Last night a cold front rolled thru bringing rain and snow in the higher elevations. I'm so excited to get out today and experience the 1st snowfall of the season!
I got up early to be out on the trails as the sun comes up but it's still very cloudy in the valley so I just kill time. Finally, I see the sun, grab my stuff and head off into the mountains! There are still lots of clouds moving through but they will eventually clear.
Heading up Big Cottonwood Canyon, the Fall leaf color has moved down to the mid-elevations. Lots of yellow on those aspens. All the rain we've had recently has water flowing in the Cottonwood creek and the one waterfall again.
The drive is a mix of sun and clouds.
As I hit the ski resorts, I reach the snow! Not terribly a lot - maybe 2-3 inches. But it looks awesome!!
I reach the Silver Lake parking and set off. I forgot to look at the temperature but obviously, it's less than 32 degrees!
I get to the boardwalk and it just brings a BIG smile to my face. I so love fresh snow AND this is the 1st of the season!!! Still lots of low clouds around so the mountains are in and out of view as I head over to the trail head for Twin Lakes.
I reach the foot bridge. There's a couple of ducks and some wonderful reflections!
By the time I reach the Twin Lakes trail, the low clouds have rolled in but I make my way up the trail to the switchback and then start across.
Visibility is so low that I can't even see down to Silver Lake below me. I keep moving and am more than 1/2 way across when I see what I think is a deer coming up out of the woods to the trail. When it turns, I realize that it's not a deer. It's a female moose!!!
She crosses the trail and I watch. Unless she moves off, I can't continue up the trail to Twin Lakes.
I start to move forward just a bit and then to my surprise, I see another smaller one emerge out of the woods and onto the trail. That's a baby moose! No twins!! Awesome!!
They both cross the trail to be with Mom who is feeding.
I watch for a while hoping they will move off but that's not happening. They are only a few feet off the trail so I'm not even going to attempt to go around. So I backtrack and head up to Twin Lakes via Lake Solitude Trail.
And Lake Solitude looks incredible this morning!!
Then it's up, up, up the ski cat road with a few stops to enjoy the views
and then I'm over Twin Lakes!
I head up the trail a bit to my favorite spot above the lakes!
Good thing I brought my rain coat - handy to cover the snowy rock so I can take a break. :)
It's so pretty!
After a bit, I'm ready to head down. I'm trying to decide whether I complete the loop taking a chance that those moose are still blocking the trail - just don't want to have to climb the hill again - or simply just go back the way I came. I sit and listen for people arriving at the lake. At first I don't hear anyone but then a couple of people arrive. The trail must be clear - I'm completing the loop!
I head down towards the dam. When I arrive, I take a quick look at the lake
and continue down the snow covered hill.
I am looking for those moose. They got to be around. It's after noon so I'd bet they are bedded down somewhere.
I'm heading down the last stretch and approaching where I last saw the moose. I'm still looking and yea, I see Mom with the 2 calves bedded down!!
(People heading up to the lake will never see them because they are slightly downhill side.)
I reach the switchback and the sun is shining bright - Incredible!
I hear a few Pika calls and see 2 Pika running around the rocks.
Time to head down through the aspen. Much of the snow has melted or is still melting. Sounds like it's raining out. I get hit by a few snow globs and big drops of water as I head down thru the aspen.
I reach Silver Lake again and head over to the dock. Besides the sleeping Mallards
The views are incredible!!!
I then turn and head back to the trail head the way I originally came. Boy the sun really makes a difference!!
Incredible day!! Love that first snowfall!!!
