Weather:  Nearly perfect:  Nice, cool (but not too cold) temperature, very light breeze, only a few clouds....
Present were:  Mike, K7DOU and friend Nancy;  Gordon, K7HFV;  Clint, KA7OEI;  Tim, KK7EF;  Ron, K7RJ
Destination:  To Cardiff Pass via the Alta (Little Cottonwood Canyon) side with optional side-trip to the nearby peak with the radio site.
Question of the day:  "Should we go on this trail?"  On the way up, there are several alternatives to the old mining road:  Some of these trails bypass several of the road's switchbacks, saving a bit of unnecessary walking while others don't necessarily go anywhere useful.  In the dark, it can sometimes be difficult to tell which one is the best one to take.
Total distance:  Approx. 2.69 miles - a little bit more if you stayed on the road longer.
Times:  Depart Vehicle:  1851;  Pass weather station:  1858;  Pass avalanche control artillery mount:  1913;  Departed mining road for trail:  1929;  Arrive at pass:  2002;  Arrive on peak:  2012;  Depart peak:  2023;  Return to pass:  2028;  Return to point where trail and mining road diverged:  2059;  Passed avalanche control artillery mount (again):  2112;  Weather station, again:  2128;  Return to car:  2135
Altitudes in feet ASL (approx):  Parking lot:  8625;  Weather station:  8700;  Avalanche control:  9130;  Road-trail diverge:  9510;  Cardiff Pass:  10043 (USGS map shows just under 10020);  Peak near Cardiff Pass:  10269 (USGS map shows 10277)
Elevation gain/loss (approx):  If you went to the pass:  Approx. 1420;  If you went to the peak:  Approx. 1650.
Local sunset on this date:  7:59 pm (11 minutes lost over the past week - about the same as last week because we are nearing equinox.)
Images (54-1900k each, .JPG):

• IMG01313 - Nancy, Mike, Gordon and Tim at the trailhead, before the hike.
• IMG01314 - On the trail to Cardiff Pass:  Nancy, Mike and Tim looking out across the canyon.
• IMG01316 - A view across the canyon to Hidden Peak (the top of the Snowbird Tram.)
• IMG01318 -  Across the canyon toward Albion Basin/Catherine Pass
• IMG01319 - Our quest:  Cardiff Pass.
• IMG01331 - Often heard but seldom seen:  The American Pika.  Similar are #'s 1329 and 1330. Perhaps not obvious at first, but the Pika is not a rodent per se, but a fairly close relative to the rabbit, being in the order lagomorpha.  As one observes their behavior and movement, one begins to see obvious similarites between them and their lapine cousins - the obvious exception being that Pikas make (distinctive!) noises.  For more info on the Pika, read about them on the Utah DWR Site.
• IMG01337 - Gordon, holding up the power pole at Cardiff Pass.
• IMG01339 - The peak (with the radio site) above Cardiff Pass (name unknown) and some of our group heading along the slope below it.
• IMG01340 - Part of a large herd of foraging bighorn sheep (see note below.)
• IMG01349 - Snowbird resort and vicinity after sunset.

• GPS track of the hike. The recorded GPS track of the hike.
• Elevation profile of the hike.  The elevation profile of the hike.
• A more detailed GPS track - A more-detailed map with the GPS track of the hike.

Notes:

With the ever-earlier sunsets, the hikes are getting shorter and shorter.  With the earlier sunset, the opportunity to take photographs also diminishes.  As can be seen from the numbering of the images, quite a few were taken - but only the better ones were posted, with many having been blurred by the combination of long shutter times and the camera being handheld as well as exposure latitude problems and associated noise resulting from the dim light.

Some of the group took the (optional) side-trip to the unnamed peak just to the south and west of the pass.  Tim, who was the first to arrive on the peak, had noticed a herd of what appeared to be bighorn sheep moving its way across the slope below Superior toward the ridgeline dividing the top of Cardiff Fork and Little Cottonwood canyon.  The animals were quite distant and difficult to photograph.  Image #1340 was taken in the deepening shadows, about 15 minutes after sunset, using the equivalent of a 300mm telephoto on a 35mm camera.  (0.4 seconds at F5.6 with an ISO setting of 400, plus some additional noise reduction and contrast enhancement.)

• If you want one (or more) of these images and wish some sort of adjustment (color, brightness, exposure, etc.) please let me know:  All of these image have been processed in some way.
• These images are 54-1900k in size, .JPG and are in chronological order.
• No-one ever said that all of these images (or any of them) were good.  Some of them may have definite focus/exposure "issues."
• EXIF data is present for some of the images, showing time, date, and precise exposure conditions.  Recent versions of Irfanview will show this in the "View->Image Information->EXIF" tab.  Note that cropping/noise reduction required the use of another program which may have removed some/most of this EXIF data.
• All images taken using a Sigma SD-10 camera using the 18-50mm or 55-200mm zoom lens.

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