Oct 16 - Alta Summer Road (LCC)

 Sunny day with highs near 70. Cool morning with temps in the 40s.

Heading up to walk the Alta Summer. Yea, not really exciting but who knows what I might see except for the snowy mountains from 9" on snow last week.

Colors are still holding pretty good as I drive up the canyon - I'm a bit surprised but happy.

The summer road is closed for the year after the 9" of snow so it'll be a quiet walk.

When I arrive Devils Castle is just coming into the sun light - awesome!

Much of the snow has melted from the road/ground; basically anything in the sunlight. The resorts/houses on the south side of the canyon still have snow.

As I go around the gate, I see a very fresh pile of moose scat. I look around and do not see any moose but I have my eyes open on the walk.

Just a quiet walk. The flowers are all gone but there are a few straggler - I saw one purple aster.

The views, when the come out, are incredible!!

There's a viewpoint on the final switchback so I follow the trail for this view:

I see frozen coyote tracks on my way out. (Well, perhaps they are just dog track?! Dogs are not permitted in BCC or LCC but there was a lady walking her dog up the trail as I was heading out - strange.)

I continue up the road scanning the hillsides. 

Finally, I see 2 doe below me. The one spooks and runs towards the other - I'm betting Mom/fawn. Then I see a third walking to the others. They all meet up and catch wind of me.

Cool!

I continue to the parking lot and check out the views.

I then take the Catherine's Pass for just a bit to get a good view of Devils Castle.

And I stop for some flower snow prints.

Would love to walk to the Pass but I'm pretty sure I'm going to need YakTrax which I don't have. (There are a few icy patches on the trail.)

Should I go back down the road OR take the trail back. I'm taking the trail; it's quicker and prettier.

And on the slopes to my left, I see that someone has already been skiing. Swoosh, swoosh!

Awesome day!

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