Aug 6 - Twin Lake Loop (Big Cottonwood Canyon)

Heading out on one last hike with my nephew who is heading back to the Midwest to return to college.

Supposed to be a great day with mostly sunny skies in the upper-80s - cooler in the mountains of course.

The original plan is to hike up to Catherine's Pass in the Albion Basin. We arrive at at the summer road entrance around 7:45am and were told that the lots were probably already full - 80 cars passed thru the gate; there's only 40 spots. Darn! (And quite amazing!)

Time for Plan B - drive back down Little Cottonwood Canyon and then up Big Cottonwood Canyon to hike up to Twin Lakes.

It's amazing that when we arrive, there were hardly any cars in the Silver Lake parking lot -- I guess they were all up Little Cottonwood Canyon! (All the better for us!)

We pack  and head past Silver Lake to the actual trail. Meadow is green and tall. Lake looks wonderful as always.

We head directly to  Lake Solitude thru the flowers and the woods stopping only watch a Pika with a mouthful of green vegetation scampered over some boulders alongside the trail. (Looks of squirrels and chipmunks running around the forest this morning.)

We arrive a Lake Solitude; we have it all to ourselves.

Then we head up the big hill that leads over Twin Lakes. Many butterflies flying - all Frits!

We're almost to the top when we here another Pika and stop to look for it. We never find the Pika but we do find a chipmunk on the rocks. The chipmunk is chirping and the funny thing is that he only chirps when he wags his tail. Pretty cute!

Soon we reach the ridge above the lake and then move to my "secret spot" for a break! Beautiful day!

We decide head down to the lake and then take the trail alongside the lake to the opposite side. Down we go thru masses of flowers!

We head on top of the dam. The lake is still very full and the little fish are still near the overflow.

See a California Tortoiseshell flying around the lake as well as Frits.

We then head down the trail to the other side. Always a pretty neat walk but even more interesting now since the water is right next to the trail in spots - there's usually a beach by this time of year.

Lots of flowers!

Along the way, I see a few Blue Coppers flying.

I see our lunch spot just ahead.

Awesome spot!

Here I  see a Weidenmeyer's Admiral and Mourning Cloak.

Time to head back to the dam and when there play with the fish (with shadows) one last time before heading down.

(Did I mention this whole time, we basically had the lake to ourselves? I'm sure that will change as we head down -- it's the afternoon.)

And it did - lots of folks coming up now!!

As we head down, a guy tells us that there is a big male moose a little ways down the hill. He's laying in the woods. Cool!! (My nephew hadn't seen a moose yet.)

We go to where they guy said - behind the ski markers. We look around but can't find the moose. As we start heading back down, another guy (on his way) up tells us were to find the moose.

A little further down, we spot the moose in the woods; he's a big guy! He's hard to see in the shade. So we continue further down where there's a crowd of people standing on the trail. Still can't see him from the trail so we walk about 10 feet off trail and there he is!!!

Time to leave this big guy alone and continue down. As we cross the ridge over Silver Lake,

we look for Pika and Marmot but nothing. We do see large vegetation piles collected by a Pika.

Wonderful day!!

Aug 3 - Lofty Lake Loop (Uintas Mountains)

Heading over to the Uintas Mountains today to hike the Lofty Loop Trail checking out the flowers and hopefully some butterflies - though it may be a little late for butterflies.

I hiked up to Lofty Lake a few weeks ago; there was still snow on one section of the trail so I did an out-n-back hike. Today, I'm doing the full loop - need to get to the meadows between Kamas Lake and the switchbacks.

Another near 100 degree for the Salt Lake valley today -- only supposed to be in the mid/upper 60s where I'm heading (helps to be above 10,000 ft).

Easy drive except having to stop for a deer (doe) feeding right at the side of the road. I slowed, she raised her head and watched me drive by. Just like it's supposed to happen!

Lots of folks already at some of the lakes this morning as I pass thru. When I arrive at the Pass Lake Trail head, there's only a few cars (and no mosquitoes - yea!!)

I head off in the counter-clockwise direction up thru the woods. Plenty of flowers still around - Asters, Yarrows, Fleabane, Paintbrush, and these new ones - Sickletop Lousewort

And Harebells - lots of Harebells!!

I pass by Picturesque lake

And then the bigger Scout Lake.

I continue up the trail watching all the flowers for bflies. At one point, I finally see a small flyer - it's a Purplish Copper!!!

I continue to climb reaching the rocky section of the trail - no snow!! Now I start seeing some flyers -- all Milbert's Tortoiseshell!

Great views as always!

I complete the climb and I have my first views of Lofty Lake!!

On my way down to the lake, I see a Pika. He's on the move so hard to keep up with but he does finally stop.

The flowers around the lake are wonderful!

There's Bistort, Shooting Star (in spots) and Mountain Gentian.

I make my way to the other side to a large rock on the opposite for a break.

Time to move on thru the flowers to the downhill section with expansive and wonderful views!

Once down the switchbacks, I make way down a little further to a large boulder to look down below (a Lion King moment).

Now its down, down, down to the meadow - lots of Elephant head still blooming.

I go off trail hoping to scare some butterflies up. I do manage to find a Mormon Frit, a Painted Lady and an Arctic Blue.

(and a bright Yellow Sulphers)

There's tons of flowers but most of the butterflies have already flew for the season. :(

I continue thru the meadow and get my first glimpse of Mt Baldy and Reids Peak.

Down, down I go to Kamas Lake which looks wonderful!

