Art and outdoor recreation are strange bedfellows. In the digital age of instant photos and videos capturing skiers and mountain bikers shredding the mountainside, there’s little room for the slow brush of paint strokes to capture a scene of action-sports beauty. But one local artist, Chris Miles, has been doing just that: painting surreal landscapes and scenes populated by skiers in Utah’s iconic mountains. The works of Chris Miles run the gamut from nature scenes of Mount Olympus, Devil’s Castle and Mount Superior, to playful images of furry animals riding chairlifts and skiing under the moonlight. One thing all...
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Mount Wire is a steep but pleasant hike that’s great for a quickie, outdoor adventure. This small mountain overlooks the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, which means for urban dwellers, Mount Wire is conveniently close, and can be hiked every season of the year, even in winter. Unfortunately, Mount Wire isn’t much to look at (it suffers from Brown Mound syndrome.) But what this little hill lacks in prestige, it more than makes up for with steep trails, nice views of the valley, and a spacious top with plenty of room to stretch out and enjoy the...
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Due to northern Utah’s pathetic, low snowpack this fall, avalanches aren’t a major concern right now. But the snow will come, and when it does, all that rotten, old snow will be a prime weak layer that will rip out deadly slides. To stay safe in the backcountry, education is key. Before you head out, take an avalanche awareness class, like the 3rd Annual Freeride Avalanche Summit at Snowbird. The Freeride Avalanche Summit is not your ordinary avy class. The course combines your typical avalanche safety instruction with a chance to also learn from local, professional athlete skiers. This...
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Utah it seems, has become the center of the outdoor recreation universe, and as a result, a lot of amazing adventurers choose to live here. We’re lucky to be the cultural hub of outdoorsyness, as stories of high adventure are shared by world travelers who bring their incredible stories back home. The Utah Adventure Journal is teaming up with Snowbird to bring you the Utah Adventure Journal Speaker Series, where you can hear some of these stories presented by Wasatch locals who found high adventure abroad and returned home safely to tell about it. The Utah Adventure Journal Speaker...
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Simplicity. That’s a key word for a lot of outdoor gear, especially stuff that you want to be light weight. There’s a fine line between gear that is functional, yet simple. Brooks-Range, a company specializing in technical backcountry gear, has recently starting to produce outerwear, and have definitely found the sweet spot with their Isto Soft Shell Jacket. The Brooks-Range Isto Soft Shell is made from a flexible fabric that features 4-way stretch, protection from the elements, and is highly breathable during aerobic exertion. The inside is lined with lightweight fleece for added warmth on cold days. Plus, it...
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Skiing is, for most people, the primary winter sport to do in Utah. But when snowfall is downright bleak, and conditions are less-than-stellar, what is a skier or snowboarder to do? We can’t all sit in our homes, bored, waiting for snow to fall. We still need our outdoor exercise. Well, hiking is still a viable option, even with some snow on the ground. The hike to Twin Lakes Pass from Alta is a good option for a winter hike, and it can be done with skis, snowshoes, or, if the snow isn’t too deep, even a good pair...
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If you’re a skier and you ever need justification of why you chose to live in Utah, then the latest installment of Salomon Freeski TV will not only justify, it will make you want to never leave. Season Five, Espiode 8 features Alta, Utah, and the video captures everything that’s amazing about the place in a way that’s downright touching. But more than shooting what is obvious – skiing insanely deep, blower powder, the filmmakers take a closer look at what makes Alta a cultural ski community. Alta locals, as well as athletes like Jamey Parks and Leo Ahrens,...
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Christmas is almost here, and the outdoor gear lover in your circle of friends and family is surely in need of something awesome. Or, perhaps you’re shopping for your loved ones and can’t figure out what to buy. In either case, we’ve got favorite gear that will hopefully give you some ideas, or maybe even be the one perfect gift you’ve been looking for. Scroll down and happy shopping! Mountain Khakis Stagecoach Jacket, Teton Twill and Trapper Henley Shirts Clothes are always a hit as a gift (unless you’re a kid) so why not give something well built that...
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Of all the ways to score discount tickets at one of Utah’s ski resorts, none are quite as well known or feel-good as Brighton’s Quad Wednesdays. For three weeks in December, the holiday spirit of giving falls upon Big Cottonwood Canyon as thousands of skiers and snowboarders fill Brighton’s slopes to give to charity, and in return, have the opportunity to buy lift passes for only $20. This year, Brighton’s Quad Wednesdays begins on December 7th, where you can bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate to Toys for Tots. In return for your generosity, Brighton will hand you...
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Get out the disco ball and platform shoes because Snowbird will turn back time to 1971. Snowbird may be approaching middle age, but the ski and snowboard resort in Utah’s Little Cottonwood Canyon has never looked better. Well, maybe in some ways they looked better as far as the hippie skiers who frequented the place in 1971, as evidenced by the lady in the photo below. Retro stylings aside, Snowbird will be turning 40-years-old, and to celebrate they’ll be offering lift tickets for only $40. On December 23, 2011, in honor of their 40th anniversary, Snowbird will sell unlimited...
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Will technology never cease? With the proliferation of pocket-sized cameras flooding the outdoor recreation marketplace, it’s never been easier to document your totally rad descent of Wicked Hell Peak, or show off that epic mountain bike ride through Tacky Love Canyon… so to speak. Everything from HD GoPros to our smartphones allow easy recording and uploading of POV adventure videos. But a production company is taking things a step further with their 360-degree view of the Slickrock Trail mountain bike ride. The team, led by Joergen Geerds, Dan Finkler and Mark Sevenoff, put together six Sony Ericsson Xperia neo...
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