The 2014 Utah Adventure: June 8, 2014

Supposed to be a gorgeous day in SLC today - mid-70s (not too common in June). I'm looking for a pretty easy day hiking (sore knee) so I'm heading back up Big Cottonwood Canyon to Silver Lake. Its the same location as last week-end except today I'm going to Lake Solitude (it's only 1.1 miles to the lake).

I actually get going earlier than normal for me just before 9am. Only a couple of cars in the parking area --- but 3 cars followed me in -- all one family.

Its about 50 degrees which isn't bad but there's a pretty strong wind blowing so on goes the fleece.

I head down the right side of Silver Lake to make it to the trail first -- I'm hoping I'll get the Lake all to myself. Lots of birds chirping this morning.

I head up the same trail as last week but at the split, take the Lake Solitude sign. What a difference a week makes! The Avalanche Lilies are still blooming (although they are now fading) but the piles of snow I had to climb down last week are all but gone -- easy hiking. It's still early so I'm looking for moose or deer.

There is a small yellow flower that's about to burst open but I see them in only one location. When the aspen forest turns to a pine forest, I start seeing snow again. Just patches of snow (some pretty large) and the trail is also covered. Its a patch of snow then clear, patch of snow, then clear probably for about a 1/2 mile. The snow is hard so I can quick step across. But as always, when I get too confident, I sink to my shin.

I start hearing flowing water but I can't find where it is coming from - somehow I think it's overflow from the lake because I have to be getting near it.

I do see a couple who I assume are by the lake. One more snow crossing and I should be there. I pass them on the trail -- they are trail runners. I ask about moose but they only saw deer.

When I get to the lake -- it's all mine. A little lake surrounded on 2.5 sides by mountains. The mountain I'm looking at still has snow (and a ski lift). The lake is very calm and reflects the mountain.

I take the trail to the right and find out the source of the water flow -- it is the overflow from the lake running down the hill. A little footbridge allows me to cross. There's a little path heading thru the willows (which are blooming - little fuzzy round things) to the lake. Pretty awesome view.

The trail leads to an access road so I turn around and start to head around the other side of the lake. I didn't see this earlier but there are small red Indian Paintbrush in bloom next to the yellow Wallflower.

Wasn't expecting these considering this was snow-covered not so long ago - but I like. To get around the "top" of the lake I had to walk the whole way across snow -- again hard-packed. Some pretty nice views across the lake.

I get to the other side (and out of the snow) and head uphill to a little trail for a pretty decent look at the lake in it's bowl. And the snow that still is on the mountain. I cross the far side to the access road, back across the footbridge and to the trail. I stop to soak the whole experience in (and there's still no one else at the lake - yea!!!)

I head back down and meet a lady almost at the lake. She's a little nervous about continuing because of the snow but I tell her, she's almost there and its worth it.

And then I meet another couple heading to the lake. And still further down the trail, I meet the family who parked next to me -- probably 12-15 of them heading to the lake. I definitely had good timing today.

I get back to Silver Lake -- lots more people now and finish the loop of the lake. I find Shooting Stars in bloom along the lake; they were not here last week.

I hear some movement alongside the trail and stop. I bend to look into the leaf-less brush and see a ground squirrel. I stay perfectly still and instead of running he cautiously comes up onto the trail. He's looking around and appears to spook a couple of times but stays on the trail. I'm 2-3 feet from him. I very slowly stand-up and grab my camera and get off a couple of shots before he leaves. Pretty cool!