Back in the 1990s, the mountain bike trails at Deer Valley used to be state-of-the-art. But the years went by with little to no improvements. Meanwhile, mountain bike technology went through the roof. Fast forward to the present, and competing Utah resorts like Canyons stepped up with modern bike parks. Well, those days of being…
Tag: photos
Fall mountain biking in Park City
Crunch, crunch, crunch. Ah yes, there is snow on the ground, it’s a brisk 34 degrees this morning, and I’m wondering just why in the hell I am up so early in this cold fall weather. It feels like winter but it’s not – the leaves are a shimmering yellow in the morning sun and…
Backpacking to Cuberant Lake
Autumn is upon us, and backpacking trips to the Uinta Mountains may soon be in short supply. If you want to squeeze in a quick overnight trip, but don’t want to skimp on the scenery, Cuberant Lake may be just the trip you’re looking for. A short but stern hike leads to a uniquely shaped…
Backpacking Zion Narrows from the top down
Of all the canyons found in Zion National Park, the easiest and most popular has got to be the Zion Narrows. But that’s only because of the hordes of tourists that hike up the first five miles from the bottom to Big Spring. To truly experience the Narrows, you have to go in from the…
Hiking Ensign Peak in Salt Lake City
There aren’t many cities in the U.S. where you can hike a mountain right in downtown, but Salt Lake has several trails that originate on the urban periphery. One of the most historic, notable, and perfect-for-a-short-getaway is Ensign Peak. At an elevation of 5,416 feet, Ensign Peak is a molehill compared to the surrounding Wasatch….
Alta and Snowbird get biggest storm in four years
The winter of 2014/15 will long go down as the worst season ever. But you won’t hear any skiers complaining today as the Wasatch has been pounded with the biggest storm in four years. April 15, 2015 will now be a day long remembered as Alta and Snowbird are reporting (as of this writing) 40…
Backcountry skiing Suicide Chute
Suicide Chute, aka “Country Lane,” is one of the most classic, roadside couloirs in all of Utah. This perfectly straight, rock-walled hallway splits the western edge of Mount Superior in two. It’s easily visible from Alta, which makes it a line that is on every Wasatch skier’s bucket list. Although the name Suicide Chute conjures…
Backcountry skiing at Idaho’s Coyote Yurt
Backcountry skiing from yurts is among my favorite things to do in the winter months. And my favorite place to go isn’t in Utah, but in Idaho at one of the Sun Valley Trekking yurts in the Sawtooth National Forest. This year, we booked the Coyote Yurt, known for its access to 2,000-foot descents through…
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…
On the hunt to shoot a mountain lion
I’m on a hunt to shoot a mountain lion… of course not with a gun, but with my camera. I’m on assignment for KSL Outdoors to get video of these elusive predator cats, when I get the call one morning to head to the Uinta Mountains where local houndsmen spotted fresh tracks in the snow….