March 14 - Gravel Pit and White Rock Trails (Antelope Island)

 Sunny day coming with highs around 50 degrees. As I leave my home this morning, there are still bunches of clouds from yesterday's storms around.

When I arrive at the gate just after 8am, I surprised that there's a gatekeeper this morning and there are 2 cars already ahead of me. I've been here around 8am for weeks and have never had folks in front of me. And by the time I actually get to "pay" there are several cars behind me. Wow! Even on a week were we "sprung ahead". Can figure that these are the people who arrive at 7am (now 8am) to sneak in without paying and are the folks I see leaving the park when I arrive. It really doesn't matter but it's just curious (I think).

When I arrive, it's still in the 30s and hardly any wind. I think about going directly to White Rock but I'm still holding hope of hiking the Sentry Trail so I head south.

There are still bison among the rocks on the curve.

And there's 2 more just past the 1st water bin in the sagebrush to the west and just past them, 2 more to the east in the grasses.

After that it's quiet until after Frary Peak when I see a herd of bison stretched out along the mountains.

Then a few miles farther there's a huge herd close the lake bed and a smaller herd directly across the street.

I'm feeling hopeful as I crest the little hill before arriving at the Ranch and ... there's no bison to be seen near the Sentry Trail!!!!!

I happily pull into a parking spot and look right only to find about 20 bison in the picnic area and they are freaked out running around trying to figure out how to get out of the wooded fence. Crap! I need to walk past them on my way to the trail head. (Why can't the road be open to the trail head?!)

What if they escape and come my way? Not hiking Sentry Trail today :(

I turn around and head to the Gravel Pit. I gear up and start up the trail. 

Hey, the Spring Parsley is up!!

As I near the "Puma" I spot a few bison ahead. Probably just the 3-4 bison I've been passing for weeks no big deal. But as I get closer, it's not 3-4 bison, try 30-40 bison and they are left of the trail, right of the trail and on the trail! Crap! 


So much for hiking here today. At least I get 1.5-2 miles in.

Not willing to drive all this way for a 1-2 mile walk, I head over the White Rock. On the way over, there are many bison scattered around Bison Point and more to the east of White Rock. I also see one lone bison that looks near the trail heading east from the switchbacks - no loop today! But 1 guy on a bike gets by - a little close of my comfort.

I reach the top of the switchbacks and head counter-clockwise on the trail. Pretty quiet walk.

Spring Parsley is better here!


I reach the "end" of the trail and follow the trail around to the east. Not soon after I start heading east, I spot a huge herd of bison under the White Rock ridge - Wow! (Boy, are the bison scattered today!)


I keeping heading east hoping to get as close a possible (they are probably 1/2 to 1 mile away). I'm trying to spot some "little reds" as they should be coming soon. 

But when I round the next corner, I run into a strong wind - where did that come from?

I decide to call it quits.

I turn around and start heading back when I see 3 Pronghorn climbing uphill towards the trail! (How did I miss them before; must've been focused on the bison). I keep getting closer and they keep heading uphill slowly. They know I'm there but appear pretty calm. 

Finally they have a quick sprint uphill but calmly cross the trail and continue a slow uphill climb. 

I pass behind them probably 30-40 feet away. 



They disappear over the top. Way cool!

I complete the hike -- things worked out great today!!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dec 5 - Sentry Trail (Antelope Island)

Image
Sunny day with temps near 50 degrees. Heading out to Antelope Island with the goal of hiking Sentry Trail. I arrive around 8:30am and as I cross the causeway I see a Kestrel what I think is a Northern Harrier (he's here every year) and surprise(!!) a Bald Eagle. It's December so its not unlikely but cold, snowy weather brings them down here and we have had none of the above. Maybe it's colder, snowier in Idaho but very much a surprise to see!! Lots of duck hunters out this morning. water levels are too low for boats so they are just standing in the water with their decoys. Still can' t believe they can hunt so close to people but it is what it is. I reach the island and head south towards the Ranch. Behind the Visitor's Center, I find one bison. Quiet drive until I reach Frary Peak. There I find a small herd of bison heading south along the mountains. A bit farther down, I spot a coyote moving north along the lake bed. A tiny bit farther, there's a herd of Prong...
Read more

Dec 18 - Antelope Island Cruise

Image
 Cold morning with temps in the upper teens but sunny skies are coming - a perfect day for a winter hike. (However, there will be no hiking today as I injured my knee while shoveling our 12 inches of unexpected snow on Wednesday. Hoping it's nothing more serious than a sprain so trying to be kind to it.) I arrive on the causeway around 8:30 am. It's sunny with temps around 20 and very little wind. There's snow along both side of the causeway and lots of frozen water (w/ a few open spots). There no Kestrel waiting this morning but there is a Rough Legged Hawk on the wheel structure (like last week and many times before). As I near the island, I see a black spot in the distance on Farmington Bay. I stop, it's a Bald Eagle! (This week I'm not surprised to see them with the snow storm and the cold temperatures.) Still lots of ducks (Shovelers, I think) near the island on the Salt Lake side. I arrive on the island and head south. I'm surprised that there are no bison...
Read more

Dec 12 - Antelope Island Cruise

Image
 Cloudy day forecast and it's 32 degrees out. Not my normal hiking day but I'm heading out to Antelope Island to check on critter movements after this weeks snow - and perhaps, squeak a hike in. I arrive on the causeway around 8:30. It's cloudy, 32 degrees. The snow that remains is almost a just a dusting across the landscape. The peaks on the island definitely has snow. As I cross I find a Kestrel and a coyote far in the distance. Duck hunters (a bunch of them) are once again near the island. I reach the island and turn south towards the Ranch. There are 2 bison along the road behind the Ranch. After them, it's quiet until just after the road to Frary Peak. (Note because of this week snow, the gates are down on the roads to the Gravel Pit, Frary Peak and Sentry Peak trail heads.) After Frary Peak, I see a lone bison moving north. Not to much farther south, there's a small herd (20'sh) of bison. A bit farther down the road is another small herd of bison. And sti...
Read more