Well the Covid 19 virus is travelling around the world after originating in Wuhan China. The US has been on locked down since the middle of March in an attempt to slow/stop the spread.
Here' in Utah, all unnecessary travel has been asked to stop. Schools are closed, I'm working from home, many National Parks are closed, State Parks are county residents, ... But thankfully, Utah, at the time of this writing, has just over 1200 cases and 13 deaths. Not quite huge pandemic that was anticipated thankfully but the situation is fluid.
So that means hiking opportunities have not been available for me as everyone is out and about making the trail too crowded for me to want to go out (and Antelope Island is outside my county so I can't go).
But today, I'm breaking my streak of non-hiking and heading up to a place I know will not be crowded, will probably still have snow and perhaps I'll see some overwintering butterflies.
It's sunny and in the mid-60s, when I arrive at the roadside parking for the closed Lambs Canyon Rd. I have no camera; hopefully that will not be a mistake (but I do have my phone camera).
I start off on clear dry roads. The visible slopes are snow free (especially the west facing slopes). The creek is running and sounds awesome.
It's still too early for plants emerging but soon.
And it isn't long before I see a Comma and then there's a Mourning Cloak! Happiness!!
There are also many tiny orange moths flying and I do see a couple of those black moths with white spots that typically drive me crazy in early Spring.
About a 1/2 mile, I reach snow on the road and it continues the remaining mile or so to the actual trail head. In some spots its only a couple of inches and others up to 1.5 feet; it's all depends how much sun is hitting the road.
But the butterflies are still flying. Without my camera or binocs, I can't tell whether the Commas are Hoary or Satyr. :( But they're butterflies!!
I finally reach the trail head. The good muddy spot by the parking is open with water and mud. And I find a Mourning Cloak and Comma there too!
I'm tempted to walk the actual trail for a peek but I don't have my YakTrak so it's a no-go. Next time because this will be a weekly walk for a while.
Nice to be out again. (Now if the virus will go away with the warmer weather like all other flus and respitory issues.)
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