June 18 - Twin Lakes Pass

 Another 100 degree day predicted so I'm heading out early to hike up to Twin Lakes Pass.

I arrive before 7am. It's 59 degrees and cloudy. The clouds are fine with me though if they stick around, there will be no butterflies :(

I stop at the bathroom and as I'm coming out, a lady calls me over to see a deer (doe) that's on the edge of the parking lot. Pretty cool!

I head around the boardwalk and stop as I cross the foot bridge. Lots of mossy gunk on the water :( But I see the beaver! He's swimming near the grasses on the left side and moving away - I see his head and his wake.

I try to catch up but he's on mission. (I point out the beaver to 2 guys looking at the lake.)

Then it's onto the Lake Solitude Trail. There's a few more flowers in bloom - yellow violets, larkspur,

White Columbine




Along the water, I see a buck grazing a couple feet off the trail. 

Then there is a doe, 

followed by another buck and lastly (not far from the buck) 2 more doe. Good day for deer!

Soon I reach Lake Solitude.

As I work my way to the other side, I see my final deer on the hill on the other side of the lake.

Then it's up, up, up to above Twin Lakes.

Then up a bit more to the trail to Twin Lakes Pass. There's still some snow here but other than the first few steps, the trail is clear (and there's buttercups).

Up the little hill, I start making my way through lots of green, so to bloom, plants. There are a few flowers in bloom though.

As expected, I find no butterflies but I do find a moth.

I reach the Pass 

and take a short break after peering into Little Cottonwood canyon.

Then it's down to Twin Lakes for a quick look see

And then back down to the switchback. Not much activity this morning; I only find 1 Pika.

Then back to Silver Lake.

Good day!

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