Sept 17 - Cardiff Mine and above (Big Cottonwood Canyon)

Sunny day with highs near 87 degrees. Heading up Big Cottonwood Canyon this morning and I honestly don't know where I'm hiking. My plan, last night, was Broads Fork - I don't think that's happening. I'll just see where I land.

But it's in the 50 this morning and will be colder the higher I go. Canyon is turning Fall colors now -- should be interesting with the drought.

When I reach the Broads Fork I drive past, I think I'm just hiking Twin Lakes again.

Then I catch up to 2 cars going 30 when it's 45. When I reach Mill D South, I make the turn; I guess I'm hiking to the Cardiff Mine! (And since the gate is open, I can hike directly from the trail head and not have to walk to it - yea!)

The trail is totally in the shade when I start around 8:30 or so.

There's still some water flowing in the stream near the trail head - but not much.

I start the uphill towards the meadow in the shade and quietness.

Two ladies coming up behind me are breaking that silence as they are talking and their hiking sticks clanging. They quickly catch up to me and I step off to let them by. At near their voices are now in front and moving farther away until they stop to tie a shoe. 

I catch up and pass and never see them again - they are heading to Kessler Peak.

I continue along until I reach the meadow. It's still in the shade but there are some Fall colors. And it's awesome!

There are more flowers here then I've seen in weeks. Purple Asters and Yellow Composites of course.

I start moving through wondering what happened to all the debris from the winter's avalanche. And I'm surprised to find that it's all gone - disappeared. There is not a single pine branch in sight, the big boulder gone; it's like nothing ever happened. Yes!

Next stop, the mine tailing pile. When I reach it, it's still in the shade. It appears there is more "copper"' water than the last time I was here but the seasonal overflow creek is still gone.

Next stop the Cardiff Mine. When it's in sight, it's still in the shade but the peak behind it are glowing in sunshine!!

It's glowing is addictive so I decide to head up past the mine to my favorite spot at the base of the rock slabs in front of those peaks.

I hike up behind the mine and around  couple of corners where I come very close to a Moose (cow). 

I wouldn't have never scene her (maybe) but I heard noise of movement to my right. I look up and see the Moose. She wasn't the one making the noise, she was just looking at me. I'm pretty sure there's a young one nearby but can't see it. I move on quickly even as the Moose was slowly moving away.

I'm finally in the sun now and I'm moving towards my "spot" - the end point of the day. Along the way, I see a CA Tortoiseshell.

Hey, this is the 1st time I've been here and it's been a blue sky day!!

I stop briefly and then decide to continue up the road. Alltrails does say there's a loop here and I'm still looking for that elusive place I've seen in Google Photos. I continue up hill as it switches back above where I had stopped.

The road is really rocky here. I see a dark small butterfly but it flies out of reach - I have no idea what it could be so I continue on. It's just a little farther and when I get there -- this is the spot!!!! The Google Spot - Yea!!

The trail flattens and I decide to continue until I reach the Pine trees. Lot of yellow flowers and the views are incredible.

I reach those pine trees - unbelievable!!! (9300ft)

I so want to continue but I don't have lunch, enough water and not sure of the loop so I turn around to head back down.

I spot a Hoary Comma.

I slow down when I'm approaching where the Moose was - just being careful and sure enough she's still there. She's laying down but I can see her head and she knows I'm here - the ears are moving.

Time to move along and down to the mine -- which is now in the sun.

I continue down back to the tailing pile (also in the sun). As I make my way past the "copper" water, a small baby snake pops up and then back in the grasses. I have to walk past it -- was it a baby rattler? I give it a wide berth.

There are also CA Tortoiseshells flying near the water - yea!

I continue down to the meadow.

I see a couple of additional Hoary Commas along the way down -- they look so small.


I reach the sunny meadow. There I find 2 Skippers and a couple of Field Crescents (surprise)! After seeing the Field Crescents, I wondering if that was the "dark" small butterfly I saw up high.

Then it back down and to my car.

Awesome day!

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