Mount Aire - June 17, 2023

[scatman]

My last hike of spring, and my last training hike for the Wyoming Range next week. I had something happen on this hike that has never happened to the Scatman before, but it takes place at the end of the report, so you will have to bear with me.

Today's hike was to the summit of Mount Aire from the Millcreek Canyon side. The road up upper Millcreek hasn't opened yet, so we had a couple miles of road walking to do before we reached the official trailhead at Elbow Fork. It was 47 degrees at the trailhead, and a nasty wind was blowing down canyon, so the Scatster froze his you know whats off on the walk to the trailhead.

Cameras used:

- Canon EOS 50D
- Canon PoweShot SD700 IS - My favorite point and shoot
- Canon PowerShot SD100
- Canon Powershot SX730 HS
- Canon Poweshot SX720 HS

Plenty of cars at the parking lot at 7:15 am. We'll be heading up past the closed gate.

Keep that moose image in mind

Millcreek is ripping

My partners in crime for this hike

More Millcreek

Finally reaching the trailhead

Killer Tree?

Closed! Does that mean "closed" like a carcass dump in Yellowstone?

Small cascades on Elbow Fork

Pfft! A mere inconvenience.

A chubby Scatman probably caused this.

Let's see if my flower shots are any better than last weeks. Strawberry.

Bluebells

A leopard slug

For some reason, the Forest Service has cleared the brush from both sides of the trail. This meant there were few blooming shrubs
to take pictures of. this clearing of the vegetation gave the trail a completely different feel.

Reaching the aspen

Solomon's seal

Wide open now after they cleared the brush. The mule ears have yet to bloom

Groundsel

Mount Aire

Woodland Star

Gobblers Knob and Mount Raymond across Millcreek Canyon

The north side of Mount Raymond

American vetch

The arrowleaf balsamroot still have some life left in them on Aire.

Utah Serviceberry

More woodland star

Gobblers Knob across the canyon

Switchback

From Mount Olympus to the west, to Gobblers Knob to the east

Patch of starwort

On the last switchback, looking up at the summit of Mount Aire

Grandeur Peak to the west, at the end of the ridge. Where are my sunglasses @Rockskipper?

Katie, approaching the summit

High enough now to get a good view of Broads Fork Twin Peaks, beyond Mount Raymond

Summit shot

Mount Olympus, with the snowcapped Oquirrhs in the distance

Mount Wire - on the middle ridge, with Frary Peak in the far distance

A swallowtail on the summit

Duskywing

Larkspur

California Tortoiseshell

Geranium

Another duskywing

Rest time! On the way down.

Another shot of Millcreek at Elbow Fork

And then this. I was walking down the other side of the road, when Sheila and Katie started yelling at me and pointing. The growth
along the road actually comes out over the road a bit in places, so I stopped and looked around the shrub in front of me, and lo-and-
behold there was a moose in front of me standing on the edge of the road. So I crossed the road and started taking a few pictures.

Looking at me.

Beginning to walk east, up the road.

Seeming a bit agitated as it crosses the road towards me.

And then it charged!

I did the around the tree ploy to get away from it.

Looking back at me as I took another picture after the charge

That'll get your heart racing! The first time that I have ever been charged by a moose. See what is in store for you in the
Thorofare @TractorDoc.

A painted lady

Back at the gate

Grandeur Peak, viewed from the parking lot

Back at the Sube.


The End.

 

[Rockskipper]

Kilt power. It was feeling rather territorial until it noticed you were wearing a kilt, which befuddled it to the point that it backed off. If you zoom in on it, you can see that it’s shaking.

 

[Rockskipper]

Where are my sunglasses @Rockskipper?

They’re starring in an episode of Corner Gas called Road Worthy. How they got to Canada is beyond me.

 

[Bob]

Ahh ........ joining the Yellowstone bison petters but with a moose then?

 

[scatman]

Kilt power. It was feeling rather territorial until it noticed you were wearing a kilt, which befuddled it to the point that it backed off. If you zoom in on it, you can see that it’s shaking.

I think the only thing shaking in that video is Scat.

 

[scatman]

They’re starring in an episode of Corner Gas called Road Worthy. How they got to Canada is beyond me.

I was thinking that moose had picked them up and realized that the left lens falls out all the time, and it (the moose) felt like a little payback was in order.

