VOL. 3 NO. 2 • SUMMER 2017
GET OUT | GET GOING | JUST GO
Range Creek Treasures 30
Sun Valley A Novel Destination 18
~
Chris Vanocur Talks to Rocks 34
Hayduke Trail’s Epic Adventure 20
Jackson Hole Cool-Down
10
fuel your
adventure
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Summer 2017 • Vamoose Utah |
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INSIDE
VAMOOSE
10
JACKSON HOLE COOL-DOWN When Utah’s summer heats up, head north BY KATHLEEN CURRY & GEOFF GRIFFIN
18
YOUR OWN PRIVATE IDAHO
Sun Valley serves up a bucket-list of novel adventures BY KATHLEEN CURRY & GEOFF GRIFFIN
20
MAY YOUR TRAILS BE CROOKED …
Hiking the Hayduke Trail demands careful planning BY DORY TRIMBLE
26
MADE IN UTAH
Utah-based AceCamp’s sturdy outdoor gear is up to the task BY DARBY DOYLE
28
BACKCOUNTRY CHEF
30
THIS IS THE PLACE
Rustling up trailside veggie risotto BY DARBY DOYLE
Range Creek: A look at an ancient civilization’s farming culture BY JERRY D. SPANGLER
34
MY FIRST TIME
A veteran Utah reporter visits Arches National Park BY CHRIS VANOCUR
Find your cool in Utah’s mountains, lakes, pools and streams BY LIZ GALLOWAY
Paddleboarding: Alturas Lake at Sun Valley 4 | Vamoose Utah • Summer 2017
Shannon Skouras (Visit Sun Valley)
38
20 DAYS OF SUMMER
Summer 2017 • Vamoose Utah |
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Issue 1 3•NO. Summer 2015 VOL. 2 • SUMMER 2017
Utah | GET | JUST GET OUT GOING GET OUT | GET GOING | JUST GO
CONTRIBUTORS
GO
STAFF PUBLISHER EDITORIAL EDITOR COPY EDITOR CONTRIBUTORS
PHOTOGRAPHERS PRODUCTION ART DIRECTOR GRAPHIC ARTISTS
BUSINESS/OFFICE ASSOCIATE BUSINESS MANAGER OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR TECHNICAL DIRECTOR MARKETING MARKETING DIRECTOR CIRCULATION CIRCULATION MANAGER SALES MAGAZINE ADVERTISING DIRECTOR NEWSPRINT ADVERTISING DIRECTOR DIGITAL OPERATIONS MANAGER SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES RETAIL ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
JOHN SALTAS JERRE WROBLE LANCE GUDMUNDSEN KATHLEEN CURRY, DARBY DOYLE, LIZ GALLOWAY, GEOFF GRIFFIN, JERRY SPANGLER, DORY TRIMBLE, CHRIS VANOCUR CONNOR KUNZ, DORY TRIMBLE
LIZ GALLOWAY Liz Galloway is a travel and lifestyle writer with addiction to adventure. She has been published in dozens of online and print outlets, done celebrity interviews and covered international events. When not writing, she is scouting for great food, wine, flying helicopters, and seeking the next outdoor thrill. She has a background in marketing and is a nomad at heart. You can contact her at liz@thelotuseffects.com
CAIT LEE SUMMER MONTGOMERY, JOSH SCHEUERMAN PAULA SALTAS DAVID ADAMSON, ANNA KAISER BRYAN MANNOS JACKIE BRIGGS LARRY CARTER JENNIFER VAN GREVENHOF PETE SALTAS ANNA PAPADAKIS DOUG KRUITHOF, KATHY MUELLER, JEREMIAH SMITH, LISA DORELLI, AMBER WOODY
CHRIS VANOCUR Chris Vanocur is a freelance writer and journalist living in Salt Lake. He has been honored with both the Peabody and the duPont-Columbia University awards. His writing has appeared in numerous publications. He is also an amateur photographer and has been dubbed the “Selfie King” by his (alleged) friends.
COVER IMAGE: GROS VENTRE RANGE BY CONNOR KUNZ DISTRIBUTED FREE OF CHARGE THROUGHOUT THE WASATCH FRONT WHILE SUPPLIES LAST. ADDITIONAL COPIES OF VAMOOSE ARE AVAILABLE AT THE VAMOOSE OFFICES:
248 S. MAIN, SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84101, 801-575-7003 EDITORIAL CONTACT: EDITOR@VAMOOSEUTAH.COM
COPPERFIELD PUBLISHING, INC • COPYRIGHT 2017. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
@vamooseutah
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@VamooseUtah
@vamooseutah
DARBY DOYLE Former wilderness ranger and recovering archaeologist Darby Doyle writes about food, cocktails and outdoor adventures from her home base in the foothills of Utah’s Wasatch Mountains. She’s the proud mama of teenage boys, goofy Labradors and a gaggle of backyard hens.
Summer 2017 • Vamoose Utah |
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Connor Kunz
Hurricane Pass on the Teton Crest Trail
Hello, Highway he day after my daughter’s high school graduation, we loaded our Ford Focus with camping gear, an overstocked ice chest, walking sticks, sun visors and water bottles. It was summer 2004: My daughter brought her CD collection while I packed a well-worn road atlas. At dawn’s early light, we bounded south from Salt Lake City on a 10-day mother-daughter sojourn of southern Utah and northern Arizona. Upon arriving at Bryce Canyon, our first order of business was to buy an annual pass that gave us entry to any national park in the coming year. As official passholders, we felt like the park belonged to us. Rather than merely overlooking the eye-popping scenery from the canyon rim as we had done on previous visits, we threw ourselves into Bryce’s embrace and meandered into the maze of the hoodoos. When we emerged hours later, I finally realized the truth that all outdoor enthusiasts know: To truly experience these wild lands, we have to exit the car. Walk a trail. Suck in the air. Feel the rocks. Be surprised by wildlife. It’s a meditation. The adventure continued as we traveled to Zion, Grand Canyon, Glen Canyon, Canyonlands and Arches—each gem unique from the others and showing its treasures in spectacular ways. Along the way, we nursed blisters and sunburns, toured museums and visitor centers, gaped at scenery, argued about the best music and bemoaned the loss of ancient cultures, the state of current politics and the illusive meaning of life. Details from that road trip remain vivid to us both even 13 years later. Such journeys make big dents in our memory banks. As my daughter grew up to have adventures of her own, I realized the freewheeling car-camping trip we took ignited her love of wild Utah, and it’s a love she now relishes sharing with others. Vamoose writers similarly thrive on sharing their outdoor ken. In this summer edition, writers Geoff Griffin and Kathleen Curry offer insider tips on how to maximize a visit to mountain resort towns such as Jackson Hole and Sun Valley. True adventurers will be intrigued by Dory Trimble’s tale of the demanding Hayduke Trail. For lovers of ancient culture, Jerry Spangler expounds on the archeological treasure trove of Range Creek while veteran reporter Chris Vanocur writes about his first time visiting Arches. If a road trip is not in the cards this summer, no worries. Our own local Wasatch Range offers ample adventure, scenery and enthralling activities to keep you on the go all summer long. Liz Galloway outlines 20 ways for locals to play (and keep cool) at elevation. AceCamp gear aficionados can learn more about this locally owned company in Darby Doyle’s “Made in Utah” feature. She also shares a mouthwatering risotto recipe sure to cap off any outdoor dining experience. With all this inspiration at hand, the question is: What memories will you make this summer? —Jerre Wroble, Editor editor@vamooseutah.com
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Summer 2017 • Vamoose Utah |
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JACKSON HOLE
COOL-DOWN When summer turns the heat up in Utah, head north! BY KATHLEEN CURRY & GEOFF GRIFFIN
Shadow Mountain, located in the Bridger-Teton National Forest, offers some of the best views of the Teton Range.
