May 5 - Little Cottonwood Canyon

Finally made it to Little Cottonwood Canyon. It is one of 3 big canyons near Salt Lake (Big Cottonwood and Emigration Canyons are the others).

Decided to do something easy because 1) I wanted a longer hike 2) I'm just not sure what other trails are open.

So I started Little Cottonwood Crrek Trail (aptly named) - which is right at the entrance of the canyon. The trail is around 7mi and follows the Little Cottonwood creek. (And the main road thru the canyon -- so there is sound of cars passing by high above on the road.)

Beautiful over cast day. The leafs are now on most of the trees. And the trail is surrounded by high canyon walls are on both sides of the trail. The creek is not flowing here (just a dry creek bed) - again this is one of SLC's watersheds so I assume somewhere above the water is flowing and then it get directed elsewhere.

Not a lot of flowers (other than dandelions) initially. Finally run across some dark purple larkspur, the yellow flower of Creeping Oregon Grape, and a cute little Prairie Star Flower.

Finally the water starts flowing (yea); moving quickly over lots of rocks which makes for little waterfalls, eddies, etc.

A little further up, the trail gets a bit wetter so there's Dwarf Waterleaf flowers and Horsetail.

Taking it slow, just enjoying the views and checking out the little trails down to the creek. I find moose scat! (I've never seen it before --- now I need to find the moose. I've heard Little Cottonwood Canyon up at Alta is a great place for them.)

With the higher elevation, pines become the dominant trees. And there is snow in some sections (even a little on the trail) but mostly on the opposite side of the creek (it gets less sun)

Finally, at about 3.5 miles, I come to an old building on the opposite side of the stream. Its fallen apart - I wonder what it was at one time (perhaps some kind of water building). But there plenty of snow still in the building (and around it).

I continue further because I still have 1/2 mile to go. The trail which is really an old road, now becomes a real trail (one person wide), thru the trees, over rocks. Not sure if this is really where I'm supposed to be but I'm going.

There is one really nice wide view of the creek (probably its widest point) w/ little falls -- made that little trail worth it. The trail now comes to very steep little (10ft) climb. There's a sign (handmade - not official) next to the uphill. Pretty certain I'm on a biking trail. I climb up and keep going. The trail now goes on a narrow dirt ledge which is not level and sloped towards the water (which is a nice drop). I zip over it (not looking to the return trip because I'll be going down which is trickier for me) and then finally come to another steep uphill (probably 15ft) with another handmade (something like Hell's Drop). Time to turn around -- so much for making it the 4 miles to Tanner Flats :)

So back go, over the dirt ledge, slipping a few times but its ok. Then to the steep downhill. Kinda ski'd down it (with butt close to ground), I'm really not sure how anyone can go down it gracefully (there are no rocks for leverage). (Or how the bikes get down it.)

Met 2 bikers when I got back to the old building. They were curious what the trail looked like. Told them rocky (and iffy in spots) but there seems to be bikers travelling it. They had no interest in trying. I asked about the building -- supposed to be an old power plant. I was going to have lunch here but I continue down a bit further to a short side trail to the creek where I had lunch. Then continued back.

When I got back, I had to drive up to the ski resorts. I saw the snow from the trail; now I had to see it up close. Great drive!! There was still alot of snow -- driving past, I could see some of the avalanche slides. Most of the ski resorts closed a few weeks back but Snowbird was still open - lots of people skiing the slopes today.
Stopped at another trailhead just to look at the snow -- there were 2 guys setting off for a hike up to either Red Pine or White Pine Lake (or however far they can make it in the snow). Definitely one trail I want to do in a month or so.

Continued to drive until the end of the road (Alta Ski Resort). Looks awesome!