Burrowing Owl - Mar 16

Since St George didn't happen, volunteered to install nest boxes for Burrowing Owls at Antelope State Park.

Met a group of folks and State Park Rangers (and a backhoe -- thank goodness for the backhoe as we did 14 nest boxes and yes, they're in the ground). Lot of carrying rocks to cover the secret hatch for the rangers to monitor the nests and to prevent bison from crushes the entrance. Lots of soil to backfill over the nest boxes.

There are 2 boxes per site as the owls tend to move their young between nest sites. So we actually did 7 nests in 4 hours.

The owls will be arriving shortly so I hope they use at least some of these boxes.

I will watch for them.

Boomerang Day - Mar 15

Well the plan was to go to St George for the week-end to look for early-flying butterflies and some hiking. But I got 1/2 way there (2hrs away) and figured out that I forgot something I needed (and couldn't just buy. Boomerang! back home.

Backup plan was to hike the Yellow Fork trail near Herriman. The area was nice -- ranches, horses....and then subdivisions (right across from the ranch). Somehow they just don't mix.

But the trail....walked up the right side of the creek and surprise, I saw a bfly - what I thought was a Mourning Cloak. Continued the walk and saw another ... what turned out to be a Hoary Comma.

The trail stopped at the picnic area. Was going to continue but very very muddy. So walked back only to see a beautiful Milbert's Tortoiseshell and another and then 2 and other..... (I think the MOurning Cloak was a Tortoiseshell).

ANd then one last Comma (this time a Satyr Comma).

Little surprised at the bflys but shouldn't be as these are all Anglewings and they over winter as adults.

Then I walked the right side of the creek which is actually a road. Had to skirt around mud in spots but then about 1/2 mile in got stopped by mud and a snowy road.

Well I never made it to St George but I still got my 1st bflys of the year :)

Arches NP - Mar 3

Headed off the Arches bright and earlier. Looked like rain (although none was in the forecast until later in the day). But the park still looked nice with the snowy mts in the background. Decided to do the tourist thing and visit the arches. And it was soooo nice to have the arches to myself -- got to climb up and inside most of them without a worry if getting someone else into my pix  or being in someone elses pix.

Just love the colorful landscapes....

 The little hidden secrets....

And the great big Landscape Arch w/ snow!!

Not a bad way to spend your birthday!

Canyonlands Island in the Sky - Mar 2

OK, I've been here before but there's snow in spots and I've never hiked the Neck Spring Trail; a trail that drops into the canyon and follows the "neck" which connects the mainland to the island (hence Island in the Sky). Started about 9:30; the trail followed the curvature of the canyon. Still a fair bit of snow on the trail so it was slow going in spots (slippery).

Followed a small creek (probably Neck Spring) to a nice frozen waterfall. The vegetation along the trail varied along the way -- must be really pretty in the Spring. Trail was really easy to follow until point when I lost it -- and there were many footprints so I wasn't only one. I looked around, backtracked and tried again -- I didn't want to turn around I was more than 3mi into the trail (and the 3rd time in 2 days)-- and then I saw the cairn and was on my way again (whew)!

The rest of the trail was marked. The climb out of the canyon was very steep and up slickrock. I can see why they forced people to go counterclockwise because heading down this steep slickrock would've been more than a bit intimidating.

The walk back along top of the canyon was snowy but beautiful.

Next stop -- revisit Mesa Arch but this time during the day. Met a nice couple from Australia at the Arch. They were here on a 5wk vacation. Then did the overlook before heading out.

Stopped at Arches NP visitors center to see if the trails to Tower Arch and Double O Arch were passable. Double O Arch trail was very icy and the dirt road to Tower Arch trailhead was too wet for a 2-wheel drive car --- I need to make alternate plans.

Little Wild Horse Canyon - Goblin Valley - Mar 1

Heading down to SE UT for the week-end. Decided to travel through the Mts on Route 6 (its shorter = quicker); hoping its not a mistake. What a wonderful drive!! Up, up through the foothills (and there's snow on the northern slopes) and mts zipping along enjoying the sights. After reaching the Pioneer Plateau, its all downtown. The landscape changes to rock formations and uplifts after reaching Price.

I was told but a few folks at work to walk-thru Little Wild Horse Canyon (a slot canyon near Goblin Valley) so I stopped. BLM folks and Park Ranger at stop working on signage (I later found out). The directions said that many people miss the entrance and end up just walking down the wash so I was on the look-out -- maybe too much because I took a right fork that wasn't Little Wild Horse Canyon. I kinda knew from the start (as it didn't seem to be 1/2 mile down wash yet AND I didn't hit a deadfall right away) but I gave myself 5 minutes -- hey there were other human tracks might as well check it out.... I turned around back to the wash.

I decided to continue down the wash -- it'll be a nice walk anyway. Well a little further down, I came to the slot canyon entrance and the deadfall (don't know how anyone could miss this). The deadfall was a bunch of rocks taller than me -- I wasn't going over it. So I checkout the ledge on the right to see if I can get over that way; it was a little tight. The left side looked passable but I didn't know if it would drop back into the canyon.

 So I turned around and headed back -- will try another day.

The BLM and ranger stopped me; wanted to know where I came from so I told them my story. The ranger stood up and shook my hand for "being his hero today" as I was smart enough to turn around when I wasn't quite sure where I was. :) (Ironically, the 2 were talking about all the people they've rescued from the canyon over the years --- some in not too good of shape.) Well, the BLM was there creating better signs so people knew where to go --- said next year I won't get confused.

Onto Goblin Valley just down the road. What a cool place!! Its 3 valleys filled with smaller rock formations that look like goblins. Can't image what the 1st settlers/explorers thought when they saw this place.

I started with one of the trails around the valley and wouldn't you know, I lost the trail and had to turn around (just my luck today)! But that's ok because I spent the 1.5 hours wandering through the valleys and the little goblins. Very fun!!

Time to head to Moab before dark! Saw 3 little herds of pronghorn on 70 on the way there -- counted 3, 5, 3.