Sunday, June 28, 2015

Dog Lake Hike - Big Cottonwood Canyon



Introduction


With the temperatures soaring into the low 100's this weekend, it meant that I would certainly have to find something indoors to do  -- or head up to higher elevations where life tends to be a little cooler.

I had initially tossed around the idea of going out to Wendover for the afternoon, but with all the traveling I've been doing  -- and consequently the money spent -- I opted to spend it a little closer to home.


The Hike


I hadn't been to Dog Lake in a while, but if you want to see previous pictures and the write-up, go here.

I was really hoping to see a bunch of dogs, like last time.  People come up the canyon from the north with their dogs and it sort of becomes a communal activity: dogs fetching sticks, dogs barking at one another and just wandering around.  Unfortunately, there were just two dogs there today.  

I fully expected to see a moose there today as well.  Moose and dogs generally don't get along and just about every time I've gone up this trail, I've heard stories about how a dog tried to take on a moose.  The only time I saw any sort of wildlife was when I was leaving and saw a Big Cottonwood Police officer parked on the side of the road with its lights flashing watching a huge female moose on the side of the road.

The hike to the lake takes about an hour -- if you are hauling like I was.  While it was warm I didn't mind working up a sweat -- and I certainly worked up a sweat.  The first bit of the hike is a climb and then it is a gentle ascent from there.  However, the last half mile to the lake is a quad burner and one that will test your stamina.

There were a good deal of people on the trail, which is good because it tends to keep the wildlife away.  There also was a ton of wildflowers in bloom, which made the hike really nice.

Upon reaching the lake, I wound up soaking up the rays and polished off a 32 ounce Gatorade (it was so warm).  I circled the lake and found some more trails going north.  Curiosity got the best of me and I wound up exploring some of them.  One of the trails led to Butler Fork Trail, which I had been on before and the other one dipped into Millcreek Canyon, which is the next canyon to the north.

Either way I took a ton of pictures:

Looking south from where I parked

Heading up the trail

Nice area of wildflowers

Still going up

Glimpse of Dog Lake


Kicking back on the shore of Dog Lake

Where are all the dogs?

Where are all the dogs?


Exploring the trails north and west of Dog Lake

The smell of pine was insane here





Beautiful view of the Big Cottonwood Canyon











Colorado Colombine, I am told




Almost back to the parking lot.

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