Dec 27 - Gravel Pit to Beacon Hill (Antelope Island)

 Cloudy, snowy/raining morning BUT the gusty winds are way down AND the sun is supposed to show around 9AM. I can actually hike this morning! (Actually I could've hiked the last couple days but the wind gust have been over 25mph with cloudy skies, mid-50s; just not worth it to me.)

Heading up to Antelope Island and hoping the rain has stopped before I get there.

I leave my house around 8am and it's a rainy/snow. Roads are very slushy but I do see blue sky up north. Gradually, it turns to all rain and when I get to Hwy 177, it's stopped - Yea!

I see several Kestrels on the drive.

I arrive at the gate to temps around 35 degrees, mostly cloudy skies, and a light wind. This should be good!

No action along the causeway this morning. When I arrive on the Island, I head south towards the Ranch. The blue skies are still to the west so fingers crossed.

I spot a herd of bison in the distance before the fence line and a coyote crosses in front of me at the 1st water hole. I look uphill hill for him and drive along the sagebrush but couldn't find him after crossing; he just disappeared.

And that's all the critter I saw to and from the Ranch; quiet morning.

I park at the Gravel Pit, gear up and start up the trail. I might be a light wind but I'm walking right at it and it's a bit chilly.

As I walk down the ridge, I see a decent size bison herd to the west but far from the trail.

Lots of low cloud movement which make the walk interesting; at one point, I'm in one of those clouds.

From there, it's a quiet walk up to Beacon Hill in the sun and the wind. I does get cloudy (and stays cloudy once I reach Beacon Hill).

On my way up, the warm temps have got some Spring Parsley blooming really early.

Decent view from the end but really chilly.

Time to head back down.

On the way back, there's a very large herd of bison on the road to the campground and they are blocking the road!

Drive back down the causeway, I find 4 Blue Heron (they are still hanging around)! And a Kestrel!


Good day!

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