Beautiful day here -- near 70 and sunny.
I was hoping the main parking would be open (they close it for the winter). With the very warm winter we've had (and lack of snow), it was worth the hope, but it was still closed. So I had to drive up the canyon a few miles to a smaller parking area about 1/4 mile from the end of trail.
I'm expecting patchy snow in the shady spots but otherwise thinking it will be a pretty clear trail. I head down the hill from the parking to the actual trail. I can't hear the creek from the parking lot. And when I get down, the creek is flowing but is still very low. (The traffic is louder than the creek.) The Spring run-off will change that -- though I'm pretty sure it won't be as "watery" as last year.
I decide to head uphill to the end. Not a lot of snow - but I'm not too surprised - even though I'm around 6400ft in elevation. Besides the green evergreens not much new green vegetation yet. Just the Creeping OregonGrape.
There are white moths flying today.
I quickly spot a Mourning Cloak flying and another not too much further down the trail.
Not far from reaching the end, the trail gets shadier and there's packed snow on the trail which makes it a bit slick. But I get to the old brick building (the end of the trail) easily. Lots of snow still around the building.
Time to head down all the way to the 3rd bridge.
I spot the Mourning Cloak again. And then a Comma - not sure whether its a Hoary or Satyr, but hopefully I'll find out.
Then I see another Comma. And then another -- I get a good look at this one and it's a Hoary Comma.
I take a side trail over to the creek for a quick look. And Comma#4 flies by!!
Back on the main trail again, I see the 2nd Mourning Cloak resting on a branch. Then the dull orange flash of a Comma flies by the Mourning Cloak and a chase begins. The Mourning Cloak takes off and chases the Comma -- a couple of aerial loops and then a straight shot into the forest.
I'm back to my starting spot (my car is a short walk off the side trail) but I continue down. I take another side trail to the creek. Its shady here so there is some snow to walk over. I make my way down to the creek. There I spot another Comma basking on a rock in the creek. I make my way over some rocks and across a bit of the creek for a closer look. Of course, when I get there, the bfly flies and heads to a rock further down the stream (oh well).
As I head down, the trail get more snow-covered. It's in the shade! It curious though, only the trail has snow on it. Why is there none on the vegetation?
I'm seeing piles of moose scat. I actually counted the piles down to the 3rd bridge (just over 2 miles) -- there was 8 of them. I wish I could find that moose.
I get to the small hydro plant -- they done some trail maintenance here. It's nice! Washed out the summer 2013 (I think) and was getting "interesting", but now its all good!
It's so quiet out now I can hear the little waterwheel going round and round.
I get to the 1st bridge. The water is very low -- barely flowing. Three little waterfalls are upstream and just pools of water on the other side.
I'm in a sunny part of the trail when I see shadows of two bflies circling in a "fight". I look up but can't seem to find them but I can see their shadows. I finally find them spinning higher and higher and finally into the trees. I wait again hoping at least one would return. It pays off as I see the shadow of one but quickly disappears. Then one comes back! It right in front of my face and flies up. I lose sight of it but I can see its shadow go above me and then nothing. I think it landed on my cap. So I slowly take off my cap, get it down to eye-level and then the bfly flies. It did land on my cap!!!
I continue down and find one of the Commas basking, this one is a Satyr Comma!
I finally find some signs of Spring.
When I get to the 3rd Bridge, barely any water flowing. There are two guys fishing in a pool of water. Not sure if they were catching anything.
Well, I've seen 4 Mourning Cloak, 9 Commas (Satyr and Hoary) and 8 piles of moose scat (and a squirrel). Not a bad trip. And I still have the return trip.
I see only 1 bfly on the return trip -- a Satyr Comma.
Great day for the first day of Spring!!
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