When it comes to backpacking, some people are obsessive-compulsive about lightweight gear. Others (like me) don’t mind bending under the weight of a heavier pack for a more comfortable experience in the mountains. A lot of progress has been made in an effort to make outdoor gear both lightweight and comfortable. But when the choice between tents and…
Author: Jared Hargrave
Mountain biking Flying Dog at Kimball Junction
Flying Dog seems to be the “Big Dog” of mountain bike trails these days. Among many biking groups, the singletrack getting all the attention at the moment is Flying Dog. The trail was cut a few years ago, so why is it just now basking in the limelight and getting all the attention? Maybe it’s…
Run from the roads to the trail at the Park City Mini-Trails Series
Running on roads may sometimes feel like it isn’t really outdoor recreation. Sure you’re outside, in the fresh air, enjoying sunshine, maybe rain or cold, at the mercy of the elements. But you’re on a man-made surface. You’re monotonously jogging on pavement – something that has very little variation. The road is a place where…
Mountain bike Round Valley in Park City
The Round Valley area is a network of mountain bike trails near Park City that is an easy going, well maintained spot. Suitable for beginner and intermediate riders, Round Valley also offers a little technical fun for experts out for an easy day. As with all rides in Park City, buffed out singletrack is the…
Lower Calf Creek Falls closed for construction
One of the most iconic landscapes of desert paradise in Utah will be off limits to the public for a month due to construction. The Calf Creek Recreation Area, located in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, will close on July 6th for approximately 30 days. This closure will affect access to the popular Lower Calf Creek…
Celebrate summer at the 2010 Wasatch Wildflower Festival
Summer in the Wasatch mean the powder snow is replaced with fields of wildflowers. In celebration of this explosion of color, the Cottonwood Canyons ski resorts host the Wasatch Wildflower Festival every year. The 2010 event takes place on July 16th through the 18th, and will give everyone interested a chance to learn about the…
SteriPEN Adventurer Opti review
On long backpack trips, clean drinking water is vital. Nobody wants to carry heavy water from home in the pack, but water from streams and lakes can be infected with microscopic bacteria that will ruin the trip (and make you dig a bunch of holes in the woods.) There are several options available for filtering…
Hike to White Pine Lake in Little Cottonwood
White Pine Lake is a beautiful reservoir high in White Pine Canyon, nestled in an alpine cirque at 10,000 feet where the water is held back by a small dam. The lake is the main draw here for hikers in the summer months, and for good reason. The clear, blue water, surrounded by an amphitheater…
Outdoor film review: “The Wildest Dream: Conquest of Everest”
George Mallory. The name reverberates throughout the mountaineering community as his name is a legend in the history of Mount Everest. His life, and his obsession of being the first person to summit the world’s highest mountain, led to his death in 1924 after he and his climbing partner, Sandy Irvine, disappeared into the clouds…
Rock climb the “S-Curves” of Big Cottonwood Canyon
Moderate routes, easy access, and nice climbing on blocky quartzite, means the S-Curves in Big Cottonwood Canyon is among the more well known climbing areas along the Wasatch Front. The S-Curves have a wide variety of bolted routes from easy, to Jedi Master-only roofs. Among the buffet table of grades at the S-Curves, there is…