My Utah Adventure 2026

 Sunny day with highs in the mid-80s. Heading up BCC to hike up to Twin Lakes from the Millie Lift trail. I get a slower start than I hoped this morning but still hit the trail around 8am. It's sunny and probably in the upper 40s or low 50s. Beautiful morning! It's slowly greening up and the waterfall is all but a trickle now. Passing the treed area where I last saw the Western Tanager, the birds are singing and a Lazuli Bunting is star! Probably only the 2nd or 3rd time I've seen one. I'm off to a good start. Seeing marmots  and ground squirrels and a moth which looks like a butterfly. In the areas where the snow has recently melted, a new batch of Glacier Lilies are blooming now! I pass some BalloonFlowers and seeing a little green flyer. It's a Western Green Hairstreak!!   As I take photos, a guy passes me on the trail. I continue to watch the butterfly to give the some room. (I hate following others too closely.) And I hear movement sounds on the trail behind me...

 Absolute beautiful day (sun and in the 70s) and I can't wait to hike up Lambs Canyon after work. I arrive around 3:30. Two cars in the lot and one of those car's folks are just returning. I meet the other car on the 1st stretch of trail. I have the entire trail to myself! I'm seeing WTB flying. In fact I stop to take a photo of two and look up and there's a Mourning Cloak perched in front of me!! I also see the 1st Northern Checkerspots of the season and a Duskywing. I assume it's just a RMD but on further review, it's a Sleepy Duskywing (score!). I continue higher and I'm seeing Parnassian. Seems like they are the only flyer doing well this year (besides the Blues). Also see a Comma and Frit  (unknown species). Flowers like Geraniums are in bloom but not as prolific as prior years due to lack of snowfall/rain. Again I stop at the meadow. This time, I have no good reason; next time I head up to the top!! Quiet return trip. Very surprised that I meet no one ...

 Early morning to beat the Saturday crowds. I was on the road by 6:15am and it worked great as I almost had empty ride up the canyon (at least from Mill D South). THs are surprisingly not full at this time (but that will change). I catch a glimpse of a Bull Moose feeding behind some of the cabins. Yea! I arrive at Silver Lake with the parking lot pretty empty, sun still rising and temps in the 50s. And no moose in sight. :( The plan is just to Lake Solitude and then up to the Silver Lake switchback to look for Pika. I walk counter-clockwise to the TH.  The Glacier Lilies that were here (and blooming) last week have faded; didn't see one in bloom. But new flowers coming up: Bluebells, Waterleaf, Balsamroot, Solomons Seal and many others. Still far away from full bloom but definitely filling in. No deer or moose along the trail today. But Bumblebees are out!! The snowpiles I crossed last week are gone. Soon I'm at the Lake - again full and pretty. Tempted to continue up but no t...

 Sunny day, low 80s and Lambs Canyon is officially open. YEA! (It opened on the 1st). I was planning a hike after work to Desolation Trail but when I saw Lambs was open, that was the clear choice. Arrived sometime before 3:30 to an empty parking lot- can't get much better than that! I checked the mud puddle and found a few Northern Crescents and that was it. Not what I expected but it is what it is. I start up the ever greening trail. Heart-leafed Arnicas are blooming, as are Solomon Seal, Geranium, Strawberrys, etc. Trail is dry (go figure) and there's still water running down the creek. Seeing Blues but its actually pretty dead. My plan is to go only to the meadow today. Got to start slow. And it's a quiet trip other than a few birds and squirrels/chipmunks. I do see some orange flyer - thinking Frits - but they don't stop. I see a Duskywing and the surprises of the day, Clodius Parnassians (a couple of them). There are couple more trees to climb over than the last ti...