There is more hidden news this year than we can possibly report. But we choose to focus on the mountains and nature. The truth is that many of us are lost when we don’t find ourselves in the mountains connected with nature. When we stop frequenting our favorite hikes, streams, rivers, lakes and outdoor destinations, our minds are not nearly as sharp nor are our spirits as … [Read more...]
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough: Park City woman seeks to ascend Seven Second Summits
In 2018, Jennifer Drummond had a life-changing accident. While driving from Heber City to her home in Park City, she was hit by a semi. Her car rolled three times and landed upside down in the median. She remembers seeing a man running toward her and asking if she was okay. Her first thought was to ask about anyone else involved in the accident. The man told her that she was … [Read more...]
Another Take on the Moral Implications of Bears Ears Size Reduction
The moral implications of Bears Ears This is in reply to an editorial in the Salt Lake Tribune published on December 3rd, 2020 written on the subject of Bears Ears National Monument and the “ethical implications” of the policy of the reduction of its size. Mrs. Shea Sawyer asserts that the re-expansion of Bears Ears will allow for a “sustainable modern society that honors … [Read more...]
Squaw Peak Road – My favorite Sunday drive in Utah
I rediscovered the great American road trip in the 1980s after returning from graduate school in Alabama. I had just started up Provo Canyon in my car when I saw the turnoff to the Squaw Peak Road (FS Road 27) on the right leading to the Rock Canyon area above downtown Provo. The Rock Canyon “Gorge” is easily visible from I-15, immediately above the Provo LDS Temple, and … [Read more...]
How To Beat The Virus Without Feeling Like a Prisoner
On Sunday, I was sitting at home with Nemo, my cat, minding my own business and practicing social isolation. (How’s that for an oxymoron?) As a single man, I’m accustomed to being alone, but I am not good at being forced to participate in the sort of unprecedented paradigm shift into social disintegration we are experiencing now. I had two options: Stay at home and fret … [Read more...]
A Short Introduction to Utah Native Trees
While there are roughly 45* native tree species in Utah (an exact consensus cannot be found), this list highlights just seven, selected for their prevalence and curiosity and arranged according to elevation. Enhance your next outing by stopping to commune with them. Listen for a moment. Take the leaves and limbs in your fingers, inspect them, ponder their design. You don’t … [Read more...]
Moab Road Trip
Local Moab resident, Heila Ershadi, gives the insider take on where to go and what to see in Moab. A trip to Moab can mean mean many things, such as appreciating the landscape’s astounding beauty, experiencing the charm of a unique desert town, enjoying world-class outdoor recreation, and even reconnecting with the wild magic found in nature and your own soul. It can also … [Read more...]
Drive Down the Stairs: Grand Staircase-Escalante by Foot, Raft and Drive-In Movie
Utah’s national parks, known as “The Mighty 5,” are internationally-recognized destinations for hikers, climbers, campers, and roadtrippers. Until recent political attention highlighted their existence, our national monuments received less notice. If seeing all the tweets and headlines about Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument made you realize you had no idea what it … [Read more...]
Vast and Isolated Antelope Island: Camping with Citronella Under the Stars
Utah has 44 state parks as diverse as Utah’s natural landscapes. Visits to the state parks can include an Anasazi Village, coral pink sand dunes, lakes, rivers, canyons, and the Territorial Statehouse in Fillmore. There is even a state park protecting a Utah island—Antelope Island State Park. The largest island in the Great Salt Lake, Antelope Island is … [Read more...]
Bikepacking: Two “Mature” Cyclists Bikepack Bears Ears
The body wilts before the spirit does, so it didn’t occur to two 41-year-old men that they might not be able to pedal 155 miles in three days through southeastern Utah on bikes loaded with the essentials: water, food, bedroll … tobacco, coffee, beer. The plan was simple. Pedal from Nizhoni Campground to Elk Ridge, down between Bears Ears, across Cedar Mesa, through … [Read more...]