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Visit Jackson Hole
I
t’s hard to sum up what makes Jackson Hole such an appealing outdoor destination. Is it the Grand Tetons? The Snake River? Yellowstone National Park? The National Elk Refuge? Is it that Jackson is a place where you can have myriad outdoor adventures during the day and then enjoy top-notch dining at night? Maybe the answer is that it’s just a five-hour scenic drive from Salt Lake City. It’s just plain cool, not only in terms of being an edgy and adventurous locale, but in terms of degrees Fahrenheit (daytime summer temps here range between the low 60s to the low 80s). Here’s a four-day itinerary from Salt Lake City designed to help you keep your cool while experiencing hot adventures.
Summer 2017 • Vamoose Utah |
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Fireside Resort (Tuck Fauntleroy)
••••
THURSDAY
Fireside Resort Riverwalk Thai Food: Pad Thai
Afternoon
The first leg of the journey is a two-hour drive north to Lava Hot Springs. Take Interstate 15 north out of Salt Lake City and stay on it past the Utah/Idaho border. Take Exit 44 for McCammon Road, or Highway 30, then follow the signs to Lava Hot Springs (430 E. Main, 800-423-8597, LavaHotSprings.com). The name of the town is the reason people love to visit. Bring your swimsuit and have a soak in geothermal waters ranging from 102F to 112F degrees. The chemical-free mineral waters will leave you feeling calm and relaxed for dinner at Riverwalk Thai Food (695 E. Main, 208-776-5872, Online on Facebook). You wouldn’t expect to find excellent, authentic pad Thai in a converted gas station in rural Idaho, but this restaurant has a secret following of groupies known to regularly drive up from the Wasatch Front just to eat here. From Lava Hot Springs, it’s another 2 1/2 hours to Jackson Hole, Wyo. Keep heading east on Highway 30 to Soda Springs, where you’ll get on Highway 34 heading north and later east. Just beyond the Idaho/Wyoming border, you’ll hook up with Highway 89 heading north, which will take you into Jackson. Jackson offers numerous hotel options, including the Wort Hotel (50 N. Glenwood St., 800-322-2727, WortHotel.com), right in the heart of downtown. Dating back to 1941, this awardwinning boutique hotel is chock full of Western history and character. Drop your stuff in your room and head downstairs to the Silver Dollar Bar for a nightcap. Built in 1950, the bar is inlaid with more than 2,000 uncirculated Morgan silver dollars. If you’re looking to stay somewhere more rustic or private, check out a cabin at Fireside Resort in the neighboring town of Wilson (2780 N. Moose Wilson Road, 307-733-1177, FiresideJacksonHole.com). The 23 cabins range in size, but all come with a full kitchen and a fire pit, complete with a complimentary bundle of wood.
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Silver Dollar Bar at the Wort Hotel
Lava Hot Springs
FRIDAY
••••
Morning
Teton Science Schools
Lindley Rust
Stop in at Persephone Bakery (145 E. Broadway, 307-200-6708, PersephoneBakery. com) to try the croissants, which they claim are “the closest you will get to France in Wyoming.” The morning is often the best time to see wildlife and one of the best—and more responsible—ways to do this is to take a wildlife expedition with Teton Science Schools (700 Coyote Canyon Road, 377-7331313, TetonScience.org). If you’re staying in Jackson or Teton Village, a professional guide will pick you Persephone Bakery’s up in a customized, multiple-passenger safari vehicle Brussels Sweet Potato Hash complete with roof hatches for better viewing. The tours feature the elk, moose, bison, eagles and other animals that roam in Grand Teton National Park (307-739-3300, nps.gov/grte) and the National Elk Refuge (675 E. Broadway, 307-733-9212, FWS.gov/ nationalelkrefuge). Taking a tour also helps fund Teton Science Schools’ mission of environmental education and research.
Teton Science Schools
Teton Mountain Bike Tours
Afternoon
Once back in town, grab a made-to-order sandwich at Creekside Market & Deli (545 N. Cache St. 307-733-7926, CreeksideJacksonHole.com), along with water and anything else you want to stuff in your backpack for a picnic later in the day. Walk across the parking lot to Teton Mountain Bike Tours (545 N. Cache St., 307-733-0712, TetonMtBike.com) to start on a biking adventure. The shop has all kinds of bikes and guided tours available, but the easiest way to spend an afternoon is to rent road bikes and follow the 20-mile paved pathway that runs from just across the street from the shop out to Jenny Lake, where you can enjoy the picnic lunch you picked up earlier. The ride takes you along the edge of the National Elk Refuge and into Grand Teton National Park.
David Agnello
Night
Million Dollar Cowboy Bar
VisitIdaho
Million Dollar Cowboy Bar
You have to try Rendezvous Bistro (380 S. U.S. Highway 89, 307-739-1100, RendevousBistro.net), because it’s a Jackson staple, and where else are you going to find an appetizer of Cajun fried alligator cooked with scallions and peanuts? The bistro also features a raw bar with oysters flown in fresh and shucked right in front of you. If you want to keep the evening going, visit the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar (25 N. Cache St., 307-733-2207, MillionDollarCowboyBar. com) where the bar stools are saddles and live music can be enjoyed most nights.
Summer 2017 • Vamoose Utah |
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••••
Connor Kunz
SATURDAY
Hurricane Pass on the Teton Crest Trail
Down on Glen
Morning
Down on Glen, also known as D.O.G., (25 S. Glenwood St., 307733-4422, Online on Facebook) is known for its gigantic breakfast burritos that keep you energized for the day. If you’re feeling adventurous, add in some bacon to make it a BRO’rrito. After breakfast, head out to Grand Teton National Park for a morning of hiking. Like any great national park, this one offers trails both short to long, and easy to strenuous. There are 17 trailheads to choose from, with multiple trail options at each one. You can download a trail map in advance off the park’s website. Some of the most popular treks are in the Jenny Lake area, where a hike can be combined with a ride on a shuttle-boat across the lake (JennyLakeBoating.com)
For lunch, head back into town to the Wort Hotel’s Silver Dollar Grill (50 N. Glenwood St., 800-322-2727, WortHotel.com). Even though it might be warm outside, you can’t leave Jackson without trying the award-winning Smoked Bison Chili or the Wort Famous Corn Chowder. After lunch, consider a journey with Mad River Boat Trips (1255 S. U.S. Highway 89, 866-275-8077, Mad-River.com). Its most popular option, which leaves mid-afternoon in the summer, is the “Classic 8-Mile Snake River Whitewater” trip. Be prepared to get soaked as you help paddle a 10- to 12-person raft under the direction of a professional guide.
