Sept 1 - Twin Lakes (BCC)

 Mostly cloudy with rain coming in but I've worked my hours to have my work week completed on Thursday (plus 4 hrs of required OT), so I'm heading up to hike up to Twin Lakes. There's a bigger chance of rain in the mountains starting around 9am so I have a raincoat and plastic bags for camera and phone/wallet just in case. Really hoping Silver Lake is open. The original signs said 9/1 so fingers crossed.

I arrive around 7:30 at Silver Lake. The boardwalk once again looks complete but it's still not open. :( Hoping it opens some time today for the holiday week-end. 

So I head over to the Millie Express Lift to start my hike. It's cloudy but the sun is trying to peak thru but it won't last; too many clouds.

I start up the trail. The waterfall just past the lift is really flowing today. I bet they've opened the dam as they usually do in the Fall.

Still lots of flowers

and seed heads

just no butterflies as there's no sun and it's cool and very windy.

I work my way up looking for deer or moose. When I'm not too far from the apex of the trail near dam, I spot a cow moose off to my left!!! She's looking at me and as I watch she looks behind her for a good period of time. Think maybe she has a calf but nothing moves forward. 

She eventually beds down. And I move on upwards.

As I reach the outflow of the dam, it's definitely louder than last week.

As I arrive at the dam, the water levels have definitely dropped. Still very high and no beach but it's lowering in levels.

What to do now? Hmm, I could go up to the Pass but I'd like to do that on a sunny day - and I still have to get home to work my hours for next Friday off. I'll walk down the lake just for a bit. Maybe I'll spot a Pike/Marmot or maybe a deer or another moose.

I do hear and Pika and actually find him in the rocks.

But no other critters.

I stop just before the little "scramble" section and take a short break before starting my return trip.

The moose is still bedded down as I pass her by.

Good hike!

On the way down the canyon around the Mill A parking, I saw couple of cars stopped. Odd place to stop but as I get closer, there are 2 moose trying to cross the road - A Mom and subadult calf!!! They look confused (and the Mom looks mad walking with her head down) since there are cars heading in both direction. But the cross and head up the hill past me. Awesome ending!!

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