Oct 29 - Twin Lakes (Big Cottonwood Canyon)

 Sunny day with highs in the high 50s/low 60s.

Plan is to hike up to Lake Mary, Martha, Catherine; trying to get up there before they start blowing snow.

I arrive around 8:30. It's in the 20s and I'm the only car there. I'm getting ready when I notice a yellow sign on the trail marker; it says "Hill Closed". Crap! They must be readying to start making snow. I think about going up anyway but I saw the sign, I can't go up. :(

So I just loop around to Silver Lake. Hey, there are only 3 cars here! I'll just do my Sunday hike today. Now I'm heading up to Twin Lakes to hike to the other side to look at the ice on the far side.

Silver Lake looks all iced over now. 

There's hoar frost on the sides of the boardwalk.

I reach the footbridge and stop to check out the ice. Hey! There's a fish under the ice!

I continue around the lake spotting coyote tracks along the path.

I reach the trail and start up directly to Twin Lakes (no Lake Solitude today).

When I reach the switchback, I see several Pikas scampering around the rock slide.

Up, up the hill to Twin Lakes.

Along the way, I see 3 deer cross the trail ahead of me and head into the woods. I can see 2 of them in the woods.

I continue along until reaching Twin Lakes. The lake is really low now and head down to the lake.

And then start down to trail to the other side.

When I reach the connection between the 2 lakes and head down.

I continue along the lake 

finding a school of baby fish. They were hanging out under the ice until I showed up.

And examining the ice crystals

bubbles

and flat ice.

As I'm walking I hear this weird noise; nothing I've ever heard before. It start soft and gets loud. Hard to describe but the sound is what I can image a UFO taking off would sound like. I think perhaps they are running ski lift lines but that doesn't make sense.

I hear it several times as I move down the lake but by the time I leave, I don't hear it anymore. Hmm...

I reach the other side and climb on some rocks for a rest. It's so beautiful out!!

As I'm sitting there I'm wondering if the noise that I was hearing is Singing Ice. (And I google it when I get home, and yes, it's Singing Ice!!!!)

Time to head back down the lake, back down the hill, where I see one of the deer I saw earlier. She's bedded down in a sunny spot in the woods.

Then down to the switchback where I find a herd of 4 deer (all doe) bedded down in the woods below. They watch as I cross above them.

I hear Pika on the switchback but see none.

Then it's back down to Silver Lake.

Incredible day!