June 8 - West Baldy Trail #94

 Another sunny day with temps near 90 degrees in Eagar but cooler in the mountains. And I'm heading into those mountains to hike a portion of the West Baldy Trail. I say "a portion" because the entire trail is 14 miles (RT) with 2000 ft in elevation. The trailhead is around 9200 ft.

After consulting AllTrails, it seems around the 4 mile marker there are a lot of downed tree and that's when the elevation gain really kicks in. There are also 2 stream crossing before the 4 mile mark, I'm stopping at one of those stream crossings.

I get started just after 7:45. It's sunny but still in the 60s.

It's a little buggy (including mosquitoes) but not too bad. 

The trail starts in the forest and transitions into very small clearing and back to forested. I'm also heading down hill.

I'm greeted by Ringlets (tons of them today), some Field Crescent, Mexican Cloudywing

and a Skipper. Wow! So much for searching along Greens Peak and FR1325 for Morrison's Skipper; I just found one!!!!

I'm far from the Little Colorado which is a bit disappointing. There appears to be an option to head closer to the river. I see 2 people down there but never being on the trail I did not know the 2 trails would merge a bit farther down. Oh well.

The openings are getting bigger now but there's always patches of forest to cool down. And I'm getting closer to the River (not as close as yesterday though).

I'm in a valley as expected with the valley (w/ the river) on my right and the uphill on my left. The vegetation here looks exactly like what the Alberta Arctic would love - maybe I'll get lucky.

The butterflying is good in spots. Mostly Field Crescents, Ringlets (did I say there are tons of them), Dainty Sulphurs

 and Mexican Cloudywings.

I find Northwestern Frits in the more forested spots.

There is one particular awesome butterfly spots (this is where the couple I saw down by the river pass me). I find Common Buckeye, Western Green Hairstreak, and another Gray Hairstreak! Amazing! (The photo is actually of one I saw nearer to the parking lot - it was fresher.)

Western Swallowtails

Mustard White

Orange Sulphur

Ringlet

Mylitta Crescents

Common Checkered Skippers

Mourning Cloak

Thicket Hairstreak (on an Iris - go figure)

Garita Skipperling

Field Crescent

Milbert's Tortoiseshell

Arctic Blue

NW Frit

Buckeye

Western Green Hairstreak

Spring Azure

Variegated Frit

Draco Skipper

Mustard White

Unknown Duskywing

At some point I crossed a little water seep. There I find some Shooting Stars along the trail.

Is this my stream? I'm expecting more. I check my clock and it's been just over and hour so it seems reasonable.

And I'm gaining elevation - according to the AllTrails map, around 3 miles there's some elevation gain.

I continue on stopping for a Hoary Comma

 and Mustard White. 

I can see ahead of me (100 yrds) is a sharp which is just before the 2 crossing. Also, there's a group of people just rounding that corner.

The river is right next to me and on the other side of the trees is a perfect stopping point. It's a large boulder on the edge of the river. It's in the shade; perfect spot to dangle my feet over the water. 

I stop and enjoy the breeze, the sounds of the river and a brief stop of a Dipper. He's too fast for a photo. But several minutes later, he comes zipping by me using the river as his hwy.

Just a short time later, that group is coming back. They like my spot!!

Well, it's time to get moving back to the trail head.

I take my time trying to be more patient to get some of the butterflies that I passed by on the way out.

At one point, I see something flying near the trail that's not the Ringlet. Could it be... yes! Yes, it's the Alberta Arctic!!! He stops first on a rock.

And then into the grasses.

And then he moves again.

Absolutely fantastic!! Wow!

As I'm finishing up with him, I get passed by a group of horse back riders. So lucky, I saw him before these guys rode through!

I'm on cloud 9 at this point and enjoying the rest of the trip. Funny, I walked longer today and I'm hardly tired (I was really tired yesterday). Could it be the Alberta Arctic OR I'm just acclimating to the altitude.

When I get back to my car, it's around 11:15 and I'm hungry. I eat my sandwich watching the storm clouds build.

On my drive back, I do get rained on.

Well, since I've seen the Arctic there's no need to go back up Green's Peak road (and I wouldn't go anyway with the storm clouds). Now what do I do?

I decide to head up to Greer and see what's up there. Nothing too exciting except when I turned onto the road heading to Greer, I see 2 deer!!

Time to go to the hotel to clean-up and decide what to do.

Looking at my highest elevation (9400) I never reached the 1st stream. The stream was after that sharp right. I made it around 3.0 miles --- just as perfect because if I went farther, no Arctic. Love it!

Well, after a shower and a brief rest I decide to head out to the city of Alpine and Luna Lake. Lovely drive winding around.

As I enter the city limits, I see 4 elk in a meadow. I drive past but notice a pull-off (a historic marker for something). I turn around and head back to that pull-off. When I arrive, one of the elk starts running to the left passing 2 other elk that are happily grazing. The other elk decides to run after the first. The run for a good distance while the other are still feeding. Weird.

Then we I arrive in Alpine, there's a large meadow filled with 50+ elk. These are Moms and babies. Unfortunately, no good pull-off spot to get a good look. Oh well! But I want to live here -- so many elk!

I arrive at Luna Lake. Lots of storm clouds all around. There are Canadian Geese on the far side of the lake.

And guess what? Another herd of elk (maybe 20) on the other side. I don't see babies so it must be a bachelor herd.

Fantastic day!