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Mad River Boat Trips
Mad River Boat Trips
Afternoon
Robyn Vincent
Fusilli at Il Villaggio Osteria:
Saturday Night
Jordan Rosen Photography
Sit on the outdoor deck of Il Villaggio Osteria, (3335 W. Village Drive, 307-739-4100, JHOsteria. com) located in Teton Village, just a short drive from Jackson, and enjoy an extensive wine list to pair with Italian offerings such as risotto with calamari, orange zest and pine nuts.Â
Silver Dollar Grill
Summer 2017 • Vamoose Utah |
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••••
SUNDAY
Bear Lake Water Adventures
Morning
Grab bagels and coffee to go at Pearl Street Bagels (145 W. Pearl Ave., 307-739-1218, PearlStreetBagels.com). All of the classic bagel-cream cheese combos are available, but if you’re looking for something out of the ordinary, try the mountain-berry cream cheese on a honey sunflower bagel. Take a different route home to drive by Bear Lake. Heading out of Jackson, keep going south on Highway 89. It will eventually head west over the Wyoming/Idaho border and take you through Montpelier, before turning south again and bringing you to Bear Lake, which sits on both sides of the Idaho/Utah border. The drive takes about three hours. Make a stop in Garden City on the southwest side of the lake. If you have time, and want to get out on the water, check out Bear Lake Water Adventures (420 S. Bear Lake Blvd., 435-757-9003, Online on Facebook) to rent paddle boards or kayaks. If you’d rather be motorized on a jet ski or speedboat, stop by Blue Water Beach Resort (2126 S. Bear Lake Blvd., 844-946-5252), to begin your adventure. However long you stay or whatever you end up doing in Garden City, you can’t leave without getting a classic, summertime Bear Lake raspberry shake at LaBeau’s Drive-In (69 N. Bear Lake Blvd., 435-946-8821, Online on Facebook). After leaving Bear Lake, continue down Highway 89 through Logan and on through the canyon toward Brigham City. Instead of jumping right on the I-15, since it’s summer, stay on Highway 89 south and experience Utah’s Famous Fruit Way. Simply drive along the highway to find various local farms selling fresh produce in roadside stands. The later in the summer, the more options there are to choose from, and you may be lucky enough to be there during pie season. Collective information about the farms and vendors along the way can be found on Facebook at Facebook.com/ UtahsFamousFruitWay or on Twitter @UtahsFamousFruitway. When you’ve loaded up on fruits and veggies, cut over to I-15 near Willard Bay and head on home. Jackson Hole is one of those places where, once you’ve tried a weekend trip here, you’ll realize there is much more yet to experience. Returning home will only mean you’ll begin planning your next visit. Kathleen Curry and Geoff Griffin host the Travel Brigade Radio Podcast. Follow them on Twitter @TravelBrigade.
Utah’s Famous Fruit Way: Grammy’s Fruit & Produce
16 | Vamoose Utah • Summer 2017
Pearl Street Bagels
LaBeau’s Drive-In’s raspberry shake
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Summer 2017 • Vamoose Utah |
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S
A L V LE N Y U
YOUR OWN PRIVATE IDAHO THIS MOUNTAIN RESORT SERVES UP A BUCKET-LIST OF NOVEL ADVENTURES. BY KATHLEEN CURRY & GEOFF GRIFFIN
Greenhorn Gulch bike trail
S
ince its opening in 1936, Sun Valley has been known for being the first winter destination resort in America, site of the world’s first mountain chairlift, home of Ernest Hemingway, favorite visiting spot for Hollywood celebrities and—81 years later in 2017—a place where Utahns can find adventure less than a five-hour drive away. What is collectively known as Sun Valley generally refers to the resort by that name (1 Sun Valley Road, 800-786-8259, SunValley.com), as well as the neighboring towns of Ketchum and Hailey, all of which sit on the edge of Idaho’s Sawtooth National Forest and offer a variety of recreation options. While Sun Valley earned its well-known reputation as a winter destination, many Utahns know its summer offerings provide outstanding outdoor adventures along with cool mountain air.
Hiking/Biking Baldy Rising more than 3,400 feet above Ketchum and Sun Valley, Bald Mountain—or “Baldy”—is one extraordinary peak. Here you’ll find a multitude of summer trails for hiking and biking. Enclosed gondolas and chairlifts carry you to various points on the mountain to launch your adventure. All you have to do is figure out what kind of hike or ride you want and for how
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long. If you didn’t bring a bike, stop by Pete Lane’s Village Bike Shop (208-622-2279, rent@sunvalley. com) at Sun Valley Mall, where you can rent cruiserstyle pathway bikes and mountain bikes. They also offer while-you-wait tuning service for your own bike, along with parts and accessories. After burning some calories on the mountain, make time to fuel up—with a panoramic view—at the Roundhouse Lodge (208-622-2012, restaurantreservations@ sunvalley.com), perched atop the Roundhouse Gondola on Baldy.
Sunny Skating Slap on some sunscreen and lace up your skates to glide outdoors on the 180-by-90-foot Sun Valley Outdoor Ice Rink (208-622-2194, skatingcenter@sunvalley.com), which boasts some of the best views in the valley. The rink stays open during the summer and offers free skate time along with a full-service skate shop. The acclaimed Sun Valley on Ice opens July 2 and runs select Saturday nights through Labor Day featuring top Olympic and professional figure skaters. Check into the option of having a gourmet buffet-style dinner rink-side while watching the show (208-622-2135, SunValley.ticketfly.com).
Hallie MacPherson (Visit Sun Valley)
Hiking at Norton Lakes
Tal Roberts (Visit Sun Valley)
Dev Khalsa (Visit Sun Valley)
Tal Roberts (Visit Sun Valley)
Pioneer Saloon wine & ribs
Sun Valley Pavilion concerts
Right on Target If you’ve ever wanted to try target shooting—but have no idea how to get started—the Sun Valley Gun Club (208-622-2111, svgunclub@sunvalley.com) will turn you into a straight shooter. Book a lesson for up to five people with a certified instructor to learn about shooting clay and trap. They will provide all the equipment you need.
Music Under the Stars Take advantage of the comfortably cool mountain nights with a concert at the Sun Valley Pavilion (Sun Valley Resort, 300 Dollar Road, 208-622-2135, SunValley.com). The 1,500-seat arena is covered but open air. Or, just bring a blanket and sit on the grass hill that rises above the pavilion. Concerts range from classical to contemporary, some of which are free (you can look up events at SunValley.com/things-to-do/events-calendar).
Eat It Up Whether you’ve biked, hiked or skated the day away, you’re going to be ready to eat in the evening. When locals have visiting friends and family, they take them to “The Pio,” or Pioneer
Saloon (320 N. Main, Ketchum, 208-726-3139, PioneerSaloon. com). Sitting in a building that opened in the 1940s as a casino, The Pio is noted for its steaks that come with a baked potato so big and loaded you’ll have no doubt that Idaho is the potato capital of the world. A popular item is the “Jim Spud,” a giant baked potato stuffed with teriyaki prime rib. Sitting 1.5 miles east of the resort, Trail Creek Cabin (Trail Creek Road, 208-622-2800, SunValley.com/dining) offers a rustic atmosphere that feels a million miles away and dates back to 1937. During the winter, it’s a great place to take a sleigh ride and get dinner. During the summer, it’s just the spot for sitting out on the deck, sharing small plates of salmon cakes and chorizo-stuffed mushrooms and enjoying a drink while watching the waters of Trail Creek roll by. While bursting with summer activities and family fun, Sun Valley also offers the wilderness and quietude that Ernest Hemingway sought out in which to fish and hunt. It’s just the place for reconnecting with your inner novelist or fisherman, whatever your bent happens to be. Kathleen Curry and Geoff Griffin host the Travel Brigade Radio Show. Follow them on Twitter @TravelBrigade.
Summer 2017 • Vamoose Utah |
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may your trails be crooked … The Hayduke Trail is a demanding hike— one that might have made Edward Abbey proud.
