Tony Gill, Author at Salt Lake Magazine • Page 4 of 27

Jul 20

Park City Olympian Haley Batten Reaches for Mountaintops

By Tony Gill Adventures, Outdoors

My goal is to win,” Haley Batten says. “In Tokyo, I was so focused on just attending, but, for Paris, I have a different mindset.” Batten’s matter-of-fact tone when discussing her goals for the upcoming 2024 Olympic Games would be mildly surprising given her easygoing demeanor, if the statement didn’t carry such obvious merit. The 24-year-old, who grew up in Park City cutting her teeth on the local trails out her back door, has ascended the ranks to become one of the best professional cross-country mountain bike racers in the world. Now she’s eyeing the top step.

When we spoke, Batten was in Annecy, France, which would be her home base for the next six months as the bulk of the international race season takes place in Europe. She was only a couple weeks removed from a win at Vail Lake in Southern California, where she topped strong field that included 2018 World Champion and 2019 World Cup Overall winner Kate Courtney to secure some valuable UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale, the world governing body for cycling sports) points for the season and 48 hours removed from finishing second against another world-class field in Heubach, Germany.

Batten’s no stranger to these sorts of results, as the past few seasons have seen her knocking at the door of major wins. Last summer Batten won the Bronze Medal at the UCI World Championships, finishing behind only two competitors, reigning World Champion Pauline Ferrand-Prévot of France and reigning Olympic Champion Jolanda Neff of Switzerland. Her resume also includes three World Cup Cross-Country podiums and a World Cup Cross Country Short Track victory at Nové Mêsto in the Czech Republic in 2021.

Athletes compete in the UCI US Cup MTB XC cycling race held in Vail Lake, California, March 31-April 2, 2023. (Photo by Bill Schieken/CXHAIRS Media)

Cross-country mountain biking requires a foundation of superhuman endurance and power to grind up steep mountain sides combined with the technical skills to navigate challenging rocks, drops and jumps at the absolute limit of exhaustion. Batten honed the basics on the trails at home in Park City. “When I was starting out, the Crest Trail was this epic adventure. Just to make it up Puke Hill and finish the whole trail felt like a huge day,” says Batten. “Every week, my dad and I would go with the guys from White Pine on Thursday night shop rides, and we’d follow them around the Park City Mountain trails like Moosehouse and Black Forest. I remember it being so hard but so fun. I have such great memories from those trails.”

As her passion for mountain biking grew, Batten started to scratch the competitive itch. While it’s not uncommon to see youth mountain bike teams training throughout the local trail systems, there wasn’t always a huge competitive scene in Park City, especially for girls. “When I was a freshman in high school, there were probably six girls on varsity at races. Now, oh my gosh, there are as many people racing and spectating as there are at the World Cups! It’s amazing,” she says. “We didn’t have NICA [National Interscholastic Cycling Association] when I started, but I did a lot of local races with my dad and brother. I raced in the guys category until I was 14, but everyone was always super welcoming and respectful. It challenged me to be faster, and my parents raised me in a way that said, ‘why not race the guys?’ It took me to a new level.”

That new level has exceeded what most would imagine possible and has Batten on the precipice of greatness. In just a couple seasons of elite racing, she’s already amassed accomplishments that would be the envy of most world-class cyclists, but the biggest prizes are still on the horizon. The Olympics are coming in 2024, but, in the meantime, there’s the little matter of a full World Cup calendar and the World Championships in Scotland starting on August 3. When I asked if she had any advice for youngsters who want to follow in her footsteps, Batten didn’t miss a beat. “Don’t hesitate because, when you’re passionate, it’s worth the risk to go for something big. I could not win this or that race, I could crash and I could totally fail. But, taking that chance to chase a dream to the edge is what makes you feel most alive.”

Watch Haley Batten Race This Summer

Keep up with Batten by watching live coverage of all the racing as she takes on the world’s best this summer. Following the UCI World Series looks a little different this year than in the past as Warner Bros. Discovery has acquired the rights to broadcast. Visit discoverysports.com for details on how to sign up to watch, and head to uci.org for a complete calendar of events for the season.

