The 2021 Utah Adventure

 Sunny day with highs in the mid-40s. Heading out to hike Mill D South to the Cardiff meadow. But when I arrive at the trail head parking, the sun hasn't come up over the mountains and it's in the low 20s. I gear up with YakTraks and start off. The road is snow packed; good thing, I have the Traks :) Really quiet other than the cars heading up towards the ski resorts. I'm surprised by the amount of snow since we've barely had any this winter (55% of normal). It's only a foot or two but really nice to see. Pretty crisp out right now but hoping the weather gets better. I arrive at the trail head and cross the bridge.  The water is still flowing but it's pretty low. But the real surprise is that the bridge plowed!! I've never seen that before! Also the gate is open; never has been before. I start up the road and it's plowed; or shall I say groomed. Perhaps this usually occurs but in my sporadic winter visits it's not groomed. It's just and an uphill...

 Heading up to Antelope Island for a hike. It's supposed to be sunny and low 40s; however, it's not sunny but very cloudy (and 21 degrees). Heading across the causeway, I find no Kestrels, hawks or eagles. I reach the island and head south towards the Ranch. Very quiet morning as I only find a single bison in the sagebrush before Frary Peak. He's shaking his head to get a Magpie off his back. I also find 4 Porcupine and a small herd of bison against the mountains. This little herd has been here for weeks now. I think we need to have some snow cover to start the animals moving around. As  I approach the Ranch I find a large herd of bison and near Mushroom Springs an even larger herd. I head to look for the owls and again no luck; could be they are in mating mode. Since it's still cloudy and only 21 so there's no hiking today :( I start back up the island and I head to the causeway. Before I reach the bridge I spot a Bald Eagle and what looks like 2 more in the distan...

 Sunny day with highs in low 40s. Thought about walking Mill D South but decided to avoid the crowds and take a nice quiet hike up the Lambs Canyon Rd and possible a portion of the trail. The road is snow covered and packed but not icy. The landscape is definitely lacking snow. We so badly need it as the resorts have a base of about 3 feet which is horrible. Oh well! The creeks is still bubbling and twice during the 1.5 mile walk, I run into flocks of Chickadees. As I arrive at the trailhead, an Ermine runs across the road. I don't see him again unfortunately. My feet are warm; I wore a different pair of boots for the first time. But unfortunately, I have a blistered heal. :( I do walk up the trail past the initial switchback until I'm fully in the woods. It's so pretty. Time to head back. Good day!

 Sunny day with temps in the low 40s.  Heading out after work for a quick walk at Dell Reservoir. Not really enough time to walk the trail but I'm tempted and start down. I packed snow/ice on the top but the short cut trails down to the main trail are mud pits. I head back up and decide to walk down to the boat ramp.  First I see, several geese (I think flying)  and then I spot ducks in 2 spots and I only get a good view of one of them. They look like GoldEye and there's a male/female pair diving for food. Sure is pretty out! I make my way to the boat ramp enjoying the colorations in the ice. At the boat ramp. It was a short walk but a walk outside in the sunlight. Good day!

Happy New Year! Cloudy, foggy morning with temperatures in the 20s and no wind. Driving thru Syracuse, it's sunny and clear. As I near the causeway, I'm in the fog. Not a great way to start the year with a 40 mile drive and fog. But as I continue to cross the causeway, it starts to clear. Yea! I do see 2 Bald Eagles far out on the ice; no hawks. I head directly to the Ranch hoping for another Sentry Trail hike. There are two lone bison behind the Visitor's Center. One is closer to the road; he has snow on his face. I'm out of the fog until I head downhill when I enter a fog hole and I can't see again. I'm back in the clear as I approach Frary Peak. I count 4 porcupine as I drive by. A bit farther down the road, I spot a small herd of bison up near the mountains. There's another herd of bison up near mountains farther down the road. And a herd of pronghorn. They're hard to see but I spot their white butts reflecting in the sun. I count 14 of them. I arriv...