September 24 - Willow Lake (BCC)

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 hear the call again. Definitely not consistent.

I continue into the aspen and head towards the lake.

Then it's time to head to the other side.

I can still hear the call at times - it's very inconsistent w/ long breaks in between.

I reach the other side of the lake and back into the aspen. I'm half hoping to meet an Elk but I know the calls are still far to my left now.

Lots of frosty leaves over here.

Then it's back around the other side and time head down. 

The calls seemed to have stopped before I start down. My guess is because the sun is now up.

Fantastic day! Second time I've heard Elk calls while living in Utah. (The other time, last Fall coming down Lambs Canyon.) Awewome!