The 2020 Utah Adventure: Oct 2 - Twin Lakes Pass (Big Cottonwood Canyon)

Heading up BCC to hike up to Twin Lakes Pass this morning. It's slated to be a mostly cloudy day with temps near 80 degrees. But it's a cool morning - in the 50s.

It's in the mid-30s when I arrive at Silver Lake. Plenty of open spots when I arrive. I quickly gear up and start over to the boardwalk.

Definitely looks very Fall-like (i.e., brown). There is some color on the aspens but most of their leaves have already dropped.

I'm closing in on the footbridge when I see wet animal prints on the boardwalk.

I'm guessing beaver as there are beaver in the lake. I've never seen them before but have heard about them.

I follow the tracks all the way to the footbridge. There a man nicely shows me where the beaver was along the shoreline having breakfast. Darn, I forgot my camera this morning; but at least I have my phone.

After a few shots, I cross the bridge and try to creep up on the beaver. I don't want to scare him though as people are taking pictures from the bridge. I can hear him chewing at one spot but I don't exactly know where his is. So I move several feet to the right; there I can still hear him and see him through the branches. Not a good angle. I move back to my original spot and move forward slowly. Hey, I can see him!! Success!!

I continue on my way to Lake Solitude. Along the way I find two deer; a doe and a spike deer still in velvet. This is the spike buck.

I soon reach Lake Solitude which is extremely low and not much of a destination. There's about a dozen mallards on the lake.

Time for the uphill climb.

I reach the overlook and stop briefly before continuing on to the trail to the Pass. I climb the little hill and start my way along the trail to the Pass. It's actually quite pretty down below with all the colors of Fall.