Ready To Rise

We drove out to Moon Lake a few days ago.  With the high snowpack in the mountains beginning to melt, we expected the lake (actually a reservoir) to be full. 
Not so.  The water managers had let out as much water as possible, preparing for record amounts of water expected to flow down from the High Uintas as temperatures rise and melt the snow. 

Here's the reservoir on June 24, 2010, at close to full capacity.

 On the way, we saw this pretty elk cow grazing near the road. 

She must be used to cars passing.  She was curious, but not overly concerned about us.  I hope she develops a better sense of caution before hunting season.

Moon Lake Trail

Moon Lake, located just south of the High Uintas Wilderness area, was a natural alpine lake (8000 feet in altitude) until dam construction on Lake Fork in 1938 enlarged it into a reservoir, now covering 768 acres and holding about 36,000 acre-feet of water when filled to capacity.
On its shores, you'll find a campground,
cabins for rent, plus opportunities for fishing, swimming, boating, and, of course, fetching:
Last week we hiked one of the numerous trails in the area.  This one followed along the west shore of the lake.
We saw this cute ground squirrel:
When I got too close with the camera, he dove into his hole:
We saw columbines:
alpine phacelia, also called purple fringe:
bearberry (kinnikinnick):
and strawberry flowers, one with a big fly lapping up the pollen:
The trail was easy to
 follow and nicely shaded,

a great short hike for a warm day.

Light and Life

This is Moon Lake in the morning light, taken in mid-September.

Steve's mother passed away on Friday after a long life, healthy and happy until the last few months. We will miss her gentle kindness. 

We leave today to attend the funeral and to spend a few days with family. 

Moon Lake

Moon Lake's natural water level was raised by a dam built in the 1930’s to create additional water storage for irrigating Utah's Uinta Basin farms and ranches. 

Locals enjoy camping, fishing, hiking, and boating on the reservoir and in surrounding mountains. 

We rode north along the west side of Moon Lake and beyond, where Lake Fork River flows far below the trail.  The drop-off is steeper than it looks, but Mischief, my trusty steed, wasn’t worried.

In places, rock walls and aspens tower on one side of the trail.

We saw this little waterfall (above),

lots of ferns,

and a beaver lodge and dam. 

The aspens were beginning to change starting above 10,000 feet when we were there on September 12th.  By now, entire mountainsides of aspen will be gold.

For views from all over the world, click here.