Aug 14 - Sunset Peak Pass and beyond

Heading up Little Cottonwood Canyon today to the Catherine's Pass Trail. The plan is to go above Catherinoe's Pass to Sunset Pass and down the Great Western Trail for a bit.

Beautiful sunny morning. It's 64 degrees at the trail head. I hit the trail before a large group of hikers get started - thank goodness!

Still lots of flowers blooming -- definitely far below the peak a few weeks back -- but still really pretty. I'm seeing Mint, Paintbrush,

Geranium, Lupine, .... and Fall bloomers: White and Purple Asters.

Looking for animals but finding nothing other than ground squirrels. They are chirping a lot this morning.

Mountains are looking and there are a few signs of the oncoming Fall, namely the geranium leaves are turning red.

I enjoy the flowers as I make my way up the Catherine's Pass. When I arrive, I'm surprised that there are very few people at the top - it's usually a very popular spot.

I rest for a little bit looking down on Catherine Lake still slightly in the morning shadows before continuing on up to Sunset Pass. On the way up, I see  Blue Flax, pink flowering thistles and dying Sulpher Paintbrush - otherwise pretty sparse.

I get to Sunset Pass and look to the Southeast -- very clear, I can see Mt Timpanogos in the distance and out to Heber City. I'm surprised to see all the flowers still blooming on the slopes - makes me happy!

There's a Milbert's Tortoiseshell nectaring on one of the flowers. I also see a Painted Lady.

I start moving down the Great Western Trail towards the Albion Basin. I've been on this part of the trail last Fall after a snowfall. It was very slick and I just made it around a corner before turning around - the trail cuts across the mountain and it's a steep long slope downward. Today, it's easy travelling and I'm exciting to see where it leads.

The trail heads thru the woods and high around the Albion Basin. I can see the ski resort, the campground, my parking lot -- about an hour ago I was looking up at where I'm walking now.

I come out of the trees and into an opening and oh my, what a wonderful large patch of blue and red - lupine and paintbrush -  right in front of me!.

So surprising and so wonderful! I wasn't expecting to see so many blooms since there hasn't been much along the way --- until now. This is the best flower spot on my entire walk today! Fantastic!

I see an orange Fritillary flying among the flowers.

I walk around enjoying the flowers, the mountain view of Sunset Peak and the Wasatch back.

I pass one of the basin's higher ski lifts, not sure of the name but it says 10,400 ft.

I walk past the ski lift, a wooden shelter that says Ski Patrol and then my trail becomes a Ski Cat two track road. I keep following. The trail is looping towards Devil's Castle and Sugarloaf and heading downhill. I wasn't expecting this -- I thought it would stay high.

I'm sure if I keep going I'll come out below not too far from my car but I decide to turn around a enjoy the flowers one last time.

On the way back, I stop to talk to a couple about the wonderful flowers and we seeing a hawk/eagle soaring over the valley below. After a while he lands at the top of a tree. I can hear his calls.

I have lunch at one of my favorite spots looking southeast.

And for entertainment, I watch the hawk/eagle flying high and circling the basin.

I stop at Sunset Pass for a look below on a now sunny Catherine Lake. I see Lake Martha and an empty Lake Mary.

It's time to head back thru the basin's flowers and back to the trailhead.

I see another Frit on the way down -- definitely different then the one at 10K ft. I also see a Western White.

One last parting shot before I leave.

Great day!