Nov 2 - Island in the Sky (Canyonlands National Park)

Nov 2 - Canyonlands National Park - Island in the Sky

Looking for a change of scenery so heading to the Moab area for the week-end. Today, I'm driving down and visiting Island in the Sky (Canyonlands National Park) to hike the Murphy Point Trail. It's one trail that I have not hiked yet at this park.

I arrive at the park around 11 am. A quick stop at the Visitor's Center and then I'm on my way to the trail head.

It's sunny today but the temps are only in the 40s.

There's a good number of folks around but not crowded.

I arrive at the Murphy Point trail head and grab one of the last parking spots. The trail is 1.8 miles one-way and basically flat. The trail head west thru the dried vegetation. The trail is a mix of red sand and rocks.

All of the plants are, of course, dead some with seed heads still present. Some look pretty cool!

I pass an old corrals along the way.

There are also cactus's -- I'm not sure if this is an old bloom or broken cactus parts.

And there's biological soil - please stay off!

And critter tracks in the sandy soil!

There are spots where it's close enough to take a peek at the canyon. Hey, there's the Colorado River down there!

Along the way, I see a few lizards - very tiny baby lizards.

And a couple of really fat chipmunks - both sprinting across the landscape.

Finally, I reach what appears to the overlook and I stop to look around.

But it's not the end, there's a path that continues to a rocky outcropping. I continue on.

This trail is a mix of dirt and slickrock; just following the cairns out to that outcropping. Awesome!

I stop for a bit before heading back. Many more lizards out now.

After completing the trail, I had over to the end of the road at Grandview Overlook.

There's a one mile trail here but I pass, I've been on it before.

So I start the drive back stopping at the trail for White Rim. It's 0.9 miles one-way and start off. I have been on this one before, but it's a cool little trail and worth doing again.

There's more rock formations on this trail which I like.

Soon, some canyon views are near enough to check out.

Then the end is in sight, another rocky outcropping.

Time to head back

Excuse me, one more at the Colorado Overlook.

It's about 3pm and it's been a long day, time to find my hotel. It'll take over an hour to get there.

Oct 26 - Twin Lakes (Big Cottonwood Canyon)

After last week-end 12-18 inches in the mountains, heading up to Twin Lakes this morning to check out the snow and lakes. The forecast is for sun with highs in the 50s. There's a cold front coming in tonight that will drop the temperatures and possibly bring some snow even down in the valley.

Sunny morning, it's around 36 when I leave my house. But as I head up the canyon, it's actually getting warmer. Guess there's an inversion in the valley tonight.

I arrive at Silver Lake and the sun has not yet popped up over the mountains yet but in some spots, there is sunshine on the higher snow covered peaks.

The visitor's center is now closed as are, unfortunately, the bathrooms.

The boardwalk is packed snow/ice as I start around counter-clockwise towards the trail head.

I reach the foot bridge. The water is partially frozen.

I look for fish but see none; they are probably hiding in deeper water. I do not see or hear and ducks.

I continue around

until I reach the trail head. I start up thru the naked aspen trees towards the switchback.

When I reach the switchback,

I hear a Pika chirp. I soon find one scurrying across the rocks with vegetation in his mouth.

There's another one here as well.

I head across the switchback to the other side. It's time to head uphill now. I usually head up the steep way but there are no tracks. I take the well-worn snow packed path up the hill.

I'm looking for critters but seeing nothing - no birds, chipmunks, moose, deer, etc. It's just so quiet and crisp.

I near the dam and the silence continues indicating any water flowing from the dam is now frozen.

I round the dam to a wonderful view!

I start down towards the water. Most of the lake is still open water but there's a good patch that is frozen.

I reach a upright log and take a brief rest.

There's only one other person at the lake, it's the older man I met on my first trip up to Twin Lakes back this Spring. He's 82 1/2 and still climbing. Hoping I'm so lucky!

Well, it's time to head down.

When I reach Silver Lake, I head over to the dock before heading back to my car.

Good day!

Oct 23 - Mill D South (Big Cottonwood Canyon)

Taking the day off to take a short hike in the mountains. We had 12-18 inches up there Sat/Sun so I'm not heading all the way up Big Cottonwood; just to mid-canyon (where there should be less snow). My goal is to hike to the Cardiff Mine on the Mill D South trail. But if there's south perhaps I'll just go to my "normal" winter stopping point, the meadow.

It's almost 50 when I leave my house. There's sun out but there a tons of clouds not what I'm hoping for but it's what I have.

The drive up the canyon is getting leaf-less. There are still patches of leaves and colors but naked trees are becoming pretty dominant.

As I near my trail, I'm surprised by the piles of snow on the sides of the road; there really did get a bunch of snow at around 7000ft.

I think I'm just heading to the meadow this morning.

I check to see if the road to the trailside parking is open but it's now closed for the season. :(

I park in the lot alongside the road, gear up and start up the partially clear road. Where the paved road ends and the dirt one begins, I put on my micro-spikes; happy, that I remembered to bring them.

I'm looking for deer but seeing nothing.

I reach the actual trail head and pass the creek

head around the closed gate and start the uphill journey. Thankfully, other people have already been through but all the tracks make walking a bit difficult.

The creek alongside the trail is still flowing with water.