Then more down, stopping to enjoy another Purplish Copper.

Passing a couple of ephemeral ponds still with water along the way.

And then finally down to level ground and Reids Meadow - Mt Baldy and Reids Peak.

The rest of the trip is paralleling the meadow. At one particularly flowery spot, I see another Mormon Frit, another Purplish Copper and a Common Checkered Skipper. (Still have Milbert's Tortoiseshells flying.)

I keep seeing these Sulphers and finally catch up with one perched on a flower. He has a slight greenish lower wing - unfortunately, because of the sun (and a picky camera) I can't get a good picture. But there's another Sulpher (almost white) on a flower behind it. The yellow sulpher soon finds the White one and harasses it.

Then they both taking off high into the air swirling around. After a bit, the white one lands on a flower for a moment. Before being chased yet again. Then they both disappear. (I believe these are Scudder's Sulphers.)

Lots of little creeks still flowing down to the meadow to step over on the way back.

Awesome day!

Aug 1 - Snake Creek Pass (Big Cottonwood Canyon)

Sunny morning with temperatures nearing 100 degrees in the valley today. I'm heading up into the high elevations to "beat the heat" - at least in the morning.

Exploring a new trail today; it's called Snake Creek Pass and it part of the Brighton Ski area. The hike is 2 miles (one-way) with a gain of 1310 ft to an ending elevation of 10,040 ft.

Lovely morning when I arrive at the parking lot just after 8 am this morning; a wonderful temperature in the high 50s and sunny.

The trail starts uphill right from the start as it climbs one of the ski runs. The trail is in dappled sunlight at this point so all the wonderful flowers (lupine, geraniums, horsemint, fleabane, paintbrush, fireweed, etc) are mostly in the shade or in the glare of the rising sun.

The ground squirrels are very busy this morning as are the hummingbirds (not as many as I saw in the Albion Basin yesterday).

There are even a few butterflies out already - Frits and Painted Ladies.

It's been quite a while since I've been on this trail; today makes me wonder why - so many flowers!!

After 3/4 mile and 600 ft of gain, I reach the Dog Lake turn-off - which is the direction I'm supposed to go. However, it's been a while since I've been on this trail so I have to keep going another 1/4 mile to Lake Mary (9520ft). This part is a bit more in the sun and rocky with water still running down (and along side of) the trail.

But when I complete the climb ... Lake Mary looks awesome!

There's only a couple of people of people here - a few near the dam fishing and another lady. It's so perfect! Plenty of ground squirrels around though.

I make my way to the far side and take a break on a large boulder.

There's little fish near the shore -- after 2 years of working on the dam (no water), I'd bet there aren't many fish that are bigger.

Time to head back down and over to Dog Lake to look for moose. See several butterflies and hummers on the way back to Dog Lake.

The trail to Dog Lake is full of lupine - amazing!

I reach the lake - more of a marshy pond than a lake - but no moose. :(

I head back and before reaching the main trail, I take a right on a trail heading east towards Clayton Peak (and Snake Creek Pass). At this point, I have another 1.25 miles and 700 ft to go!

The trail passes thru a wonderful little meadow filled with mostly yellow flowers

And then heads into the woods.

The trail looks pretty flat and easy walking but I am gaining elevation. I find more lupine in the woods - but not blooming yet.

And a few Heart-leafed Arnica.

From here, the trail winds thru meadows and woods all the way to the Pass passing under both the Majestic and Snake Creek Lifts.

In one area, I see three large patches of snow! Both patches are in the same point in the trail with one on the uphill and the other on the downhill side of the trail.

At one point, I see a deer (doe) down the slope from me but it runs off.

And I see a Marmot on a rock.

I know I'm getting close as I see a road below me that my instructions say I will follow to the top. And that's confirm by 4 guys heading down; they say I'm only a couple hundred yards away - and it's all uphill thru the woods.

I pop out of the woods and boy, what a view!!!

I can see Mt Timpanogos to the south.

And the Heber Valley and the Uintas Mountains to the east.

There's also so many flowers!!! With many butterflies flying!!

I see California Tortoiseshell

Painted Ladies, Callippe Frits

Other Frits (I think these are Mormon Frit - male/female).

And I can't forget the little Chipmunk!

This is so fun!

I decide to continue up the trail to the lift at 10,185 ft.

Along the way I see a White flying (Checkered, Western, Mustard - I have no idea), more Frits, and Persius Duskywing.

Just before I reach the lift, I see a Chryxus Arctic -- what a cool find!!!

And the view down towards Brighton are great! (With a little zoom action, I can see Lake Mary!)

I wander around the lift for a bit and then head back to the Pass.

When I arrive, I check out the butterflies again -- Hoary Comma are out now.

And then find a rock in the middle of all the flowers for a snack. Definitely, one of the best spots in the Wasatch Mts!!!

Time to head back down.

When I arrive near Dog Lake, I have a fascinating butterfly experience. I see a Blue and it lands on a Lupine. It crawls to the very bottom on the plant where it stays for quite some time. I assume it's laying eggs.

I thought it was a Northern Blue but according to range maps that's not possible. So it has to be a Melissa Blue - looks much different than the Melissa Blues I've seen. A lepidopterist friend of mine says its a Melissa Blue - species annetta or Plebejus Melissa annetta. And there are some in the field that believe it to be a Northern Blue - more research required I guess. But it's very cool!!

On the rest of the way down, I see Ruddy Coppers.

Awesome day!