Sept 8 - Catherine & Sunset Pass and beyond

Beautiful morning - low 60s and clear skies - with highs later in the low 90s.

I'm heading up to Catherine's Pass this morning and then up to Sunset Pass and over to the Supreme Lift near Devil's Castle. I've usually already done this hike by now but "better late than never". I'm hoping there's still some flowers in bloom especially up on the ridge.

As I arrive at Alta's Summer Road, I can tell it's post-Labor Day and post-flowers as there are no cars (which I really like). When I arrive, not even a quarter of the parking lot is full. Perfect!

As I start off, it's in the 50s at 9400 ft. The sun is out but not up over all the peaks yet. So although the parking lot is in the summer, most the trail is still in the shade.

Most of the flowers are now dry but there are still good patches of flowers around - especially the various Asters. I see Yellow Composites, a few Paintbrush, Lupine, Horsemint along the way.

I arrive at the meadow and look around for deer or moose but nothing this morning. I continue up the switchbacks.

And soon I'm at Catherine's Pass (10,200 ft).

Quite a few chipmunks moving about up here.

After taking a quick look, I start heading up to Sunset Pass taking a stop at one of two overlooks looking down on Lake Catherine and Lake Mary (in the distance).

Soon I arrive at what I call Sunset Pass (10,500 ft). This is one of my favorite places at it look out towards the city of Heber and Mt Timpanogos -- a bit hazy in the morning light.

Also, the downhill slopes are usually full of flowers. Today, that's true except most of the flower are dry now. But there some flowers and the bees and butterflies are using them. Lots of Clouded Sulphurs flying this morning.

And a few Painted Ladies.

Time to head towards Devils Castle.

At one point, the trail heads thru a small forest with Sugarloaf and Mt Baldy clearly ahead of me.

It's the point in the trail that traditionally is not my favorite because of a skinny trail and a big steep downhill. But today, it doesn't bother me and I can really enjoy the views.

Soon I pop out of the woods into the open again. Still lots of Clouded Sulpher flying.

There's a good number of Paintbrush and a few Lupine still blooming. But there's lots of Lupine with seed pods -- from a distance, they actually look like they're blooming. Really pretty!

I also find a few flowers that are blooming near the ground.

As I walk around, I scare up an Acmon Blue.

But nothing else flying.

I head over to the lift but there's workers laying concrete for a new lift so I stop short ....but still get a good view of Devil's Castle, Sugarloaf and Mt Baldy.

Time to head back over towards Sunset Pass. When I arrive, I find a rock and sit among the remaining flowers enjoying the view the birds.

and butterflies (Sulphurs and Painted Ladies).

Well, it's time to continue but before heading down, I check out one last area of flowers. There I'm fortunate to find one Western White.

Time to head down. As I head down to Catherine's Pass, the Clark's Nutcrackers are out in good numbers today eating pine cone seeds.

I'm almost at the Pass, when I see my first Fritillary of the day. I have no area of an ID and the fact it's pretty battered doesn't help. Continuing down I see several more; all battered.

Further down, I start seeing Blue Coppers at some of the flower patches. (There's one area with quite a few of them - both males and females.)

Down further not far from the parking, I spot Ruddy Coppers,

more Blue Coppers, a Milbert's Tortoiseshell

a unbattered Frit

and finally, one Field Crescent.

I really wasn't expecting that more butterflies but I'll take it!! :)

Awesome day!

Sept 4 - Snakecreek Pass (Big Cottonwood Canyon)

It's Labor Day, sunny and hot; I don't usually head to the mountains on a holiday as its way to crowded and crazy but I'm heading there today to be the heat elsewhere.

The canyon is already very crowded as I head up around 8:30. So many folks heading up! (It's going to be a very crowded Lake Mary today.)

I find a parking spot at Brighton without much trouble - they have a huge parking lot - and start heading up. No piece and quiet on this part of the trail - almost looks like an ant farm. On my way up the ski run, most of the flowers have faded except the Fall bloomer (Asters). But there still are Lupine and a few Paintbrush blooming (and others) still in bloom.

In about 0.8 miles, I reach my turnoff to escape the crowds - the Dog Lake turnoff.

The turnoff to Clayton Peak is almost immediate but I want to head down to Dog Lake to check for Moose. I wander down the trail to Dog Lake. A bit more flowers here -- lots of yellow flowers

Asters and Lupine.

Spot a couple of Northern Flickers flying around.

I reach the Lake which is surprisingly still there but no moose.

Then I head up a shortcut to my trail (a Mormon Frit flies around) and head into the woods. It's so peaceful in here. Only a few flowers still blooming but a few interesting mushrooms.