Dory Trimble
by dory trimble
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Lower Muley
Dory Trimble, writer/hiker
journal of my journey: Lower Muley Twist trip report
T
he Hayduke Trail, named for the crotchety desert outlaw in Edward Abbey’s The Monkey Wrench Gang, is a remote, logistically complex and physically demanding long-distance hiking route. The trail twists through six national parks in southern Utah and northern Arizona, totaling 812 miles of parched, rugged desert landscape. The route-finding is challenging, the shade is scarce and the trail signs are nonexistent. Hayduke Trail (HDT) logistics can be intimidating. Erin “Wired” Saver, an accomplished long-distance hiker and Triple Crowner (hiker slang for someone who has walked the 7,600 combined miles of the Pacific Crest, Appalachian and Continental Divide trails) explains it this way in her 2015 Hayduke trip report: “The planning of this hike is on par with the endurance needed to hike it. The Hayduke is definitely not a comfortable trail.” (Continued on p. 22)
>
I’m hiking Lower Muley Twist alone, my first day out this year, on a spring afternoon under cloud-streaked skies. It’s been a long, un-aerobic winter, and my body feels a little baffled by the dumb, animal demands of backpacking. The trail past Cottonwood Tanks is all sand and sharp snags of sagebrush, and my newly acquired trekking poles feel desperately awkward. I can’t figure out how to hold them, and I think too hard about which stride goes where—left foot/ right pole, right foot/left pole. I become hopelessly discombobulated, stutter-stepping in an attempt to catch up with myself. Through the sagebrush, I watch a black-tailed jackrabbit rocket toward the horizon. The first evening, I camp by Halls Creek, nestled back against swelling sandstone domes and the bright, sudden sunset exploding behind them. In the dark, I attempt to read Edward Abbey and poke my head out the tent zipper occasionally to check on the night. The sky isn’t black or indigo but instead a kind of liquid blue, plush with stars, the only sounds the whispers of the synthetic fabrics swathed around me. Ed says, “I am 20 miles or more from the nearest fellow human, but instead of loneliness I feel loveliness. Loveliness and a quiet exultation.” I sleep deep and hard, dream of nothing. Spending days and nights in the Utah desert is intense—it’s nothing like the Sierra Nevada, the Wasatch, or the Uintas, soft green mountains with clear fresh water everywhere you look. The mountains are infinitely more forgiving—beautiful, but far less demanding, happy to serve you just one more Alpine lake, another brook babbling with snowmelt, another patch of shade. The desert slaps you in the face, requires your full attention—here, your missteps mean something. And at the same time, the desert meters out these moments of wild, private magic. It rewards you with solitude, with perfect late-afternoon light, with tiny bats ricocheting across a fluorescent pink sky at sunset. Hours before I shuffled back to the car, increasingly dehydrated from a misjudged water carry, Muley Twist peeled back into a side canyon. There, tucked in the shadow of the sweeping slickrock walls, was a pothole deep and green enough that I could slip my whole body inside, red mud slick on my skin, up to my ears in cool water, giggling at the luxury of it all. The desert doesn’t cut you breaks, but it’s a fair trade—water only feels like magic when you have to work for it. —Dory Trimble Summer 2017 • Vamoose Utah |
21
desert climate control: An Endorsement of Sun Shirts As summer settles over Utah’s deserts, keeping cool becomes a challenge—and even with plenty of water and sunblock, sometimes the best solution to sun protection is simply covering up. After years of avoidance due to the undeniably goofiness of sun shirts, I’m now officially a convert—nothing will keep you cooler or protect you from sunburn more effectively as the desert days get longer, hotter and more intense. As a general rule, the more ridiculous you look while wearing a sun shirt, the more effective it is. Don’t be fooled by the potential charms of bright colors or loose-fitting hoods— the best sun hoodys are the ones that make you look like a deranged, fly-fishing ninja. Stick to light colors (white is best, even if it looks disgusting after a week in the field,) and elasticated or cross-over hoods that protect your chest, neck, and ears. I wear Patagonia Women’s Sunshade Hoodys—they’re lightweight, comfortable over multiple days out, and effective. This model does have an unfortunately placed zipper pocket that tends to rest right under the hip belt of your pack when backpacking, but I’ve found that some quick adjustment after you buckle up prevents any chafing. The best thing about wearing a sun shirt (besides fashion, of course) is it means you can forgo sunblock everywhere except your face—a small mercy when you’ve been out for multiple days and the thought of rubbing thick, greasy lotion into all your exposed skin makes you want to weep. And with desert summers, any opportunity to keep the sun off your skin is one worth taking. —Dory Trimble
(Continued from p. 21) Water on the HDT is especially troublesome. Jonah Katz, who spent just over 500 miles hiking his version of the Hayduke in 2016, said this: “You can’t just hope to find a pothole of water out in the sandstone, because it’s simply not going to happen in 100-degree weather.” Multi-day treks between reliable water sources are common on the HDT, and Katz said that during his hike, he was usually carrying between 8 and 14 liters of water—which meant that, on the heaviest days, he had 30 pounds of water in his backpack. But every year, a select group of explorers shoulder their packs, take a final look at their resupply plans and head south to hike their own version of the HDT. And Joe Mitchell and Mike Coronella were first. In 1998, Coronella and Mitchell “were two ski bums who had no experience at
Patagonia Women’s Sunshade Hoody
22 | Vamoose Utah • Summer 2017
Lower Muley
all in long distance hiking,” Coronella., speaking by phone from Moab where he now runs a guide company, says, “Neither of us had ever done any long throughhiking. We had no idea what we were doing, so we just decided to go wander.” Mitchell, now owner of a fly-fishing outfit on the Provo River, was the trail’s route-planning mastermind. “I really love maps,” he concedes. “That was my job as part of our hiking partnership, figuring out where to go and whether or not it would work.” After finishing their first hiking circuit, 98 days in the backcountry from Arches to Zion, Mitchell and Coronella immediately began planning another trip—and in 2000, added on a second section that included the Grand Canyon. Spliced together, those two hikes formed the HDT as it’s outlined in their 2005 guidebook, The Hayduke Trail: A Guide to the Backcountry Hiking Trail on the Colorado Plateau. (Continued on p. 24)
Summer 2017 • Vamoose Utah |
Dory Trimble
>
23
advice to the prospective hayduker
Hayduke Trail
“Plan, plan, plan. See how others have done it, and then figure out how you want to do it. Read the blogs, get the guidebook, and create your own adventure.” —JONAH KATZ, HDT 2016
“Learn to tell the difference between mule deer tracks and bighorn sheep tracks. Sheep can go places where you can’t, but if you’re following mule deer, you can just about go anywhere they can.” —JOE MITCHELL, HDT CO-CREATOR
“Don’t do it! Or if you really must, do your homework. Know what you’re getting into.” —MIKE CORONELLA, HDT CO-CREATOR
“Take side trips, take your time and savor the unique challenge that [the HDT] presents. And take care of the landscape as you pass through!” —KATHERINE COOK, HDT 2015
“Don’t be too proud to cache [water and food along the way]. I didn’t cache and lost some enjoyment because I needed to hike faster to get to destinations to resupply.” —ERIN “WIRED” SAVER, HDT 2015
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(Continued from p. 23) Both Mitchell and Coronella seem a little dumbstruck by the trail’s evolution. “The trail has a life of its own,” Coronella says. Mitchell agrees, “I love that it’s sort of a sleeper trail, mostly underground. Some people really want to follow the guidebook, but most people who hike the Hayduke add variations and adjust it to their own needs, and that’s how it should be in my mind. The trail isn’t a sidewalk.” Jonah Katz, reflecting on his time on the trail, concurs. “This isn’t a set and fixed route,” he says, “We had fun with it and went where we wanted to go, and I think that’s the message in the guidebook: This is the way we did it, but you should find what looks good to you.” “The Hayduke connected all these different places I had gone hiking as a kid,” Katz continues, “And I thought, what a great hike to do as a Utahn, as a way to mentally connect together all these places, places that are disparate when you drive to them and then drive home.” Unique among many of the long hiking trails in the United States, all 812 miles of the HDT are on public lands. Coronella and Mitchell are both passionate about conservation and access, and Coronella continues to work with the Utah chapter of the Sierra Club. “We need to let our elected officials know that our public lands are important to us,” he says, “and that we will not stand by and watch [them] be taken away.” The HDT is not for everyone—but for Coronella, exploring the deserts of southern Utah is a worthy practice no matter which corner you end up in. “Every time you come around a corner in the desert,” he says, “you see something you never dreamed of.”
