buffalo

Antelope Island & Utah’s Great Salt Lake

Published April 18, 2014

Off to Salt Lake City for a 3 day marathon weekend – my 6th marathon & first Saturday race day.

Runner’s Expo bib pick up at Energy Solutions Arena (home of the NBA’s Utah Jazz), then off to Antelope Island – my pre-race Utah adventure. The Great Salt Lake is large enough to be seen from space — [so for me] an obvious go-to destination.

Antelope Island is accessed via a causeway west of Ogden. Pronghorn Antelope? Yeah, yeah they’ve been reintroduced to the island – but why did I go? BUFFALO. Free roaming herds of buffalo inhabit this island – so much so that each October they roundup herds, update vaccinations & sell off 100-150 head to maintain balance.

Quick stop at the Visitors Center to boost my knowledge base –

Why salty vs fresh water? [lake is a bowl with no water outlet]
Do fish inhabit Salt Lake? [nope, only brine shrimp]
If no fish, what do the sea gulls eat? [lotta gnats & other insects]
First Anglo to settle Antelope Island? [fur trapper Jim Bridger]

Bucking against ranger advice, hiked up Buffalo Point for pic ops of the Great Salt Lake. Amazing landscape shots against Utah’s snow-capped Rockies (Wasatch Mountains). Beautiful but then… GNATS

Hundreds of gnats settled on my cap, shirt, neck, in my ears, eyes, mouth. Appears the rangers were right – it really is gnat birthing season. Rushed back down the trail, stepping on a snake on my trek return. Not a rattlesnake (which is what I initially thought) but rather a Great Basin gopher snake. Vigorously shook off, ducked in my rental & turned the AC on high. Goal? Freeze all remaining insects resting on my body & clothing. I’m not crazy squeamish but these swarms were epic.

Meanwhile…only 20 minutes away on the other side of the island roamed herds of BUFFALO. On a cerebral level, I understand these are genetic cousins to our domestic cattle – but in person, these massive mammals represent the American West. Native to our continent, muscular, strong – I’m a HUGE fan. WOW!

Saw jackrabbits which ridiculed the size of my neighborhood’s bunnies – huge feet, enormous ears. Didn’t leave before snapping shots of deer & a coyote. Whole lotta wildlife.

Can’t imagine day-to-day life for those first frontier pioneers but for me, Utah’s Great Salt Lake – a ‘must-see’ destination.

: ready to get my April marathon on

: bib pick-up, home of the Utah Jazz

: pre-race must-see, the Great Salt Lake

: that landscape, that view — WOW!

: their side of the Rockies is almost as beautiful as ours

: Buffalo Point – short hike, quick pic, hundreds of gnats

: (literally) stepped on this guy on my trek back [gopher snake]

: mule deer

: island predator

: BUFFALO!

: today’s WOW shot

: symbol of the American West – SPECTACULAR day!

Posted in Rocky Mtn West | Tagged buffalo, rivers-lakes, wildlife | 2 Comments

Ice Fishing in Dillon

Published March 2, 2014

Last month Ashton mentioned ice fishing as a possible birthday adventure. Sounds fun, right?

Quick google search, followed by a phone call to Big Ed’s & our reservation on Dillon Reservoir was set.

Woke crazy early on Saturday – sure it’s snowing, but we’re scheduled to be on a frozen lake by 9am.

Unfortunately, our state’s only east-west through-way, I-70, was operating at a standstill – multiple accidents. 3 hours later, highway closed just past Georgetown. ARGH! Plan B? Enjoyed breakfast at the Happy Cooker & rescheduled for ice fishing Sunday.

Day 2, another early start. Arrived in plenty of time to help our guide set-up & drill holes with an electric ice auger. 4 feet of solid ice, fluffy snow & sunshine. Beautiful lake, beautiful day.

Fishing Guide Randy started us out with jigs, then bait. Salmon eggs. Two nibbles but never a real bite. Ash, our experienced fisherwoman, dropped line & soon after snagged a small rainbow trout.

An hour later, a 2^nd trout (which she threw back). And a third which jumped line after cresting the surface.

Ashton 3, everyone else ZERO. Runner-up honors to Tom who reeled in at least 4 yard-long sticks. AND special thanks to Matt who chauffeured us cross state – not once, but twice.

Ended the day with Randy talking up Ashton – and only Ashton – on fly fishing this summer, while the rest of us stood around hoping to be included. LOL>

Sunshine, snow & 3 fish — what’s not to love? Ice fishing in the Rockies, highly recommended 🙂

UPDATE:

Later I prepared Ash’s catch while everyone was showering. HUGE FAN of rainbow trout! Tay-stee 🙂

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