Jun 20

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Summit County’s Housing Development Fight

By Tony Gill City Watch

Nothing stirs Summit County residents quite like a development debate. The potent mixture of NIMBYs, developers, profiteers, conservationists and more creates a cosmic gumbo of opinion, motive and messaging. The most recent battleground is Park City’s entrance corridor in Kimball Junction, where developers for Dakota Pacific have been fighting to rezone a fledgling tech campus into a vast mixed use residential and commercial area in the face of vehement local opposition. But now it appears as if all the energy thrown at the issue will be for naught, as the Utah Legislature passed a law taking the decision out of Summit County’s hands while gifting the win to developers.

Essentially, language added into Senate Bill 84 at the last moment by Rep. Casey Snider—which was never discussed on the floor—allows developers in counties which are non-compliant with Housing and Transit Reinvestment Zone (HTRZ) planning to build up to 39 units per acre as long as 10 percent of the units are classified as affordable housing. Summit County was deemed out of compliance as they did not formally apply for approval of their HTRZ, which promotes affordable housing development around transit hubs.

The bill’s passage effectively removes Summit County’s ability to approve or deny the rezoning request for a major development within its boundaries. “It might as well say Summit County on the legislation,” says Roger Armstrong, Summit County Council Chair. “Dakota Pacific has a pending application before the Summit County Council, and they’ve helped author language for the legislature that effectively vests the exact uses they’ve asked for.”

The area, on the west side of S.R. 224 in Kimball Junction was originally planned as a tech development, but attracting businesses proved difficult and the property remained largely undeveloped. Dakota Pacific purchased the property in 2018 knowing the restrictions in place and has sought approval for a mixed-use development ever since. Opposition has been fierce, led by groups like Friends for Responsible Development (FRD). FRD did not respond to numerous requests for comment, however in a public statement issued in late February said, “John Miller and Dakota Pacific have worked the back halls of the Utah State Capitol” and “in a move that is 100% corrupt and beyond egregious have seized Summit County’s land-use authority.”

Representatives from Dakota Pacific likewise did not respond to multiple requests for comment. However, they have publicly positioned their plans for the area as a necessary boon to the community describing affordable housing in Summit County as “urgently needed.”

Armstrong counters that while housing availability is a valid issue, the narrative is a disingenuous attempt to further an agenda. “The narrative is that Summit County is allergic to housing, and that’s just not true,” he says. “There are more than 1,100 deed-restricted units as part of various projects in Summit County, which is way over the 10 percent required. We’ve invited legislators to come take a look at what we’re doing, and they just ask, ‘what’s your problem with affordable housing?’ Even with affordable housing included in projects, the market rate housing ends up so impossibly expensive the middle gets left out.”

The future of Summit County is unwritten, especially with the prospect of another Olympics on the horizon. So, what’s the correct balance between progress and preservation? It’s a difficult one to strike, but Armstrong warns of a positive feedback loop. “We take dirt from one hole to fill another and end up with a deeper hole,” he says. Adding to the population requires more services, which requires an ever-greater number of employees like law enforcement officers, teachers, fire and EMS personnel and staff for necessary services like grocery stores and gas stations. The result is the exact same discussions about land use, housing, traffic and affordability down the line.

“The Governor’s position is essentially, ‘Build baby build,’” Armstrong says. “But when can we say we’re at a stable level of development with housing available and good businesses for the community as a whole? We have to maintain some influence over that locally.”

Who’s Funding These Changes?

Ethics concerns pervade the passage HTRZ amendments in SB 94 and HB 446. Dan Hemmert, who previously owned a financial stake in the Dakota Pacific Project is now a lobbyist for the company. He oversaw the transit zone development program as head of the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity until the end of 2022, and on January 18, 2023, registered as a lobbyist for Dakota Pacific. Casey Snider, who introduced the pertinent language changes received $4,270 in political contributions from the Utah Association of Realtors and $1,000 from the Utah Homebuilders Association. Utah Speaker of the House Brad Wilson has received $40,093 and $9,650 from the same organizations and House Majority Leader Mike Schultz $12,000 and $2,900 respectively. While far from the only lawmakers receiving such funding, it raises valid questions about who’s benefiting from decisions impacting Utah communities.