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25
Ace Camp Cooking stove
BY DARBY DOYLE
Ace Camp
Utah-based AceCamp’s sturdy outdoor gear is up to the task.
“O
ur products do their job so you can enjoy the adventure,” sums up AceCamp President Michael Beverly of the Utahbased outdoor equipment’s brand mission, with over 200 different camping accessories in their catalog and growing. As we walk through the company’s packed-to-the-rafters warehouse on West Temple in South Salt Lake, Beverly points out some of their most popular items, from streamlined keychain fingernail clippers (I have one attached to my fly-fishing vest to snip line in a snap) to pricey technical equipment like top-of-the-line backpacking stoves. It’s the type of gear that many of us take for granted when we prepare for a trip: lightweight seamless hiking socks, collapsible water containers, waterproof map sleeves, those bright yellow cushioned foldable egg cartons that do the job just right. Those were just a few of the AceCamp items I inventoried in my own garage while preparing for a recent camping trip, not even realizing they were produced by the Utah company until I started intentionally looking for the brand’s labels in my own gear stash. Comparing the functional aspect of AceCamp’s outdoor equipment to other types of recreational gear, Beverly says that some customers may purchase something like a rain jacket or skis with a specific task in mind, “but for most people, there’s also a certain personal identity” or perceived status attached to the brand name emblazoned
26 | Vamoose Utah • Summer 2017
on clothing and other high-ticket items. Beverly acknowledges that task-oriented products like the gear from AceCamp may not have that “look at me” brand identity, “but good equipment can make or break your experience in the outdoors,” giving the example of a lightweight collapsible dishwashing bucket, where solid construction and price likely outweigh brand status for most consumers. That’s not to say that AceCamp’s gear isn’t as attractive as it is functional. Each piece is painstakingly designed, from clever foldable multi-tools to feather-light titanium double-walled mugs. “Form follows function,” says Beverly, “but it’s all got to be the best possible iteration for that task,” which is a job that the AceCamp crew takes pretty seriously with constantly evolving research and development. A Salt Lake City-based company since 2012, Beverly says his company’s mission is to make the best camping accessories on the market. Internationally, AceCamp has been a leader in outdoor recreation since 2000, first based in Frankfurt, Germany. With a background in outdoor equipment with other recreationoriented businesses, Beverly was impressed with AceCamp’s role internationally and jumped at the chance to start fresh with a U.S.based independent company model. “I worked in the outdoor-gear industry and loved living and working in Utah,” he says. “I wanted to keep and grow the company here.”
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Acecamp PRODUCTs INCLUDE 1. rain poncho 2. LAMINATED FOLDING BASIN 3. SILVER EMERGENCY BLANKET 4. Vinyl Ground sheet 5. survivor Multi shovel 6. Collapsible stove 7. double wall cup 8. Tritan water bottle 9. STARLIGHT MULTITOOL 10. FOLDING MAP COMPASS WITH MIRROR 11. WATERTIGHT MAP CASE 12. high-efficiency pot 13. ULTRA LIGHT 3 LED HEADLAMP 14. Flamesticks 15. 3 LED DYNAMO FLASHLIGHT 16. WAter filter straw 17. LED TENT LAMP 18. Accordion jerry can
It turned out to be a perfect fit for employees who love the direct access to the outdoors as well as inspiration for product development, gear testing and recreational passions from technical rock climbing to fly fishing. Beverly notes that The Outdoor Retailers semi-annual convention held in Salt Lake City “was a huge influence on that decision, too. So many of our connections as a business have been made during OR week, and the opportunity for retailers to experience Utah’s great outdoors with our products.” Beverly is no doubt concerned that in February 2017, Outdoor Retailer announced plans to leave Utah due to a disagreement with state leaders over their stance on public lands. The final OR show in Salt Lake City will take place in the summer of 2018. Like many equipment companies, AceCamp outsources its manufacturing abroad. However, the company’s research, development, sales, marketing and distribution are all based in Utah. The AceCamp Utah warehouse staff oversee three product lines distributed through the United States: AceCamp outdoor equipment, “munkees” brand keychain accessories—with about 200 types incorporating design elements like bottle openers, LED lights, emergency whistles and compasses—and Kovea camp gear such as heaters, lanterns and a line of camp stoves featuring double-burner
units that fold down thin as a laptop as well as multi-fuel backpacking burners designed for high-altitude environments. Offering two sizes of isobutene canisters, 230g and 110g, the company is leading the way in targeted fuel capacity and consistent performance. There’s even a transparent fuel-level indicator canister in development phase, something that those of us who have shaken or floated a half-dozen half-used canisters looking for the “fullest one” are sure to covet. Speaking to the advantages of having a Utah-owned business, Beverly credits Utah’s strong workforce, the state’s lower cost of living (compared to other major cities in the West), and the fact that many Utah workers are fluent in foreign languages. “Mountains, deserts—we have everything so close here for people who live an outdoors lifestyle,” he says. Although the warehouse is not set up for commercial walk-in sales, AceCamp products are available online and at most Utah outdoors retailers. AceCamp 2275 S. West Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah 84115 801-415-0400 AceCamp.com
Summer 2017 • Vamoose Utah |
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Chef
Backcountry
BY DARBY DOYLE
This elegant and tasty trailside vegetarian risotto proves that camp cuisine doesn’t have to be uninspired.
