Two Nice Afternoons

I had two really good Saturdays on the Ogden River. I posted them on my other blog: www.troutseeker.blogspot.com

Crisp Fall Morning on the River

Simple Pleasures

Running and Dancing in Bear Lake

Low Water and Early Fall Cutthroats (Fly Fishing with my Nephew)

Season's End

I know we will have a few more good days before actual winter hits, but today is a reminder that it isn't far off.

Season's End

First snow, down to seven-thousand feet.

Blue-nosed trout feed,

fattening for the lethargic lean

winter months to come.

Last trip, spoiled by wind 

and falling leaves,

trick the trout to rise, 

then nothing,

as gray clouds and river water merge.

Another Backcountry Adventure. Hiking into the Brighton Lakes (Mary, Martha, and Catherine).

Lake Blanche in Big Cottonwood Canyon

I admit, we did this hike all wrong! Hiking at noon in 95+ degree heat on a bright sunny day was not the most comfortable of circumstances. I've been outdoors enough to know to plan for the unexpected--to a degree, so before we left home I threw in another large water bottle and made sure we had a water purifying straw just in case. I also mentioned something about sunscreen but didn't grab it. We could have used it. We used every drop of water and even drank warm water on the way back to the trailhead. This hike was all uphill. Several places on the trail had areas that felt like we were walking up stairs.

 

I've struggled with staying in prime shape this year, and have had a hard time finding the energy that I normally have in the summer. It's starting to play with my brain. I want to blame it on getting old, but I have a feeling it might be more than that. I have a lot of aches and pains this year and it is mentally effecting my motivation. I have a couple of mountain bike rides planned this fall, more hikes, as well as a 50 mile ride around Bear Lake. I better get with it!

My wife had suffered an injury to her left leg (possibly knee area) in a soccer game, and was in no condition to be hiking, but she wanted to go. I know she was in some pain. For a couple of old wounded people we made it and had fun too.

 

I heard there could possibly be brook trout in Lake Blanche so I carried my fly rod and some flies in. I wasn't disappointed. I caught eleven of them in about an hours time. They were all between eight and twelve inches but the colors were splendid.

Lake Blanche is a beautiful place. It is a popular destination. I found a measure of solitude, as I was the only one fishing while we were there.

Off to the west of Lake Blanche is Lake Lillian and another small lake. We hiked over to the area of the man-made rock dam and looked over the hill and down upon the two lakes. I thought about hiking down to the lakes and seeing if they also held brook trout, but to be honest, I was pretty tired and still needed to hike back out.

The lake surface was calm and reflections of Sundial Peak and the surrounding pine trees reminded me of a beautiful landscape painting. Every once in a while a very slight gentle breeze would ripple the lakes surface and push small cumulus clouds above the ridgeline.

The trail signs and the hiking book said that the mileage to the lake is 2.6. It seemed longer than that. I don't know if it was the constant up hill steepness of the trail or the heat, but it just seemed longer. It's a beautiful hike and the Lake Blanche, Sundial Peak, and the brook trout made it all worth it for me.

 

When we reached the car, we drove immediately into town and bought a couple of ice cold Gatorade drinks and thankfully drank them as we drove home.