holiday hordes

We had big plans for July 4th: we were going to get up early, throw the fishing gear and the dog in the truck and drive out to Mirror Lake in the Uintas.  But H has been going into work really early (like, getting into the office at 6 a.m. early) the last few weeks to sync up to his team back east and we just really, really didn't want to get up early again on a day off.  So we slept in a little, and puttered around making breakfast, and just generally dithered about until it was after 10 a.m.  I wanted to go for a hike and H wanted to go for a bike ride ... it would be a divide-and-conquer kind of day.  It would also be very hot - Salt Lake City is stuck in the mid- to high 90s for a bit - so I would be getting the better deal, going up to Alta where it was a little cooler.

Just waiting for it to snow again ...

Indeed, it was about 75 F with a nice, light breeze by the time I got on the trail to do my go-to Catherine's Pass loop.  I was not alone, however, as it was very, very popular up there.  That's the problem with holidays, H says: you have to share them with everyone else.  It was mostly families and I blew by everyone else laboring up the Sunnyside bunny slope.  The crowds dropped off a little once I moved over to the trail up to Catherine's Pass.  I still managed to pass everyone I encountered, except for a couple of trail runners.

Buttercups

There was just a little snow to walk over across the top of Catherine's Area and when I got to the top of the Supreme chairlift, the alpine buttercups were out in force, with the other wildflowers just on the verge of coming out.  I cruised down the access road, through the not-yet-open Albion campground and back to the Albion base area, still swarming with people.  I poked my head into the Albion Grill, which is newly open this year for visitors, serving sandwiches, snacks and beverages; I was checking to see if "beverages" included beer but, alas, no.  But I had brought my own and drank down the requisite post-hike PBR while I changed out of my hiking boots.

There's actually still enough snow 

in the Apron for a few turns

Back down in the valley it was hot-hot-hot and we hunkered down for the duration.  The rest of our Independence Day involved watching World Cup soccer games, snarfing down burgers and listening to the neighbors shoot off a ridiculous amount of fireworks.  Luckily, B has become quite deaf in the last year and did not hear a thing - which is great because we have spent the last four Fourth of July holidays trying (and failing) to keep her calm and unafraid.  She may not hear us when we call her name but at least she's not afraid of thunder and fireworks anymore!