28 | Vamoose Utah • Summer 2017
O
Trailside Veggie R isotto
ne of my favorite memories from my time as a wilderness ranger stationed near Mount Rainier in (serves 4 generously as a main course) the 1990s was running into a very fit older couple, both well into their 80s, on the trail » 2 teaspoons dried minced garlic a few times in the Norse Peak and Clearwater » ¼ cup dried onion flakes Wilderness areas. They hailed from Seattle » 2 teaspoons dried minced shallot and told me that in their retirement years, » ¼ cup dried chopped bell pepper/red they’d made a goal to not only be outdoors as pepper combo much as possible but to enjoy it to the fullest » 1/3 cup olive oil extent every time and at every meal. » 1 ounce (about ½ cup) dried Ted and Nora invited me to eat dinner with mushrooms, any variety them after I finished my trail project, and I » 1 ½ cup Arborio rice eagerly joined them one drizzly evening near » 1 ½ cup dry white wine a high Alpine lake, contributing a wedge of » 4 vegetable bouillon cubes (or 4+ mediocre cheddar, some decent chocolate teaspoons granules) and a half-full flask of Kentucky bourbon to » 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese the feast. And feast it was for a 20-something » Optional: fresh herbs such as basil, federal employee living on a next-to-nothing thyme or rosemary and/or fresh veggies stipend and lots of ramen. Their meal was » Salt & pepper to taste a revelation of luxury in the backcountry: al dente pasta with creamy sauce and dried 1. In a small bowl, combine all dried mushrooms they’d foraged on a previous veggies (except for mushrooms) and trip, sprinkled with fresh herbs Nora had cover with 1/3 cup olive oil, let sit for wrapped in a damp paper towel and waxed about 30 minutes. In another bowl, paper (“They’ll keep for days,” she said). add 1 cup boiling water to the dried Charcuterie, farmer’s cheese, a crunchy mushrooms to rehydrate while rice is baguette and a bottle of crisp wine chilled in a cooking. glacial stream rounded out our glorious meal. 2. Over medium-low heat in your biggest I took away from that high-country camp pot, add the oil-soaked veggies hospitality a couple of lessons: Staying active and all of the oil. Once it starts to sizzle, with people you love is a good idea for both add all of the dry rice. Stir frequently for health and happiness in the long run. Not about one minute to toast the rice and to only that, but eating well in camp doesn’t keep the veggies from burning. have to be a sacrifice of constantly weighing 3. Add the wine. Stir to combine, and pack ounces for food options, especially on cook until about half the wine has shorter trips. Technology has helped us out evaporated. on the latter goal in past decades, with more 4. To the pot, add 4 bouillon cubes (or efficient camp stoves allowing for greater granules) and 4 cups water. Stir to heat control and multi-fuel options for morecombine and reduce heat to the lowest sensitive food preparations. setting possible. Cover with lid. After Another boon for folks who like to camp 10 minutes, stir rice again and add ½ in style: More and better choices in the cup water or so to prevent sticking if boxed-wine category, from 3-serving 500ml needed (add chopped fresh veggies now tetra-packs (equaling about three 5.5-ounce if desired). Cover and cook for another glasses of wine) to 3-litre boxes with the 10 minutes until rice is just tender with equivalent of 4 full-size bottles of wine at a a slight bite. fraction of the weight, space and breakage 5. Add the rehydrated mushrooms and risk. Plus, the empty wine bladder makes for their soaking liquid to the rice, stir well a great camp pillow or soccer ball. to incorporate (should be a bit creamy— Dry white wine from the box also makes for if not, add another ½ cup water to fantastic risotto. But instead of constantly loosen up the rice) and cook until stirring and adding broth just a cup at a time mushrooms are warmed through, about over an hour (as any good Italian grandma five minutes. would insist), this camp-friendly recipe uses 6. Remove from heat and add cheese, a quicker, less labor-intensive technique from stir well. Adjust seasoning with salt and J. Kenji Lopez-Alt’s seminal food-science pepper. Serve immediately sprinkled tome, The Food Lab, which I’ve adapted for with fresh herbs. backcountry ingredients and equipment. Bonus: Leftover risotto makes You’ll need the largest camp pot in your delicious hearty breakfast rice cakes! arsenal to make this dish, as it needs plenty Form cooled risotto into patties and of room for stirring in all the liquid. It’s also lightly fry in olive oil. Top with a sunnya great dish to use up any wilty-looking fresh side-up egg and some hot sauce. veggies you’ve got in the pack—just add them mid-way through cooking the risotto. Summer 2017 • Vamoose Utah |
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Range Creek Revelations
Big Panel
PHOTOS AND WORDS BY JERRY D. SPANGLER
Unspoiled wonders show how Utah’s earliest farmers survived in the arid desert.
I
n 2002, I received a phone call from the Bureau of Land Management asking if I would be willing to take a look at the archaeology of a little-known place called Range Creek. It was, for all intents and purposes, unknown to the public because the crusty old rancher who owned the private parcels had for decades kept the gates locked to outside visitors. But the rancher, Waldo Wilcox, was selling out to a nonprofit for conservation purposes, and the entire drainage would soon become public lands. Along with Duncan Metcalfe, curator of archaeology at the Natural
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History Museum of Utah, we decided to spend the day with Wilcox. He took us to site after jaw-dropping site that left us speechless with wonder. There were ancient granaries tucked on inaccessible cliff faces, some glued to the sheer canyon walls with cantilevers. There were villages spread along the ridge lines and rock-art sites, some painted in a rainbow of colors. And we were seeing something that neither of us had seen before: Range Creek was an intact human landscape unspoiled by looters’ shovels and graffiti.
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The green oasis of Range Creek Canyon We jumped at the chance to be the first archaeologists in roughly 50 years to investigate Range Creek, and in less than a week, a coalition of volunteers had documented more than 50 sites in the canyon unknown to the archaeological world. In the years that followed, more than 500 sites would be documented, each an important page in the prehistory of Utah’s earliest farmers, the Fremont Complex that dates from about AD 500 to 1300. We managed to keep the gates locked and our discoveries secret for several years, but despite our best intentions, word leaked and hordes of international media descended on the canyon to see first-hand the unspoiled wonder. Granted, most probably left disappointed—the ruins there are not on par with Mesa Verde or Chaco Canyon. The real treasure of Range Creek Canyon is in the layer upon layer of undisturbed deposits, each representing an important chapter in in how ancient farmers managed to thrive in arid environments where it is extremely difficult to do so today despite our advanced technologies. Because of the scientific importance of Range Creek, ownership of the canyon was transferred eventually to the University of Utah, which has established a scientific research field station where graduate students delve into the ancient mysteries of the region. And the gates remained locked to discourage looters. But visitors are allowed and even encouraged to share in the remarkable wonders found there, although there are hoops to jump through if you plan to visit. There are two ways to visit Range Creek Canyon: The easy way or the hard way. The easy way is to book a guided tour with one of four partners who have permits to drive into the canyon: Canyonlands Field Institute, Carbon County Outdoor Recreation, Hondoo River and Trails, and the Tavaputs Guest Ranch. The advantage of this approach is that you get to see so much more of the canyon. The guides are exceptional at helping you spot the ruins that might otherwise seem camouflaged along the 13 miles of canyon bottom between the locked gates and the Wilcox Ranch where the U’s research station is located.
Going in for a closer look of rock art 32 | Vamoose Utah • Summer 2017
Triangle Man
The disadvantage is that there is no time for hiking and exploring, and the experience is not conducive to private reflections on prehistoric lifeway in the canyon (it can seem quite rushed because there are so many sites along the way). The hard way is also the most personal way to enjoy the canyon: Day hiking into the canyon from the locked gate (horses are also allowed but I have never tried that means of access). This allows you plenty of time to explore and discover the archaeology much as we first did in 2002. If you choose this latter approach, there are a few rules and pieces of advice: n You will need a hiking permit from the Natural History Museum of Utah. Permits are required for everyone in your party over age 5, but a season pass is only $1 per person. n No camping is allowed inside the locked gate, so you will be required to hike in and hike out on the same day. There is a campground just outside the locked gates. n Season-pass holders can visit as many times during the year as they would like, but not for more than five consecutive days and you have to have advance reservations (the number of canyon visitors is limited to no more than 25 per day). n You will need to plan on carrying plenty of water (drinking the creek water is not recommended). You are a long way from assistance. n There are no exhibits or interpretive signs, and you are on your own to find the ruins and rock art, although many sites are visible from the road. Always remember to respect the past. It is a nonrenewable resource. And Range Creek is a reminder that we have so much more to learn from the ancients. Jerry D. Spangler is executive director of the Colorado Plateau Archaeological Alliance, a non-profit dedicated to the preservation of archaeological treasures on public lands in Utah and other Western states.
Stone Cabin
Summer 2017 • Vamoose Utah |
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MY FIRST TIME ...