It's extremely quiet, no birds, no squirrels/chipmunks, no wind. Just the crunching of my shoes on the frozen snow.

At the turn off for Donut Falls, most of the footprints stop but I'm still following snowshoe tracks up the hill.

Along the way, I see some deer tracks, what I image are rabbit tracks and some moose/elk tracks.

I also, find large patches of snow that are flattened. There are a few of them along the way including one large patch with a smaller patch. I'm thinking they are from moose bedding down on the trail (they're are too big to be deer). Hmmm.

Soon I exit the trees and enter openness as I approach the meadow.

Unfortunately, it's cloudy and the sun has not yet risen over the mountains.

I continue along still following the snowshoe tracks.

I know my stopping point as I'm about ready to stop so do the snowshoe tracks; guess they were heading to the meadow too!

After a brief stop, it's chilly as the wind is blowing here, it's time to head back.

Good day!

Oct 19 - Sentry Peak Trail (Antelope Island)

Well, today was supposed to be a rainy one but last night the forecast changed to sunny/partly cloudy in morning, clouding up in the PM with rain in the evening. Time to head to Antelope Island for a hike.

It's in the 40s this morning and mostly sunny. Lucky me, heading up to Antelope Island today for a hike.

When I arrive on the causeway a bit after 8am, there are clouds to the north but mostly sunny everywhere else.

Only seeing gulls and Avocets along the causeway.

When I arrive on the island, I head south towards the Ranch. I see a few bison on the ridge behind the Visitor's Center.

Continuing south, I once again for the 3rd consequtive visit) see bison among the rocks just after the fence line.

And there are a couple more walking right alongside the road.

It's quiet until just after Frary Peak where I spot 2 doe feeding in the tall grasses. I only see them when they have their heads raised; otherwise they are pretty much invisible.

It's not much farther down the road when I pass another car blocking the northbound lane taking photos of some bison in the grasses. I stop just past the car as I see more bison on the lake bed. I get to get a better look. It's a pretty big herd.

I continue on seeing a little herd of bison on the mountain side.

I'm rolling up on the Frary Homestead trail where is a bison in the parking lot and more near the mountainside. I'm attempted to turn in but I see lots of bison ahead and crossing the the road. I drive on.

As I drive forward, I see more bison in the grasses along side my car. They are running; I can hear the grasses rustling and sometimes see their humps.

The bison in front are slowly moving across the road.

There are lots of them moving south thru the grasses towards the crossing. I have to stop and wait.

I reach a parking lot on the right and it's pretty much full of bison.

I inch my way forwards -- even seeing a Mom suckling her calf. Pretty awesome!

Hey, the Western Meadowlarks are still singing! What a pleasant sound!

I thought I'd never get through the herd but I make it and continue down to the Ranch and then to the Sentry Peak trail head. I'm surprised to find more bison south of the trail - a decent sized herd on the ground and more on a nearby plateau. Wow!

It's near 50 degrees and now a bit windy as I start up the trail towards Mushroom Springs.

As I start up the first hill, those bison on the plateau notice me and start running uphill. They're pretty skittish today because I'm probably a 1/4 mile away.

I reach the long flat switchback and start across. Hey, there are some still blooming yellow composites up here and I see a few dragonflies!

There's also a hawk cruising the ridgeline.

It's time to start the second (and final) uphill to the loop. I head up the right path.

There are a dozen plus Blue Scrub Jays flying here - great to see the flashes of blue.

Up, up I go until I reach the ridge.

The sun is all but gone now and it's pretty windy as I walk south along the ridge.

No animal sightings along the way.

Before I know it, it's time to start heading down hill

and back to my car.

Wonderful hike!

Oct 15 - Twin Lakes (Big Cottonwood Canyon)

Sunny and almost 70 degrees today; it's time for an after work hike into the mountains. Heading up to Twin Lakes to check out whether those yellowish aspen have turn yellower or got bit by heavy frost and have browned/fallen.

The lower part of the canyon is still bright and colorful filled with oranges and reds. But as I gain elevation those yellow aspen are no longer yellow; they are brown or fallen. :(

I arrive at Silver Lake where it's sunny and 55 degrees.

As I walk around the boardwalk, the grasses/vegetation are certainly brown and the flowers are all brown - some fuzzy seed heads from the Asters still remain.

At the foot bridge, I see several trout swimming around - much larger than earlier in the year.

I head past the lake and up the trail to Lake Solitude.

I activity along the trail, just some piles of Pika vegetation on the rocky areas.

I reach Lake Solitude stopping briefly before rounding the lake and starting uphill. I'm 1/2 way up the first switchback when I see a doe laying in the trail; she's sees me as well.

I slowly approach as she is in my way. After a few steps she stands and her two fawns step out onto the trail from the hillside.

It's a stand-off until I continue walking. The doe walks off to the left and a bit uphill. The fawns follow.

I walk pass and continue up to the hill taking a quick stop to look down on Lake Solitude.

I reach the top of the trail looking down on Twin Lakes. I look for moose/deer around the lake but nothing.

I head up to my "perch" for another down on the lakes.

Then it's time to head down to the lake.

Finally, see a chipmunk!

After a brief stop at the dam, it's time to head down.

I reach the switchback and start across.

Lots of Pika scurrying around this evening.

Great day!