The 2021 Utah Adventure

 Partly sunny day with highs in the mid-90s. Heading up to Twin Lakes this morning - maybe I'll see another moose :) I arrive around 7:30am and set off around the lake. It's cloudy at this point and the sun has not risen over the mountains. Most of the flowers are gone now in the meadow. The lake is lower (as expected) and the trail is wet from rain last night -- love the rain. I reach the corner and start heading up to Lake Solitude. Again, the flowers are pretty much gone at this point. I spot a large male deer crossing the trail to the left but he stops because of my presence. He then crosses back over the trail. I see a large male deer moving down through the forest. I believe that him but then there's another and yet another -- 3 large bucks! Awesome!  A little ways down the trail, I scare a doe into the woods. Then farther down the trail, I see a doe and a fawn. They move right off the trail. The trail dips so I can't see them. I walk off-trail to take a peek. I g...

Heading out to the Mormon Trail this morning. It wasn't my first choice but circumstances led me there. Sunny mid-90s predicted. I arrive after 8:30. Time to get started. My 1st butterfly is a Purplish Copper - the only one of the day. And then come the Small Wood Nymphs hopping around, then the Great Spangled Frits. Oh, there's some Colorado Hairstreak before the meadow. Lots of chipmunks moving around today - there movement makes me nervous (high moose alert). It was mostly Frits until the meadow. Many on the thistles. I walk about 2.25-2.5 miles today. Not as many Colorado Hairstreaks today but they are out - both males and females. But on my return trip, I see 14 Coral Hairstreak. Many were in groups of 3-4 on a single flower. Most Coral Hairstreaks that I've ever seen in a single day!! Also, there were 2 Sylvan Hairstreaks.  Both with the Coral Hairstreaks - pretty cool! There are only a few Mourning Cloaks and Weidenmeyer's Admirals on the pond. Least number of bu...

 Partly clouded day with highs in the upper 90s. Heading out to hike Lambs Canyon this morning; it's been quite a while since I've been up to it's time. It's cloudy this morning with a haze of smoke from the fires in the West. I get going just after 8am When I pull in the parking lot, there's only 1 other car. And a rabbit munching on some grasses. Wahoo! As I start up the trail, I hear several cars pulling in the lot - oh, the pressure to stay ahead of them. :) Many of the flowers are past due at this point but I do find Geraniums, yellow composites, Fireweed, Monkshood, Goldenrod and a few others in bloom. The Baneberry has both white and red berries. There are lots of Thimbleberry plants along the trail; unfortunately, the berries are not quite ready for eating. (I do find some ripe berries up the trail a bit - .!) About a 1/4 - 1/2 mile in, I stop for a downhill trail runner who is warning a couple ahead of me of a Mom and calf on the trail about a 1/2 mile ahea...

 Mostly sunny day with a high in the upper 90s.  And the great thing is, the trails will be wet --- we actually had rain last night (and a good amount at that). Let's hope it keeps coming. Heading up to Snake Creek Pass. Sadly, this is my 1st trip of the year. Arrive around 8am. There's a pretty good number of cars already here but majority are not going in my direction after the initial uphill climb. It's 54 degrees, still partially cloudy and the sun is not over the mountains yet. As I start the uphill, I greeted immediately by a couple of ground squirrels. There's lots of green plants but flowers are only in patches - lots of horsemint! At one point, I spot a Marmot, nope 2 marmots.  Ran into these guys last time I went up to Lake Mary. A bit farther up, I find Pink Monkeyflower. I finally reach the turnoff for Dog Lake. I head down to the lake to see if there's any Moose near the lake. There's no moose but there's still a good sized lake. Surprised with ...

 Sunny day with highs 101-103 - ugh! Heading to the Mormon Trail today to see if the Great Spangled females are flying yet. Plenty of males out there 2 weeks; females should be out soon. I also want to check on the Colorado Hairstreaks; I thought I saw a couple last time but couple not be for sure. I arrive before 8:30; it's 55 degrees. The trail is still flooding so I go bush-whacking yet again. Not expecting much at the start because everything is in the morning shade. But I get surprised when I see Small Wood Nymphs  and Great Spangled Frits flying. The Frits are flyers this morning and surprise, the females are out!!! They look awesome! At one point, even saw a pair courting. Lots of GSF, Wood Nymphs and Mustard Whites today all the way until my turnaround somewhere between 2.5 and 2.75 miles. Oh, can't forget the Lazuli Bunting male/female pair that I kept chasing up the trail near the start. Never did get a photo. And I saw what looked like a moose bed. Definitely end of...