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Hah ...... 14 inches snow last 2 days

Man it is coming down heavy again today in SLC. I've already been out to shovel once. I really want it to warm up to average (58 F), or else it's going to go from fifty one day to eighty the next and were going to have some serious flooding.
 
Gosh, hope it warms up for you Scatman. Am down here in Mesquite. Now was in St. George slowly coming north but the weather made me come abit south again. St. George still has not had one 70 degree day this year ... a new record for the latest 70 degree day. In Jackson Hole there are snow showers everyday. Think this year spring and summer will be a long long time coming. The trees are green here in Mesquite though. Some good birding down here and for a good sign, the birds are now starting to migrate north. Thanks for the photos Scat.

Scat, there is even snow right now on the mountains here outside of Mesquite.
 
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Man it is coming down heavy again today in SLC. I've already been out to shovel once. I really want it to warm up to average (58 F), or else it's going to go from fifty one day to eighty the next and were going to have some serious flooding.
Yay ....... another State Street river....
 
Today's training walk started by taking a high route above the creek.

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The wooded hillsides hold a lot of interesting rocks. The wavey pattern in this one caught my eye.

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Close up of the waveys. A lot of geologic heat and pressure must have been present to bend granite. At least I think there is some granite in there.

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My travels led me down to the creek where I found an interesting fossil rock.

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The ravines around the creek hold a number of impressive trees. I thought this large oak was worth admiring.

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I heard the first croaking calls of the season from what I think were Leopard Frogs. When I went to investigate everyone went into hiding including this guy, but not before I snapped a picture.

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I took a few minutes to scan some of the farm fields as I walked. Something in this picture caught my eye.

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Did you see it? :)

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For scale. My books tell me these flint relics can be thousands of years old. I wonder what future peoples will have to remember us by? Plastic bottles and questionable internet postings will likely not have the same effect when someone finds them. :p

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Obligatory selfie for the thread. There was an old homestead in this area -- all that currently remains is an overgrown stone foundation from a cabin. I imagine this large maple tree was around back then (in a smaller form ;) ) . . . maybe even planted by the people living in the cabin.

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Still confined to the foothills - still very thankful for them! Took a quick trip up Bear Peak via the Fern Canyon trail on Sunday. I hadn't used this trail in a few years, but gonna add it back to the rotation. Fern Canyon gets you up high quick! Absolutely beautiful conditions - starting to feel a little bit like spring. Surprisingly nice up top, too - as windy as it's been this week, it was pretty serene on the summit.

Looking west towards the Continental Divide on a clear day is always a treat.
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CU Boulder campus - and most of Boulder - down below.
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The Nebel Horn - a fun climb in it's own right, but closed much of the year to preserve peregrine falcon nesting locations.
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The view from up top.
A photo of yours truly - gotta honor the spirit of the thread after all.
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Next weekend will be pretty tame, but looking to get out further in a couple weeks. (If anyone in the area is interested in joining up or has some inspiration, just shoot me a PM!)
 
I had a great hike in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes NP: 20 miles, 8 hours, 50,000+ steps.
I saw three volcanoes and crossed two craters, and I couldnʻt get to the third one due to bad weather.

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admiring the view on the crater rim

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dropped down to Halemaʻumaʻu Crater

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after hiking back to the crater rim I dropped down to Kilauea Iki Crater

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the reward after several hours of hiking in steady rain: my typical rainbow shot a bit before sunset
 
It's spring! Spring has finally arrived in Salt Lake. :thumbsup: The forecasted high today was in the upper fifties and sunny. With my ankle still tender from twisting it last weekend, Sheila and I managed a 7.5 mile walk from our house up City Creek and back earlier today.

