. They made it much wider by the VC and a bit wider towards the foot bridge. It's a bit frosty this morning. I can see they are working on the pier across the way; the vehicle ruins the view. I reach the foot bridge and it's so big. Lots of room for folks fishing and folks just walking by. T

 Sunny day with temps in the mid-80s. Perfect day to take an unscheduled vacation and get a hike in!! My plan last night was to head up to Catherine's Lake and then over to Snake Creek Pass but as I drive up the canyon, I decide to hike up to Twin Lakes Pass. I arrive around 8am, gear up (it's 43 degrees) and start up the service road at the Millie Express Lift. The water fall is still flowing fast as they continue to empty Twin Lakes (hey, maybe they are twin lakes at this point - perhaps). Flowers continue to fade but there are still tons of Asters and Showy Goldeye. I continue uphill looking for moose/deer/etc but seeing nothing this morning. Soon I've reached the peak of this portion of the hike and head over the dam's outflow and then continue up to the dam. I reach the dam and head to the other side. Wow! The water levels have dropped dramatically! This was the end of the beach last time I was here. Still looks great despite the water levels :) After a quick break