A Delicate Conversa
tion
A veteran Utah reporter makes a foray into Arches Nationa l P a rk. PHOTOS AN D WORDS BY CH RIS VANOCUR
Chris Vanocur
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F
orgive me, Utah, for I have sinned. It’s a sin so egregious even the Seven Deadly Sins find it despicable. The sordid fact is—and I am now confessing it for the first time publicly—have lived in Utah for 35 years without ever having gone to Arches National Park. For this transgression, I know I should be banished straight to the Gates of Hades. I have, after all, sinned a great sin. But, luckily, I am also a repentant man—one who strongly believes in the redemption of souls. So, with my salvation clearly hanging in the balance, I recently decided a pilgrimage was in order. I headed to Moab in search of Arch absolution. My visit began, of course, with a hike to the iconic Delicate Arch. As the challenging mile-and-a-half trail came to an end, I heard someone in front of me simply say, “Wow!” Wow indeed. After three-plus decades in Utah, I found myself, at long last, face-to-face with this magnificent sight. Unexpectedly, though, the Delicate Arch quickly called out my name. Specifically, it was calling me on the carpet. Delicate Arch: “Vanocur! Where on earth have you been? Why has it taken you so long to come say hello?” Me: “Well, first of all, let me say the pictures don’t do you justice. You’re even more impressive in person.” Delicate Arch: “Yeah, I get that a lot. Thanks. Now, as for my question about your tardiness…” Me: “So—and this is going to sound like a bad cliché—my priorities were misplaced. Back when I was on TV, I had a laser-like focus on reporting. I was obsessed with chasing the next big story. But I’ve now had a change of heart. I’m trying to open my eyes and mind to all that life has to offer. Seeing the delicateness of the arch in person, and later with the Balanced Rock, I was reminded of how precarious and fragile life is. Both for national parks and people. I didn’t mention this to the Delicate Arch, but on the very same day we talked, another beloved arch—Malta’s Azure Window— collapsed into the sea. Chatting with Utah’s most famous Arch, though, we did eventually get around to its mortality. Delicate Arch: “You know, Chris, I try to speak to everyone who is kind enough to come visit me. I tell them, as old as I am, I may not be around forever. I wonder, though, if they really hear me. They’re all so busy taking selfies. But I won’t stop trying to get them to listen. My hope is they put down
their camera phones for just a moment and truly appreciate the natural wonders which surround them.” Me: “Maybe I need to learn this as well.” Delicate Arch: “Ironically, it’s a lesson you once knew. I’ve got some cousins in Montana who are glaciers. They told me you once spent a summer working at Glacier National Park. In fact, that’s the whole reason you moved to Utah. You fell in love with the West. You just needed to be reminded of your passion for the mountains and places without too many people.” As our delicate conversation drew to a close, I thought about what D-Arch had said. Its message to me and others is, perhaps, to simply listen to your heart. Don’t become too distracted by work or the endless choices offered on the internet. The Arch showed me there is much beauty in the world, but it can be fleeting and we should never overlook it or take it for granted. It also gave me some final Arch advice: Delicate Arch: “Chris, it was very nice to meet you. I don’t know if we’ll see each other again, but, if we do, feel free to call me, “Archie.” It’s what my closest friends do. And since we’re now pals, let me gently suggest that you need to get out more.” Me: “Yeah, I get that a lot.” Delicate Arch: “I bet. Now, go and sin no more.” On my final day in the park, I had a picnic in a secluded spot near Devils Garden Campground. I’d been lucky with the timing of my trip. It was in early March, just as the temperature warmed up, but before hordes of tourists arrived. That afternoon, surrounded only by red rocks and shady trees, I had some quiet time to think. The Delicate Oracle, of course, was right. I had spent too many years thinking about work and news and politics. It was now time to seek out all the wondrous things I had missed. In a sense, by returning to my national park roots, I was rekindling my love affair with the West and the world. After lunch, as I headed back to my car, my eyes were drawn to my front license plate. I had completely forgotten that I have the Utah plates with the Delicate Arch on them. I smiled when I realized that “Archie” and his park would be coming home with me. After too many years as a sinner on the mourners’ bench, I had finally found sandstone salvation.
Summer 2017 • Vamoose Utah |
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St. Regis Deer Valley
20ofDAYS
St. Regis Big Stars Bright Nights Summer Concerts
SUMMER Find your cool in Utah’s mountains, lakes, pools and streams. BY LIZ GALLOWAY
Chuck Wagon Cowboys
Rocky Mountain Outfitters
S
ummers bring to mind my best childhood memories—zany slip n’ slide contests, summer camp and a chin dripping with watermelon juice and mug root beer. As someone who never really grew up, I find Utah to be my playground. Thanks to protected public lands near Salt Lake City, it’s surprisingly easy to escape the city heat while finding cool ways to embrace my inner dirtbag. Outdoor play is at the top of my list, so here are my top 20 recommends for summer. So, check out these lakes, wakes and outdoor takes.
Mount Olympus West Slab Climb
If you thought the 7 1/2-mile Mount Olympus trail hike had jawdropping views, try the multi-pitch 5.5.-level climb up the West’s rocky face. Utah Mountain Adventures (UMA) provides courses with solid technical experience, killer fitness and some bragging rights to one of Utah’s most popular summits. (801-550-3986, UtahMountainAdventures.com, $279 adult)
Paddleboard the Jordanelle
Josh Reusser (Salt Lake County)
We have plenty of lakes to choose from, but Jordanelle Reservoir is a favorite for a leisurely stand-up paddle and a Vitamin D fix. Grab a spot on a calm morning to prep for the SUP summer races held at the reservoir or practice your balance to avoid that beginner SUP awkwardness, mastering your own style with simultaneous ab workout. (Jordanelle Rentals & Marina, 515 State Road 319, Heber City, 435-615-7397, JordanelleRentals. com, $20 for hour board rental)
Lumberjack Log Rolling
I first tried rollin’ some (foam) logs at the Outdoor Retailer 2016 Summer Market, and it gave me an unexpected workout. It’s a fun solo, family or group alternative to a typical pool (or lake) day. Get the skills you need with a log-rolling class at the Northwest Recreation Center. Classes are year-round with no experience needed, except a desire to improve balance, cardio, core and foot speed. (1255 Clark Ave. [300 North], Salt Lake City, 385-4681305, SLCO.org/northwest, $45 for 10-punch pass, all ages)
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Lumberjack Log Rolling
Skeet Shooting at the Ranch
Mountains, gear, guns and ammunition. What more could you ask for? North Forty Escapes offers competitive skeet shooting on a 3,000-acre ranch in the Uintas that’s surprisingly fun. Beginners learn the right way to hold a rifle, practice their aim and to coordinate and compete in a group. Reserve your spot for the multi-station clay-shooting course. (4413 Weber Canyon Road, Oakley, 435-640-3239, NorthFortyEscapes.com, $85 per person)
Utah Mountain Adventures
Fly the T-6 Texan Lane Peters
Ready to slip on your flight suit and take home your own flight video from your WWII-era plane adventure? Try something different and get a new perspective of the local mountains with Utah Warbird Adventures’ 20-, 30- or 45-minute adventure flights. Soar above Utah’s peaks like a pro and take the controls with an expert pilot, with optional aerobatic maneuvers like barrel rolls and hammerheads. Leave exhilarated and ready to nurse an aviation addiction after your day in the skies. They also offer hour-long scenic flights for three people with their Cessna fleet at $200. (2002 Airport Road, Heber City, 435-275-1672, UtahWarbirdAdventures.com, T-6 Texan: $375-$575 per person.)
