June 12 - Twins Lakes (from Millie Lift) - BCC

 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. Thinking it was a trail runner, I'm surprised to see a deer (does) trotting down the trail behind me. Awesome!

The rest of the trip up is rather uneventful. No more deer or moose. Only other flower out there are Buttercups and Paintbrush.

I finally reach the dam and head up to the water. No more ice on the water but still some on the mountains and in some far corners around the lake.

I think about walking down the lake but I see someone camped on the beach. Why that stopped me, I don't know but it did.

Also think about heading up to my perch and loop around to Lake Solitude and head back that way. But that didn't happen either. I just headed back down the way I came.

I did see another Western Green Hairstreak (or maybe the same one). This one was perched on a Glacier Lily.


It was only 9:30 when I returned; I should have gone farther. :(

But awesome day!

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