Sept 4 - Lake Mary and Snakecreek Pass

 Sunny morning with temps head near/above 100 degrees today.

It's already 73 when I start out just after 7am. My original plan is to hike to Snakecreek Pass but I changed my mind (no good reason) and I'm hiking up to Twin Lakes.

However, when I get to Silver Lake, the parking is already packed - mostly likely with camera people looking for moose so I'm off to hike to Snakecreek Pass; must've been fate.

Parking is surprisingly not crowded yet (happiness); so I gear up and start the uphill. It's still in the shade and the temps are in the low 60s.

The flowers are pretty spent other than the Asters. There are a few other species like Yarrow, some composite but it's spent!

No ground squirrels this morning either; maybe on the way down.

I get to a point in the hike that I decide I'll head to Lake Mary for a quick look-see; maybe get lucky and see a moose.

I do pass fresh Moose scat on the climb directly behind the dam. And I see a Marmot too but when I get to the lake, no moose.

But the scenery is awesome as always (and there are only a few folks at this point).

After a bit, I head back down to the Dog Lake trail head. I decide to walk down to take a peek at Dog Lake before proceeding up to Snake Creek Pass. I've only ever seen a moose here once but there's water/willows and fresh moose scat not far away so off I go.

And guess what? There's a bull moose!! 

No, 2 Bull Moose!! 

One is laying near the water's edge and the other is standing! Way cool!

The standing one looks to have all of it's velvet.

While the laying one is definitely shedding its velvet; lots of blood! These guys won't be friends much longer as the rut looks to be starting soon.

There are 2 ladies watching the moose when I arrive. The one says there's one other in the trees. Perhaps these 3 are the ones I've seen twice at Silver Lake recently. Would make sense as Silver Lake is right around the corner.

I watch for a bit. The 2nd moose decides to lay down as well.


The ladies take off and as they leave, the 3rd moose (a cow) shows herself briefly.

Definitely the 3 from Silver Lake! Guess the photographers didn't have a good morning (maybe).

Time to head up to Snake Creek Pass.

The flowers thru the woods are also spent. I see a few here and there (mostly Yarrow) and surprisingly a couple of blooming Heartleafed Arnica (Spring flower).


I have a group of guy bikers pass me by; they are spread out a bit so I get passed 4 times. But I meet them at a rock crossing as they are taking a break. I urge them to keep moving (they laugh).

Soon I'm at the final climb to the Pass. I can hear the bikers but I'm not sure where they are. But when they get to the Pass, guess who I find taking a break. (Third time is a charm.)

I continue up pass the ski lift to my favorite spot on the rocks where I take a short break. (It's hot in the sun this morning!)

Time to head down. 

Oh up past the Pass, I find 1 Blue Copper and a few Frits.

On the way back to Dog Lake, I find a Purplish Copper and a Milbert's Tortoiseshell.

I do see 2 of the bikers one more time (the 2 last riders) and we exchange "Hi"s again.

Back at Dog Lake, I take a walk back down to the lake to see if the moose are still there. I only see one of the Bulls. I'm sure the other 2 are around probably in a shady spot.

Then it's downhill past all the uphill climbers.

Awesome day!

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