Rapids on the Weber
It’s not as challenging as a Class V rapid, but the scenic views along the Weber River will wow you as you wind through Rock Alley and Devil’s Slide, among other breathtaking formations. Park City Rafting offers day trips for all ages (3 to 6 year olds are free, but only on the 2-hour trip). Put your back into it with a paddle or sit back and let the experienced guides take you down the rapids. (1245 Taggart Lane, Morgan, 435-655-3800, ParkCityRafting.com, $49-$99)
Utah Warbird Adventures
Outdoor Theater Under the Pines
Utah Warbird Adventures
Take in live performances at Sundance Summer Theatre’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. You’ll enjoy the pre-show barbecue dinner ($20 extra) at the base of Mount Timpanogos. The Sundance arts community is dedicated to preserving nature and the arts, and has long partnered with Utah Valley University for its summer theater project. Choose bench or blanket seating. The show runs July 20–Aug. 12. (Sundance Resort, 8841 N. Alpine Loop Road, Sundance, 800-892-1600, SundanceResort.com, 20 dinner ticket, $20-$38 theater tickets)
Deer Valley Lawn Concerts
Pack picnic and libations for the St. Regis Big Stars Bright Nights Summer Concerts in Deer Valley. Sponsored by the Park City Institute, this is your invitation to dance under the stars. Look online for the upcoming schedule to plan your next date or girls’ night out. Enjoy an evening of famous artists and high-caliber entertainment with an option to make it an overnight package that includes concert access and a bike tour (prices start at $98 per person). (435-655-3114, EcclesCenter.org, package: reservations@pclodge.com. Concert tickets vary. Members’ pricing starts at $49.)
Fat Tire Rides Over the Rainbow
Whether you’re an oldie or a newbie at riding fat-tire bikes, “fatties” can provide a fun ride over unstable terrain. For starters, hit the friendly 2-mile trail ride on Ogden’s Rainbow Trail Loop to work up a sweat. (1851 Valley Drive, Ogden, just west of the mouth of Ogden Canyon. Free, self-guided. Look for signs indicating the designated trailhead parking.) Summer 2017 • Vamoose Utah |
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The three-day Bonanza Campout festival returns to Heber this summer (June 23-25) with a lineup of top-tier music, art, merch and an option to camp out next to the river. It’s like a mini-Coachella in our own backyard, with names droppin’ like Lauren Hill and Nick Murphy. Throw up a hammock and bring the fam for a full weekend in the mountains. (River’s Edge, Heber, info@bonanzacampout.com, BonanzaCampout.com, $65 per day or $175 for three days.)
Balloon & Art Fest
Ogden Hot Air Baloon
Music and Art Campout
Summit Adventure Course
Ever wanted to be a gladiator on a challenging obstacle course? Now’s your chance at the Utah Olympic Park adventure course. Relive your childhood balancing on wire traverses, swinging from ropes and jumping from platform to platform. Take a group and create your own Summer Olympics challenge to see which gladiator makes it out alive. (3419 Olympic Parkway, Park City, 435-658-4200, UtahOlympicLegacy.org, $20 per person)
Yoga Meets the Old West
Enjoy a four-hour fresh-air hike into the Wasatch Mountains to get your cardio pumpin’, followed by expertly led outdoor yoga instruction and a gourmet lunch at Tavern Blue Sky, a historic building overlooking a mountain meadow straight out of The Sound of Music. (Blue Sky Ranch, 27649 Old Lincoln Highway, Wanship, 435-252-0662, BlueSkyUtah.com) When the dinner bell is a chime made from a horseshoe, you know you’re at Rocky Mountain Outfitters Cowboy Village. Arrive by horse-drawn wagon for some mountain music and authentic Dutch oven grub. You have two options: Go for the day-time BBQ gathering or the evening dinner fixins’ with games, music and Cooky’s Chuck Wagon—the original food truck—where you’re sure to see some Stetson-style hats and chaps. (633 W. Soldier Hollow Drive, Midway, 435-654-1655, RockyMtnOutfitters.com, $65 adult $45 children,)
hagephoto.com
Chuck Wagon Cowboys
Utah Olympic Park
Outdoor Movies at the Capitol
Out for an evening stroll on Capitol Hill? You’re likely to come across the free summer movie series with live music, games and fancy food trucks. I wouldn’t wait to snag a cozy lawn spot, though. This Friday night favorite fills up fast. Dress as your favorite movie characters for a chance to win prizes. Check online for the lineup. (Movie Under the Stars, Utah Capitol South West Lawn, 350 N. State, Salt Lake City, UtahStateCapitol.utah.gov, selected Fridays, 7:30-10 p.m., free)
Kids Curiosity Summer Camps
Natalie Weeks
Need something to keep your little ones’ minds growing? Encourage your kids to discover chemistry, music, engineering, science and design at The Leonardo’s summer camps. Not only do the camps offer hands-on learning but they also include outdoor time. Options available for K-12. (209 E. 500 South, Salt Lake City, 801-531-9800, TheLeonardo.org, $150-$300)
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Balloon & Art Fest
Rise with the sun for a sky dotted with color at the Ogden Hot Air Balloon Festival Aug. 18-20. Though hot-air ballooning has been around since the 1700s, modern gas balloons are safer and more comfortable. They’re a perfect way to appreciate the clouds rising over Ben Lomond Peak. The festival offers rides to the public for $200, or you can enjoy the show at no cost. In addition, there’s plenty to stimulate the senses from artists’ booths to food vendors and photo contests. (Eden Park, 2100 N. 5600 East, Eden, OgdenValleyBalloonFestival.com, Free$200.)
Snowbird for Summer Birds Courtesy of Bonanza
Hidden Peak may not be at the top of many peak-bagger’s lists—too easy to get to—but it is one of the most summited at 10,992 feet. OK, it’s done mainly by taking Snowbird’s 10-minute tram ride, but how great is that for the whole family, young and old? Spend a day breathing the fresh air, honing your photo skills and playing “I Spy” looking for Alpine Ridge, American Fork Canyon and Salt Lake Valley landmarks. (Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort, 9385 S. Snowbird Center Drive, Snowbird, 801-933-2222, Snowbird.com, all-day tram pass, $26)
Wildflower Power (Women Only Outing)
Fun and relaxation are waiting at the finish line of the Wildflower Trailfest with music, massage and mountain-bike demos. Registration is open now for the July 14 race, from expert level to sport level (8 to 15 miles) including mountainbiking workshops and trail runs. All positive energy to be shared with your gal pals. (Snowbasin, 3925 E. Snowbasin Road, Huntsville, 801-644-9940, WildflowerTrailFest.com, $55-80)
Bonanza Campout
Woody’s World View
utahstatecapitol.utah.gov
Powder Mountain’s 15-plus miles of trails are open to the public free of charge from dawn to dusk. Grab your hiking shoes and pursue your right to roam in north Ogden’s nature of east Eden. Beginners can hit the 1.4-mile Woody’s World trail and move on to longer connecting trails such as Paper Airplane (named after a giant steel art installation by artist Griffin Loop that you’ll pass by along the trail). (Utah Highway 158, 8000 N. 5100 East, Eden. PowderMountain.com)
Movie Under the Stars at Capitol Hill
Pineview Wake Surf Open
A summer wakeboard session should be on everyone’s list. Learning the basics to proper edging and your first flip on any of Utah lakes and reservoirs. Wake Utah’s eighth annual Wakeboard Competition & Festival kicks off July 28 at Pineview Reservoir with a demo day followed by full competition on July 29 from groms to advanced. Choose your adventure, and get flippin’. (Middle Inlet, Pineview Reservoir, Huntsville, WakeUtah.com, registration varies by level.) Our mountains offer plenty of ways to get elevated yearround, beyond the ski lifts. Your feel-good factor can consist of open fires, fish frys, floating beneath towering cliffs or tiptoeing through wildflowers. We have it all, so fill your summer schedule with one or all of these recommended daytrips.
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