I wouldn’t exactly call them turns, but many powder-starved skiers flooded Alta over the weekend for a taste of winter before the 2014/15 ski season’s official start. With all uphill traffic at Alta closed as the resort prepares to open on November 21st, skiers had only the summer road to Catherine Pass to play on….
Tag: trip report
Hike A1 Peak via Kletting Peak in the Uinta Mountains
A1 Peak is one of the major summits that stack up along the Mirror Lake Highway in Utah’s Uinta Mountains. UtahOutside.com contributor, Ryan Malavolta, has summited A1 from Hell Hole Basin by way of two different routes. You can read his excellent writeup here. But if you’re looking for a shorter, yet more difficult/adventurous route,…
Hiking Sunset Peak at Alta
Sunset Peak is one of several high points that surround Alta at the head of Little Cottonwood Canyon. Sunset is unique, however, in that it is tucked away in the back, so to speak, making it less visible to the hordes at the ski area. It’s not until you crest Catherine Pass that the mountain…
Explore White Pocket in Vermillion Cliffs National Monument
An ancient Chinese proverb states that “the journey is the destination.” If you’re the sort of adventurer that likes to combine a rugged off road ride with a big payoff at the end, then read on and keep that proverb in mind. White Pocket in the Vermillion Cliffs National Monument is neither easy to get…
Hiking the Marshall Ridgeline near Idaho’s Redfish Lake
Aspen trees are ablaze with fall color. Below, a forested valley leads up to one of the most dramatic mountain views I’ve ever seen. My wife, Callista, and I hike atop Marshall Ridge in Idaho’s Sawtooth National Forest, and the ease-of-hike-to-payoff-in-scenery is unparalleled. The Sawtooth National Forest around Redfish Lake and the tiny burg of…
Mountain biking Idaho singletrack… with bears (video)
Fisher Creek. Of all the mountain bike trails in Idaho, this is at the top of my list. As I clip into my pedals and point my front tire down the buff singletrack that snakes through a burned-out forest, I’m all excitement, and have no inkling of what’s waiting for us below. Despite living in…
Winter backpacking (in August) at Kamas Lake
Months before planning a backpacking trip to Kamas Lake in the Uinta Mountains, it seemed August would the the ideal time of year. Temperatures should be just right, an afternoon thunderstorm would be likely but not a concern, and the fishing should be hot. But as I exit my tent in the dawn hours and…
Climb Mount Watson in the High Uintas
Screaming children, flailing weekenders and hordes of Boy Scouts are what I usually associate with the trailheads just off of Mirror Lake Highway in the Uinta National Forest. Not a pretty sight. But what if I told you there was solitude and immense beauty to be found just a few miles past the cacophony of…
Standup Paddleboarding with Park City SUP
My legs are unsteady. I slowly stand, flexing my knees, sure to keep my feet apart for stability. A slight ripple in the water shakes my standup paddleboard, and I get a thrill of anxious fear of falling into the drink, but the board stays upright. With that assurance, I begin to paddle, first one…
Splitboarding Mount Adams, Washington
What do you do when you buy your first splitboard but the Utah backcountry riding season is over? You find an awesome partner, pack up a truck, and head to the Cascade Mountains, where backcountry touring is in full swing. That’s just what happened in early July, as my girlfriend Jess and I made a…