Sept 4 - Snake Creek Pass (Big Cottonwood Canyon)

 Sunny day with temps in the mid-90s today. (The heat wave continues.)

Heading Big Cottonwood Canyon to hike up to Snake Creek Pass (10,200ft). I was last up there in early July and the plants hadn't emerged yet at the top. If we would have had a normal rainfall this summer, they'd still be blooming but with little to no rain, I'm not expecting much.

It's in the low 60s in the valley as I head up around 7:30. The tree at the start of the canyon have already started to turn to Fall colors. But as I head higher the aspens are still green.

I arrive at the Brighton parking, gear up and start heading up. It's in the low 50s at the start. A little cool but the climb warms me up quickly.

I'm looking but do not see any moose or deer on the climb.

Soon I reach the Dog Lake intersection and turn left to head to the lake. Very little still blooming as expected. 

But I am surprised to still see a lake!

And frost on some of the plants.

Time to head to the Pass. I stop at the short connector trail from the Lake to the Snake Creek Pass trail to watch a hawk in the distance. Seen lots of hawks this summer. This one looks like another Red Tailed Hawk. Lots of them seen by me in recent weeks; perhaps their migration has started.

As I'm standing there, I attract a hummingbird who things my red shirt is a flower. No pokes but he flies around me for several seconds before flying off.

Time to head up the trail.

The woods are extremely quiet this morning except when I startled a squirrel.

Seeing a few asters and yarrow along the way. And the yellow composites have gone to seed. Stunning dandelion looking seed head.

Before long, I'm done with the trail portion and I'm walking up the Ski-cat road to the Pass.

Although flowerless and dry/brown, the view from the Pass it still awesome!

I then continue up to the ski lift. No butterflies but lots of bees.

I continue past the lift and get scared when a Grouse takes off several feet in front of me and lands (a noisy landing) in the pines. 

As soon as he lands, another Grouse, from the same location, takes off again landing in the pines.

And then there's #3 again landing in the trees.

I wait just in case there's #4 but takes all of them!

I do find one Grouse in the tree.

I continue up to my usual resting point, find a rock and take a break.

After a bit, I head back down to the Pass and again take a break to enjoy the view in case this is my last trip this season. The 1st snowfall is coming soon.

Seen mostly yarrow up around the Pass including a few pink ones.

Time to head back through the woods. 

On the way down, I notice that the chair lift is filled with packages. Not sure if they are moving things to the lift area (mostly likely) or weight checking the lift. It's not moving now (but by the time I got farther down the hill, it was.)

I'm about to break out into the Dog Lake meadow when I see a deer (a lone doe). 

She eventually gallops away.

Then it's down the hill. On the way down I do see 4 butterflies: Juba Skipper (1), an unkown Frit and 2 Ruddy Coppers.

Good day!