The 2022 Utah Adventure

 Sunny day, low 70s heading up for a quick hike to Willow Lake. I'm expecting a drop in vibrancy of the canyon's leaves as we had very strong winds on Sunday. Heading up just before 3:30. Road construction is still going on so although I caught the tail end of a green light, it was a conga line. I'm sure most of these are leaf-viewers and they were probably a bit disappointed because lots of leaves have fallen. On Friday what were mostly yellow with patches of baldness is now patches of yellow and lots of baldness. Still pretty but definitely on its last legs; especially with rain/snow in the forecast this week-end (yea!) Many cars at the trail head. I arrive with 4 other cars :(. I'm behind 2 ladies at the start; they go counter-clockwise; I choice clockwise. Not a normal path for me. Probably only the 2nd time and it feels where. I'm promptly a passed by a guy speeding along. Quiet hike, no birds, no squirrel/chipmunks noises. But there are critter moving a bout. ...

 Sunny day with highs in the low 50s. Thought about hiking Twin Lakes today but opting for a more level hike: the Gravel Pit trail on Antelope Island. It's a cool morning in the mid-30s but the sun is rising. When I reach the island I head south to the Ranch. Should be a day I should hike the Sentry Trail since the bison round-up was yesterday and they are, for the most part, all in corrals - except for the big Bull behind the Visitors Center. But feeling for a flatter hike so it's the Gravel Pit today. As I pass the trail, the gate is down. Must be closed due to the snow/rain we had last week. Shoot! That means Sentry Trail will be closed as well. Oh, well not hiking Sentry today anyway. Other than that initial Bull, I see no animals along the way. There are the deer spotting around now. One is pull off to the side of the road while a "friend" is angled across the northbound lane talking to him (lazy). I spot a mile-sh shy of the Ranch to go potty. I decide to turn a...

 I have the day off today. Normally, I'd head to the mountains but they've gotten close to 3 feet of snow this week including cloudy skies on Thursday. Thought about Antelope Island but decided to head up Millcreek Canyon to hike the Desolation Trail. There's definitely snow up there at the higher levels but don't know what to expect at the lower levels. It's 29 degrees this morning. I'm not hiking early! Finally leave my house after 1pm. It's still in the upper 30s in the parking lot. Not a lot of snow around the parking lot but I have my Yaktrak in my pack. It's frozen ground as I start. Looks awesome in the little section before the trail. Snow is still on the pine and the sun is trying to peek thru. As I start up it's mostly icy with patches of dirt/mud or frozen ground. Lots of snow still on the trees and it's melting down onto the trail. I put my Yaktrax on at some point just getting too icy. Quiet trip. Several sets of people on the way do...

Sunny day with highs around 77 degrees (still unseasonably warm and still without any mountain snow yet). But it's just above freezing when I arrive at Silver Lake. The parking here and along the trailheads are much less crowded than last Friday. Could be that although the Fall colors are still great, they are starting to fade (and we've had some wind so many leave have fallen). My first encounter as I start off from the potty is a Stellars Jay. There is definitely a heavier frost on the boardwalk and vegetation as I start off around 8:30 this morning. Still no hoar frost; hoping that is coming soon. They finished the destruction of the boardwalk on the other side; now it's construction time. Find a rainbow trout this morning. I finally get to stop at the fishing bridge this morning (there's always a group of people there but this morning, it was just a single lady). I continue around the lake looking for beaver along the way. I've seen them the last 2 weeks but so ...

It's a beautiful day - sunny, mid-70s - heading up to Lambs Canyon after work for a quick hike. Wow! The parking is about full when I arrive around 3:30. It's sunny here too with temps in the low 60s. The drive up to the trailhead was filled with color - though it seems to be fading. I gear up and start up the trail. I am quickly met be a Forest Service guy (with hardhat). They are doing forest fire suppression work. Not sure what that means. There were signs indicating that was happening last year too but I never saw and signs of it. I'm interesting to see what they have done/are doing up the trail. Rounding only the second corner I see what they have done. It's amazing! Piles of logs and other debris and the forest floor is open and clean. Looks incredible! They cleared about to the meadow - I can actually see uphill and down into the drainage. The plants are going to love this next Spring. And I bet the moose/deer and other critters are enjoying the much easier walki...

 Sunny day with highs near 80 degrees today. Heading up Big Cottonwood Canyon to hike Twin Lakes (and to see the colors). Definitely not the only person seeking a hike and the Fall colors this morning. Busiest early Friday I've seen in weeks on the road and at the trail head. Not sure if they are visitors, there's a holiday, or everyone took a vacation but it looked like summer. And no wonder, the colors are at peak at the high elevations and near peak at the mid-elevations. Simply a sea of differing shades of yellow. Amazing! I arrive just after 8am and still manage to find a parking spot at Silver Lake (the parking is halved due to boardwalk construction). It's in the upper 30s, so it's time for a coat and mittens. I start walking in the clockwise direction. There's a light frost on the boardwalk and I find beaver tracks on the boardwalk. The colors are awesome especially the reflections in the lake. As I'm rounding the far corner, I check the lake for beavers...