As we plunge through the roiling waters of Big Drop 3, a class IV rapid on the Colorado River’s path through Cataract Canyon in Southern Utah, I find myself repeating the same thought over and over while whiteknuckling my anchor points: “Stay in the boat. Just stay in the boat.” It’s mid-June — peak water flow season — and the river is running at roughly 38,000 cubic feet … [Read more...]
Spelunking in Utah – Exploring the Vast World Beneath – Cavers Take Their Sightseeing Underground
Utah is an outdoor playground on all levels, from 13,528 feet atop Kings Peak in the Uintas to 1,227 feet below ground in Main Drain Cave — the deepest cave in Utah and 11th deepest in the nation. The Beehive State’s underground world, shaped by water, minerals and time, is filled with colorful formations like helictites — hollow twiglike deposits of calcite or aragonite — and … [Read more...]
Goldener Hirsch Inn Reopens and SaltFire Beer Dinner at Franck’s
Goldener Hirsch Inn Reopens One of my favorite getaways is to enjoy the luxurious European-style pampering at Deer Valley Resort’s award-winning Goldener Hirsch Inn. The Goldener HIrsch was voted the United States' Best Ski Boutique Hotel by the World Ski Awards five times and nominated again for 2020. Well, I’m happy to report that The Inn begins welcoming overnight guests … [Read more...]
Starry Starry Night: Dark Sky Parks and Research Flourish in Utah
One of the great delights of a camping trip, or better yet, living in one of Utah’s remote places away from the lights of the larger cities, is looking up on a clear night to see the sky filled with stars. Staring into the dark sky, punctured with points of light and maybe the glowing brushstroke of the Milky Way, can be inspiring, humbling and exhilarating. It is … [Read more...]
J. Willard Marriott Library invites Utahns to help preserve history of the pandemic
Did you scour the shelves of countless stores looking for toilet paper this spring? Are you among the millions of laid-off workers who filed for unemployment benefits? Are you social distancing?And what about that 5.7 magnitude earthquake on March 18 and those aftershocks that hit Utah as the coronavirus was spreading? Did you think it was the Big One? Whatever your … [Read more...]
Log Haven celebrates 100 years, St. Paddy’s at Feldman’s, and more events
Log Haven Celebrates 100 Years! Salt Lake City’s most venerable restaurant, Log Haven, celebrates its 100th Anniversary this month. Congratulations to owner/founder Margo Provost and everyone at Log Haven for their hard work and incredible success through the years. Don’t get me wrong … Margo and the restaurant aren’t 100 years old. However, Log Haven had its origins a … [Read more...]
New Alta Ski Patrol Documentary
There is nothing like a day on the ski slopes at one of Utah's world-class ski resorts. Whether you are plowing powder or skiing a well-groomed run the exhilaration of a day on the slopes is a day well spent. And if something happens to go wrong, well-trained ski patrol organizations are there to provide medical, and rescue services, as well as hazard prevention. Utah … [Read more...]
Jann Haworth: Salt Lake City Murals
Thousands of people a year pass by a mural to what closely resembles the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover and never know why it’s in downtown (250 S. 400 W.) Salt Lake City or who created it. If they only knew that it was Jann Haworth―one of the most accomplished pop artists since the 1960s, who lives and works in Utah and is helping to shine a … [Read more...]
Rollin’ Down the River: Living in Moab on a River Guide’s Salary
What does it take to become a river guide in Moab? Most guides are Millennials in their early twenties, so a willingness to disconnect from the world of iPhones, and forfeiting social media one-upmanship and material pursuits is essential. River guides trade material comfort for a spiritual connection. Many are curious souls who quote prose and dabble in mysticism and Carl … [Read more...]
Your Summer Vacation on Ice in Escalante and Boulder Utah
Utah has so much natural splendor, it’s a shame we feel so strongly that it can only be enjoyed in the spring and summer, the same time the rest of the state—and the rest of the world, for that matter—also decides to enjoy the canyon country. Consequently, those wide-open spaces can sometimes feel a little cramped when you’re elbowing way your past German tourists in … [Read more...]