I pass thru a few meadows which are slowly fading and drying.

I finally reach the gravel road which will take me to Snake Creek Pass and start the climb up. Then I'm at Snake Creek Pass (10,100 ft) with awesome views southeast towards Heber City and Mt Timpanogos.

The flowers at the pass have faded but the few still in bloom are still attracting some butterflies: a Clouded Sulphur, Painted Ladies and Milbert's Tortoiseshell.

I also spot a Hairy Woodpecker.

I then head up a small hill to the Snake Creek Lift for good views down to Mary Lake.

I head up a small footpath up past the Lift hoping to find another great view. I pass thru many dead flowers and find some bloomers. I see a few Frits as well a Melissa Blue (beautiful bfly!).

And wonderful dark purple asters.

I didn't make it to any great view because I got to a point where I just didn't want to go any further. But the view back down to the Lift with Clayton Peak in the background is really nice.

Time to head down. Down back near Dog Lake, I see Blue Coppers.

And soon I'm at the very crowded main trail -- still tons of people walking up to Lake Mary.

Nothing too interesting on the way down but a sighting of 2 Ruddy Coppers.

Great day!!

Sept 3 - International Sheepdog Championships

Heading off for my 4th visit to the International Sheepdog Championships (last year was the only time I have not gone).

This week-end (including today) will be hard on both the dogs and the sheep as it's supposed to be usually hot - in the 90s.

We're off by 8am. I would normally head up past Park City and then down to Heber and then Soldier Hollow for the competition. However, today I'm heading south down I15 towards Provo as I want to visit Bridal Veil Falls in Provo Canyon. I figure it's a good time for me to visit for the first time when I have company. Besides it's really not out of the way as Provo Canyon goes right past Soldier Hollow.

Easy drive and about 50 minutes later, we're at Bridal Veil Falls. There's a trail that heads up closer to the Falls but we just walk the Provo Riverwalk to get a good view. Really nice waterfall.

(This Falls had to look amazing this Spring with all the run-off.)

Well we're done here so off to the competition passing by Deer Creek Reservoir (lots of boats out there) and spotting some wild turkeys along the side of the road.

We arrive just past 9:30 and find a spot under the canopy to be in the shade as we watch the competition. The competition is an obstacle course that the sheepdogs (mostly Border Collies) have to run sheep through getting points for completing obstacles and properly moving the sheep.

The course starts with the dogs running up a large hill where they will find a herd of 5 sheep. The sheep have to be moved done the hill

and thru a gate. Once thru, the sheep are moved to the Shedding Area will they have to be moved around a pole. Then up part way up the hill thru another set of gate. Then across the course thru the last set of gate before heading back to the Shedding Area. There the handler and the dog must separate the sheep - 2 & 3. Finally, the dog must herd the all of the sheep into a small pen. Not an easy task. (This dog got the job done!!)

Several dogs have already run the course with the top score at 91.

We watch at least 10 dogs today run. Most, I assume because of the heat, are having troubles moving the sheep. One dog even get disqualified for biting at sheep. But still fun to watch. Especially when the dogs finish the course and cool off in a tub of water.

We see two dogs pen the sheep but the 91 high score still stands when we leave just after 11am. The highest score we see is a 73.

Time to head up to the Uintas to visit Mirror Lake (10,050ft). Heading there from Heber takes me on the south side of the Jordanelle Reservoir and up to Kamas. From there is a crowded but moving drive to Mirror Lake.

As expected, Mirror Lake is packed - parking is full and I end up parking along the run. But the walk around the lake really didn't seem that crowded. Always a great little hike.

Even find some Gentian still in bloom along one section of the lake.

On the way back home, we stop at the overlook near Bald Mt Pass (10,715ft).

And then the Provo River Falls. Again very crowded with people walking on the Falls.

But still pretty despite all the people especially some of the lowers falls.

Lovely day!

Sept 2 - An Evening Walk at Silver Lake

My niece is in town for the week-end. So after a supper, I'm taking her up into the mountains for her first time. (She's been in Salt Lake before but it was in March and it was too snowy in the mountains.)

Another sunny 90+ degree day in the valley. But it's around 6pm when we arrive at Silver Lake in Big Cottonwood Canyon so it's a much cooler 75 degrees at 8700 ft.

Many people out - auxiliary parking still crowded but at least where we were wanting, it isn't too bad.

We start in the counterclockwise direction. A little hard to see as the sun is very bright an in our eyes.

There are lots of dragonflies zipping about this evening.

And after crossing the footbridge, we are out of the sun and into the shade (and even cooler temperatures).

