For future reference, this was the perfect weekend to drive the Alpine Loop. These things change from year to year but we hit it just right this time!
hikers: mark, lecia, seth
trail: the Aspen Grove side of Mount Timpanogos up to the 2nd falls.
length: 2.5 miles round trip (1 mile to first falls, another .25 miles to second falls); 770 ft. elevation gain.
We parked in the parking lot that is just above the toll booth near Aspen Grove. There is a fee for this canyon, whether you are driving through or stopping to hike. This time we started on the American Fork Canyon side and drove over the Alpine Loop. The parking lot near Aspen Grove is for access to the Mt. Timpanogos trail and also the trailhead for Stewart Falls. The trails start near the restrooms.
Driving the Alpine Loop.
Gold on the mountains. It really was a beautiful time of year.
Trailhead at the edge of the parking lot.
Another good thing about this time of year, at least on a Monday afternoon,
was that the parking lot wasn't full. This is a well used trail and can get very busy.
There's a bridge to cross and parts of the trail are paved.
Look around and you can see signs of avalanches!
We have hiked up this trail quite a few times over the years. Once, several years ago we saw a moose. Today we saw something very interesting. There was this critter on the trail.
Here is a close up of his victim. From listening to the kids who had just passed this before we got there, it had just happened! Right before their eyes!
The one critter, I can't remember what it was called, was hauling off the dead squirrel, even though he was smaller than the squirrel.
We arrived at the first falls and kept going because 2nd falls is not a lot further.
Seth at 2nd falls.
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