PS - I updated my report with the cameras we used. I forgot to do that on the first go round.

 

[scatman]

Ahh ........ joining the Yellowstone bison petters but with a moose then?

We're a special group you know.

 

[TractorDoc]

The moose part was good, but my favorite picture of the report is the one with the busted bridge. . . someone still thought it needed the "Caution Bridge Out" sign stuck to it.

Where was the killer tree?

Your flower pictures were much brighter this time!

 

[scatman]

The moose part was good, but my favorite picture of the report is the one with the busted bridge. . . someone still thought it needed the "Caution Bridge Out" sign stuck to it.

Where was the killer tree?

Your flower pictures were much brighter this time!

The moose part was quite exciting for a few seconds.

I never found the killer tree.

Different camera for the flower shots.

Are you ready to be chased by moose through the Thorofare, or are we holding out for grizzlies?

 

[kwc]

Are you ready to be chased by moose through the Thorofare, or are we holding out for grizzlies?

I say hope for both! Just make sure you get it all on video!

 

[ImNotDedYet]

Great report!

The starwort image is fantastic!

I concur with the need for the Bridge Out sign, taped to said bridge, while scatman climbs it...

That moose encounter is a doozy! I've had some follow me on the trail as I walked backwards, and found myself far too close to others with trees between myself and them, but never had a charge. That would moisten the kilt a bit...

 

[SteveR]

i've been enjoying your Saturday adventures, and not only did you get to play with a moose on this one, you also captured some very nice butterfly shots. But- I think you need more cameras!

 

[Ugly]

There was kind of a little playful hop before it lost you in the shadows. Maybe it previously was fed circus peanuts?
That will get the adrenaline pumping a bit.

 

[scatman]

I say hope for both! Just make sure you get it all on video!

@TractorDoc is in charge of that.

 

[scatman]

Great report!

The starwort image is fantastic!

I concur with the need for the Bridge Out sign, taped to said bridge, while scatman climbs it...

That moose encounter is a doozy! I've had some follow me on the trail as I walked backwards, and found myself far too close to others with trees between myself and them, but never had a charge. That would moisten the kilt a bit...

Thanks ImNotDeadYet.

I believe that there was a sign taped to my back that said, "Brain out - beware!"

Moisten it in a hurry.

 

[scatman]

There was kind of a little playful hop before it lost you in the shadows. Maybe it previously was fed circus peanuts?
That will get the adrenaline pumping a bit.

At first I thought it was just going to walk up the south side of the road. I thought man am I going to get a nice shot when it is directly across from me. It changed plans pretty quickly though. When its ears came down, I figured I was in deep doo-doo. And yes, it got my heart rate up a bit.

 

[scatman]

i've been enjoying your Saturday adventures, and not only did you get to play with a moose on this one, you also captured some very nice butterfly shots. But- I think you need more cameras!

Thanks.

Yeah, I have been buying used cameras off of ebay for a long time now, when I think I have a good deal. I try and rotate through them as best I can. I've got to figure out which two I'm going to take on the Wyoming Range trip later this week.

 

[Jackson]

Wow, I just assumed most/all of the moose in those parts of the Wasatch were so accustomed to people that they don't really care unless you're extremely close. Nice to know the tree method works and got you out of trouble.

Also that "bridge out" sign made me chuckle. Looks perfectly serviceable to me! I like the apparent approach of YNP in the Bechler area for smaller bridges. If they decay, get damaged, or wash away, do nothing. Haha.

Great hike!

 

[scatman]

Wow, I just assumed most/all of the moose in those parts of the Wasatch were so accustomed to people that they don't really care unless you're extremely close. Nice to know the tree method works and got you out of trouble.

Also that "bridge out" sign made me chuckle. Looks perfectly serviceable to me! I like the apparent approach of YNP in the Bechler area for smaller bridges. If they decay, get damaged, or wash away, do nothing. Haha.

Great hike!

Yeah, I've been reasonably close to them before (run into them on a trail) and they have either ignored me, or made a wide berth around me.

 

[The Trout Whisperer]

Holy cowabunga Batman! I knew grizzlies were dangerous, but y’all have ta deal with killer trees too! Do ya carry a small saw to keep ‘em honest? Great pics!