We continue down the side of the lake and are not too far from the corner where the spur trails to Lake Solitude and Twin Lake begin, when a large male moose walks out of the shadows!! I was hoping to see a moose for my niece (whose never seen one before) and there he is right in front of us!!

We have no choice but to stop and watch. The moose is on the left side of the trail browsing on the trees.

After a bit of time, I see another moose coming around the big male!! It's a female!

We have to back-up because the female walks down the trail past the large male. I thought we'd have to do a mass retreat but she turns to feed at after passing the large male. Phew!

So we're watching for quite some time and thinking about finally turning around because the moose are still feeding along the trail. Then something catches my eye around the corner  - it's another moose!!! This one's a younger male!

Again we have to back-up because he makes his way past both the other two moose

and then turns to feed next to the female. How cool is that! My niece was having a blast watching one moose and now there's three!

After a while, the younger male (the one nearest us) starts moving thru the vegetation to the edge of Silver Lake and then into Silver Lake!

The other two move further into the vegetation. We can now pass and suddenly there's a mass of people crossing behind the moose(s).

We continue around making a stop at the platform.

There's several female Mallards swimming near the platform. A few are feeding; the typical head in the water and butt up. But there's one duck that is actually swimming under water...for 10-15 feet. I think she thinks she's a Penguin. Pretty cool!

We continue on to the far corner of the lake; it's a good place to see deer. And sure enough when we get there, there's deer. I scan around for more and find another doe a little further up the hill.

What an awesome night!

Aug 27 - Big Springs Hollow Trail (Provo Canyon)

Heading to a place new today -- Big Spring Hollow in Provo Canyon. Going there to look for the Tailed Copper butterfly - I've seen photos that they do fly there so I have a chance of finding out.

Never been there before but it is supposed to be a good butterfly trail as it follows a stream through a mountainside valley. (Read that over 60 species of butterflies have been documented there. I'm just looking for one of them.

Actually never been in Provo Canyon either but the instructions mention Vivian Park which sounds very familiar to me but I don't know why.

Sunny morning today with temps in the mid-90s again! Not quite an early start because I want to make sure the sun is up high enough to get over mountains/foothills if they exist.

Pretty easy to get there - drive down I-15, exit UT-52 east and straight onto US-189 (Provo Canyon). I pass some places that seem to deserve a stop (like Bridal Veil Falls) but I'm going butterflying. (But will have to come back.)

Soon I realize that if I continue far enough, I'll be in Heber and I've been to Heber for the International Sheepdog Trials.

But here comes Vivian Park and my turn. And I realize why Vivian Park is familiar; it's because that was the destination of the Heber Creeper Train when my Dad, Uncle and I rode it a few years back. That was a fun day.

It's a short 3 miles drive up a very curvy (and beautiful) South Fork Canyon to my turn at the Big Springs Hollow park/trail. Very nice park and very big; I wasn't expecting that.

I drive to the end of the road which is a very large parking lot. Time to start the trail and search for the Tailed Copper.

I should note, I'm not quite sure what to expect on the trail. My book says its 5 mile (round trip) "lollipop" trail with a 550 ft elevation again. AllTrails, however, says its an out-n-back 4.2 mile trail with a gain of 1177 ft gain. Which is correct, I'll soon find out.

The trail starts with a footbridge crossing of a small stream. The stream I'll be following and listening to on the entire trail - a stream whose source is the mountain Spring.

I pass several tents pitched along the stream as I pass through a very dry section of the trail. I'm immediately excited when I see a Copper flying. Could it be.......no, but a very fresh Purplish Copper.

The trail continues up the valley passing thru woods (aspen and maple) and various size meadows. It's green near the streams and drier in the larger meadows. (This must be a gorgeous trail earlier in the summer!)

The patches asters, yellow composites and goldenrod are spread along the trail.

I cross the stream several times and am gaining elevation -- the reported 550 ft gain can't be true.

In the one big meadow, I get a view of Cascade Peak in the distance.

Along the way, I see Woodland Skipper (tons of them),

a Red Admiral (haven't seen many of these this year),

Great Spangled Frits (quite beaten), and other unId Frits.

Soon I arrive at a little dam.

It's actually a good butterfly stop. I find Weidenmeyer's Admiral, Mylitta Crescents, Field Crescents,

 Variegated Frit (1st on in Northern UT for me this season),

 and a Hoary Comma.

It gets a little steeper now and the habitat transitions to more conifers. And then I'm there, the Springs.

Definitely not what I was expected.

I take a break and check the elevation, it's ~6700 ft -- AllTrails is correct - 1100 gain!

Time to head down. On the way I add a Painted Lady and Common Checkered Skippers to my list.

Nice hike! (I'll be back next butterfly season.)