Contribution findings based on publicly available information See: followthemoney.org.

Jun 06

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Deer Valley Concert Series Return in 2023

By Tony Gill Music

Listen closely. Can you hear it? That’s the sweet, sweet sound of music returning to the mountains of Park City. As tunes start drifting with the warm summer breeze, we instinctively flock to the hills in search of good vibes and aural refreshment. Park City has no shortage of summer music venues and performances, but the centerpiece has to be Deer Valley, where a surprisingly varied cast of performers takes the stage each season.

The Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater hosts three separate series: The Deer Valley Music Festival, the Grand Valley Bank Community Concert Series and the Deer Valley Concert Series. The resort’s eponymous music festival is the summer home of the Utah Symphony, where they’ve played with all manner of renowned performers like the B-52s, Elvis Costello and Gladys Knight. The Grand Valley Bank Series, hosted by Mountain Town Music, is a set of free shows wherein locals of all stripes are invited to get their groove on without exorbitant costs.

The Deer Valley Concert Series, which hosts notable national touring acts from a diverse list of genres, was a notable absence last summer. The series was put on hiatus as Deer Valley underwent some on-mountain capital improvements, but now that those are wrapped the stage is set for a triumphant return in 2023

Under the bright lights some serious star power is set to appear. Though the full lineup and scheduling is still in flux as of publication, confirmed shows on the horizon include plenty to be excited for. Folksy americana sensations CAAMP—whose name is a bemusing acronym for slugging cheap booze and who enthralled Red Butte Garden during a show last summer—play on July 16, while Park City mainstays and festival-circuit heroes Michael Franti & Spearhead—who I’ve seen a shameful number of times—are slated for August 11, and the one-and-only Kenny Loggins—the man of Danger Zone fame and fortune who’s currently basking in Tom Cruise’s reflected glow once again—will perform on September 2 as part of his farewell tour.

To view all the latest details and a complete schedule and list of performances for The Deer Valley Music Festival, the Grand Valley Bank Community Concert Series and the Deer Valley Concert Series, visit Deer Valley’s website.

2250 Deer Valley Dr, 435-649-1000,
deervalley.com

What About Those BYOB Rules?

Sorry for the bad news, but as was the case last year outside alcohol is no longer permitted at Deer Valley concerts. This is undoubtedly a particularly difficult pill to swallow for those who identify strongly with CAAMP’s moniker. Resort owner Alterra altered their business model to apply for single-event permits with the DABS so they can sell beer, wine and liquor instead of allowing attendees to bring their own. Security was actually pretty tight last year, so a healthy pregame is your best bet to save a bit of money.

May 24

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Three Easy Dog-Friendly Hikes in Moab

By Tony Gill Outdoors

Moab isn’t exactly a locals’ secret—not with two of the Big Five National Parks, some of the world’s most famous mountain bike trails and a limitless fleet of off-road rental vehicles. Despite Moab’s ubiquitously-known charms, the area isn’t the easiest place to travel with you dogs. Trails full of jeeps and bikes aren’t particularly friendly for the four legged, and the arid environment can lead to overheating in a hurry. These three easy dog-friendly hikes in Moab all feature water, are easy to access from parking areas and are suitable for families. Despite a few off-camber sections and steep scrambles, I was able to complete each of them with a 13-year old mutt and his shot knees, so your dog will likely be fine.

Grandstaff Canyon to Morning Glory Arch

The hike up Grandstaff Canyon to Morning Glory Arch—it was formerly called Negro Bill Canyon—starts from a parking area 3.6 miles down 128, where the Colorado River has cut a gorgeous canyon. The journey to Morning Glory Arch is just shy of five miles roundtrip, but even if you don’t make it to the end, you’ll be treated to towering sandstone walls, numerous river crossings and more lush, green vegetation than you thought could exist in the desert.

dog hikes in Moab — The shade in Grandstaff Canyon is a welcome sight in the desert.

Total elevation gain is only around 390 feet, but the hike can still feel rather strenuous if it’s hot out. Fortunately, trees lining the creek and overhanging sections of rock provide ample shade throughout the day. Your dog will enjoy swimming in the creek, running through the sand and generally turning into a red-muck covered monster, even if the person who cares for the upholstery in your back seat is less enthusiastic.

