Opening day at a ski resort usually means grabbing the rock skis and sliding on man-made snow. That was not the case on Solitude Mountain’s 2018/19 opening day. On Saturday, December 1st, skiers got to enjoy the best opening day in recent memory. Solitude opened this year with four lifts running (Apex, Moonbeam, Powderhorn II,…
Tag: photos
Mountain Bike Princess Di Trail
Mountain biking in Park City is a great way to enjoy summers in the Wasatch. But it can also mean dealing with big crowds on the trails. So if you’re looking for some singletrack where you’re likely to not see another soul, then the Princess Di trail fits the bill. Princess Di is located in…
Summit West Grandaddy Mountain in the High Uintas
Grandaddy Basin is a gorgeous area on the southern slope of Utah’s High Uintas Wilderness. There are enough streams, lakes, and trails to keep you busy for a week, but if you only have time for one hike, I highly recommend a summit of West Grandaddy Mountain. The route is not difficult, the views are…
Rock climbing the Red Rock Wall in BCC
As rock climbing becomes ever more popular, crags in the cottonwood canyons are getting more crowded. Approach a spot like Challenge Buttress or School Room on a weekend, and be prepared to wait for your turn on the rock. But if you don’t mind going off the beaten path a bit, you can find quality…
Mountain Biking High Star Ranch in Kamas
Mountain biking along the Wasatch Back has gotten even better with the addition of the new High Star Ranch trails. Located on a mountainside above the DeJoria Center in Kamas, High Star Ranch currently has 16 miles of machine-cut singletrack, with more to come. This network consists of loops both low in the mountain and…
Hike Fairyland Trail in Bryce Canyon National Park
The crumbling sandstone spires of Bryce Canyon may seem ethereal, perhaps even magical. The aptly named Fairyland Trail plunges hikers into this fantasy world of multicolored hoodoos over an eight-mile loop. If you want to see a piece of almost everything Bryce Canyon offers visitors, then this is the trail for you! Fairyland Loop Trail…
Mountain biking Wire Mesa Trail
The good folks at Dixie Mountain Bike Trails Association (DMBTA) have developed a new trail that circumnavigates the Wire Mesa and is now open to the riding public. This trail is not far from the Gooseberry/Grafton Mesa complex and offers up an intermediate slick rock and single track experience. The 7.5 mile loop can be…
Ice climbing the Willard Canyon Waterfall
Willard Canyon is a remarkably rugged canyon that’s home to a beautiful cascading waterfall that usually ices over in late December or early January, offering an easy yet adventurous climb. I am a total rookie when it comes to ice, but I live in Willard and have always had this route on my adventure bucket list….
A backcountry skiing search for pow on Millvue Peak
After a massive snowstorm that dumped 5 feet of powder in the Wasatch on Christmas week of 2015, hordes of backcountry skiers tracked everything out that was low angle and safe. (High avalanche danger kept the smart ones off open bowls.) A week later, without any new snow, untracked slopes in the Wasatch became scarce….
Alta and Snowbird open for 2015/16 ski season (video)
Alta opened for the 2015/16 ski season on Friday, November 20, and conditions were much better than anyone anticipated. Ski Utah blogger, Matt Baydala, noted that he didn’t expect much, so didn’t bother to bring his good cameras. He was wrong to doubt the power of Alta. But at least he was able to put…