Mr. squirrel in the budding tree
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A coopers hawk I think
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Some juniper berries
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A morning cloak
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A painted lady - these were all over the place today
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Someone has put a sign on Smokey's crotch! That can't be kosher can it? :)
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Heading up canyon
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The sandhill crane tree again
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First fly of the year
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I just can not resist taking pictures of Oregon grape
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Another morning cloak
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Love the green!
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Yum-yum eat 'em up! :D
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This ones for @Rockskipper
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Orange cha glad I posted these pics. :)
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Canyon views
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Spider
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More Oregon grape
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Ensign Peak in the distance
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First ladybug
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No E-bike here! This guy passed us heading up the canyon on our way down. He is passing us for a second time as we reach our
neighborhood. Now that looks like a workout to me.
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Scat house on the left, with Mount Olympus in the distance to the southeast.
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Scat house on the left, with Mount Olympus in the distance to the southeast.
Quite a nice view is had from the Scat-Deck no doubt.

Is something wrapped up in a tarp on your roof? Is that where you keep your extra cameras when they are not being used? :)

Today's walk found evidence that things are starting to grow.

I believe this one is a Virginia Spring-Beauty.

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Glowing bud of a Buckeye Tree.

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There is an area near the old homestead that holds an impressive amount of naturalized Grape Hyacinth this time of year. To get there I took a trail that @Bob and @scatman would be proud of.

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It is difficult to capture the visual effect in photos, but I try anyway.

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Heading back home as the sun sets. Still testing out the water bottle pocket as a camera holder on my left hip. The capture clip did not agree with my clavicle last year, so this is looking like a good alternative for 2023.

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Spring? Starting again, Was 50 deg today... About 12inches melted..... 5 more feet to go...... No flowers yet.
 
This weekend the sky was overcast and the trail was short, but the company was good. Took my oldest son on a quick hike up to Mallory Cave from the NCAR trailhead.

On our way!
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Too wet and icy for little legs to make it up the last 100 feet (the route is the crack he is sitting in), but we'll be back when it's a bit drier.
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I did run up to the top real quick while he enjoyed some gummy worms. The cave itself is (rightly) closed year to protect the population of Townsend's big-eared bat that calls it home.
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The view from outside the cave isn't half bad either.
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He insisted on taking a picture of me - only fair, since I take a million of him. :lol:
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Stopped for a sandwich on the way home and then Passover brisket for dinner. Not a half bad day. :) Any time I get to be outdoors with my boys is an absolute win - and he's excited about coming back to do the final push w/ little brother.
 
Quite a nice view is had from the Scat-Deck no doubt.

Is something wrapped up in a tarp on your roof? Is that where you keep your extra cameras when they are not being used? :)

Today's walk found evidence that things are starting to grow.

I believe this one is a Virginia Spring-Beauty.

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Glowing bud of a Buckeye Tree.

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There is an area near the old homestead that holds an impressive amount of naturalized Grape Hyacinth this time of year. To get there I took a trail that @Bob and @scatman would be proud of.

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It is difficult to capture the visual effect in photos, but I try anyway.

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Heading back home as the sun sets. Still testing out the water bottle pocket as a camera holder on my left hip. The capture clip did not agree with my clavicle last year, so this is looking like a good alternative for 2023.

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Looks like spring is in the air in Ohio. What's the history of that trail?
 
This weekend the sky was overcast and the trail was short, but the company was good. Took my oldest son on a quick hike up to Mallory Cave from the NCAR trailhead.

On our way!
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Too wet and icy for little legs to make it up the last 100 feet (the route is the crack he is sitting in), but we'll be back when it's a bit drier.
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I did run up to the top real quick while he enjoyed some gummy worms. The cave itself is (rightly) closed year to protect the population of Townsend's big-eared bat that calls it home.
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The view from outside the cave isn't half bad either.
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He insisted on taking a picture of me - only fair, since I take a million of him. :lol:
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Stopped for a sandwich on the way home and then Passover brisket for dinner. Not a half bad day. :) Any time I get to be outdoors with my boys is an absolute win - and he's excited about coming back to do the final push w/ little brother.

Looks like he is a chip off the old block @TheMountainRabbit, before you know it, he will be accompanying you on your backpacking adventures.
 
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