My Utah Adventure 2025

 Sunny day with temps in the mid-90s; a bit of a cool down from yesterday's 103. Heading up to the Mormon Trail to hunt for butterflies. I've missed the last 2 weeks so I image things will be "hopping". I arrive around 8:30 and the temp is in the upper 60s. I make my way thru the woods to the TH and quickly a doe. As I starting to walk off, I notice there's a buck as well. They run off into the woods together. Great start!! Also the Salisfy is having it's 2nd bloom. I don't even get thru the start when I see my 1st butterfly: a Boisduval's Blue. Yea, the clover is in-bloom (nectar source), as are the Roses, Dogbane, MeadowRue and many others. I wasn't expecting  much on the hike but seeing lots of Ringlets and Weidemeyer's Admirals. Oh, and a few Relict Frits (nice to see they are still flying). There are also N. Crescents and many, many N. Checkerspots. Lots of Ringlets, Admirals, and Checkerspots today!! Near the camp, I spot a dragonfly. And...

 Well, it's Juneteenth so it's a holiday and I don't have to work. Heading up to hike the Twin Lakes Loop (and perhaps head up to the Pass). Got an early start as 1) I'm sure BCC will crowded 2) it's supposed to be 103 degrees today. Arriving before 8am (really not as early as I planned but oh well). Plenty of spots in the parking lot though. I head out along the boardwalk; no moose, deer or beaver to be sent. (Come to think, I have not seen a moose yet this year. Maybe I can break that streak today.) I head to Lake Solitude for the 1st loop attempt this year. Flowers are starting to bloom as I see Lupine, Geraniums, Bluebells but there's a long way to go. Forest is quiet this morning; no pika andfew squirrels, chipmunks. I'm surprised but a W. Tiger Swallowtail sighting but no too much farther down the trail I see another one (perhaps the same) nectaring on Bluebells. I also find White Columbine, a few Heartleafed Arnica, and Paintbrush. All the snow I ran ...

 Sunny day with temps of 84 degrees; awesome day for after work hike. Since I missed this hike on the weekend, I'm heading up to hike Lambs Canyon; probably not to the top but we'll see. Arrive around 3:30pm. The mud is hopping a bit with N Checkerspots, WTB, an unknown Duskywing, W Admiral, Two-tailed Swallowtail and Purplish Copper. Oh and a Great Basin Frit!!! (I finally have one confidently identified!! As I head up to the trail, the Spring flowers are in seed or going to seed. But the trail is now so lush! Thimbleberries in bloom as are the Geraniums and Lupine! Oh, yea and hollyhock and many others. There butterflies along the trail but not as many as I thought but it's entertaining! The prize of the day are the Parnassians; they are flying!! Saw 5-10 of them but none ever stopped in view. The big log is still on the trail but the "stepovers" are gone (yea!) I find a Great Basin  Bumblebee. Just after the bee, I find a Lilac Bordered Copper. Hot dog! My stop...

 Another sunny day with temps in the 90s. I think of heading up to do the Mormon Trail; I tried yesterday but got turned back due to road construction. But I decide to head up to Alta and walk the Summer Road and check out the snow situation. And maybe, walk the trail to Catherine's Pass. Note: Little Cottonwood creek is still flowing strong. I get an early start leaving around 7am and arriving around 7:30. It's cloudy and even if there were no clouds, the sun is below the peaks. Looking around there's still a bunch of snow higher up but the lower ground is pretty clear. I start up the road. Lots of birds singing. Checking the flowers along the side of the road, it's still early season. But there is red columbine and meadow rue, wallflower and cinquefoil trying to bloom. The walk is uneventful until I reach the views of the final long switchback. Beautiful!  (And I find some White Columbine about ready to bloom! I see my first 2 Marmots about 1/2 up that switchback. The...

 My goal this week-end was to get up to Twin Lakes and I accomplished that with a hike this morning. Sunny and in the 50s when I arrive at Silver Lake this morning. I hike around the right side of the lake to the TH. (No moose, deer or beaver that I can see). I start up the trail to Twin Lakes and about 1/2 way to the switchback, I see a deer near the trail eating (it's doe).  I look for others and find 1 more (also a doe and eating). I continue up to the switchback and properly see a Pika (they were harder to find on Friday). And one additional. I continue my way up to Twin Lakes. Just taking my time this morning. It's the 1st real-time at 9000ft and I don't want to kill myself. That pays off with a sighting of a buck!! On the way up, there are lots of Lilies; mostly in bloom. There are patches of snow but not many. I remember only going around one patch and then there was the one at the top. Once over that last snow patch, I stop for a break before continuing to the dam a...

Heading up to hike to Lake Solitude today for the first time this season. I have spikes in pack just in case like I want to get up to Twin Lakes. On drive up the canyon, stopped for a deer crossing the road. When she got across, she decided to go across and up the mountain. Indecisive this morning. Mostly cloudy morning in the low 50s when I arrive at Silver Lake. Surprised when I walk around the VC and there's no snow! But hey, it's June. There's still snow on the mountains and they look great especially with Silver Lake in front. No beavers, moose or deer to be seen. Even though aspen are leafing or are leafed out, the vegetation is still with mostly Lilies and a few Waterleaf, Spring Beauty, Bluebells. Only a few patches of snow left on the trail. The bigger patches are closer to Lake Solitude. The avalanche still has a fair bit of snow too. I arrive at Lake Solitude and there is one duck on the pond. I scout the trail and there still looks to be a lot of snow after the ...

 Sunny day with a high of 74 degrees. Absolutely beautiful out! So good, I left work at 2:30 to hike up Lambs Canyon trail. (And yes, the road opened yesterday!!) I arrive around 3:30 and check out the parking lot. Still not much flying. Saw RMD and a Northern Crescent.  Also saw flying a Two-tailed and Pale Swallowtail. I start up the trail and the Virgin Bowers, Solomon's Seal and Heartleaf Arnica are still blooming. I also find Geraniums starting to bloom (just starting). The veg is getting taller and now brushing against my legs. The Thimbleberrys have buds forming. The stream is flowing but slower than last week and it's really quiet out.  Along the trail I'm finding many Blues. I find WTB and Azures. At one point along the water I see 3 orange flyers; two are the same species and the other is different. In my brain the 2 are Relict Frits. I've not seen them this early here (usually around July 4th) but then I've only seen them twice here. And they are flying o...

 Sunny day with temps near 90 degrees (record setting temps) Heading to walk the Mormon Trail; just the 1st two miles like last week. Lots of birds singing today but can't get a good look at any of them. At the actual trail, I'm not really expecting much on the way out but quickly see a Ringlet flying. There are new flowers to look at starting with Pussytoes, Death Kamas,  Wild Onion,  Large flowered Triteleria  and Green Gentian. The next butterfly I see is a Western Tailed Blue and a nectaring Western Swallowtail. When I enter the meadow, I get a good look at a Two-tailed Swallowtail. At the pond crossing thru the muck, I spot a Northern Cloudywing for the 1st time this year!!! Then it's a bunch of Rocky Mt Duskywing and a few Relict Frits (much less of these this week). Another 1st of the season is the Bouisduval's Blue. I reach the 2 mile marker and head back spotting a Northern Crescent (another 1st of the season flyer)! I stop behind the dam to check the mud an...