At certain times of the year a lot of poison ivy grows in Grandstaff Canyon, so keep your dog on the established trail even though there aren’t specific leash laws on BLM-managed land. Be responsible and remember to pack out all your dog’s waste—there’s a receptacle specifically for that purpose at the trailhead.

Field Office,82 East Dogwood,Moab,, Moab, UT 84532

Mill Creek Trail to Swimming Hole and Falls

The swimming hole and falls along Mill Creek are some of Moab’s more popular destinations, especially during the warmer months, so this hike is best suited for playing hooky midweek. Once you leave the trailhead just past Sand Flats Road, it’s easy to see why it’s such a hot spot. Open expanses quickly narrow into sheer faces of varnished rock as you travel up the creek. Several mandatory creek crossings mean you’re going to get wet feet, so bring some sandals unless you’re willing to endure bare feet or wet shoes.

After about a mile, you’ll reach a small waterfall where there’s a pool deep enough for you to swim alongside your hound. It’s common to see people hiking this trail with towels draped around their necks in anticipation of reaching the oasis.

To add a little spice to your hike, turn back the way you came from the falls. About 100 yards down the trail on what’s now your right side, take the faint game trail and scramble up the rocks heading north back up past the falls on the ledge above. You can continue up the canyon—which is far less crowded once you pass the falls—before turning around and heading back the way you came.

1339 Powerhouse Ln, Moab, UT 84532

Hunter Canyon Trail

The Hunter Canyon Trail is marginally more difficult to access than the previous two described here, but it only receives a fraction of the traffic, making it a good choice for a hike with a bit more solitude. Access the trailhead by heading out Kane Creek Road from 191 on the south end of town and continue for about two miles after the road narrows and turns to dirt. The trail begins at a parking area for the Spring Creek Campsite.

The trail meanders up a narrow canyon at a mild grade, following the shape of creek, which it crosses repeatedly. The walls are tight enough to provide ample shade on most of the trail, which helps to moderate temperatures during the heat of the day. The vibrant scarlet of Indian paintbrush and blooming prickly pear cacti add to the ambiance.

Don’t be deterred by having to pass two separate lineups of off-road vehicles waiting their turns to tediously grind up rocky trails on the way to the Hunter Canyon. The parking lot only holds around 12 cars, and it’s rarely full. You and your furry companion will enjoy the relative seclusion among such popular recreation areas.

Moab Kane Creek Blvd, Moab, UT 84532

May 10

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Not Just a Sandwich: Stacked in Park City

By Tony Gill Eat & Drink

The name says it all. Stacked. The ingredients? Quite literally yes, of course. It’s a sandwich after all. My expectations? Absolutely. Open a sandwich joint inspired by the famed delis of New York City and you’re offering folks an oasis in what has chronically been a desert for hoagies, heroes, grinders and all manner of concoctions of ingredients placed between a couple slices of bread. Well, Katie and Jason Greenberg know New York, they know sandwiches, and they’re delivering exactly what they’ve promised in their new Park City sandwich shop, Stacked.

Top of the Stack

Folks from certain places take their food rather seriously. I’m sure those L.A. people have told you about their tacos. Chicagoans love their deep-dish pizza. Don’t even get me started on the barbecue brawl between Texans, Carolinians and people from both sides of Kansas City. But perhaps no faction on earth feels quite the level of affection for food as New Yorkers do for their deli sandwiches. That’s why a pair of dyed-in-the-wool New Yorkers, Katie and Jason Greenberg, started making them from scratch in Park City.

Stacked Park City — The Banh Mi. Photo by Adam Finkle

The husband-and-wife team are hardly new to the local food scene, and it’s no accident they ended up in Park City. “Katie and I met while working in a restaurant in New York, but we knew it would be hard to start our own restaurant there. We didn’t have a trust fund or millionaire backers, so we quit and hopped in a car. After visiting 27 states in 47 days, we felt like Park City was the right place. The lifestyle it offered was great, and, despite a unique food culture here, it wasn’t saturated yet, so we saw an opportunity,” Jason says.

After working in a variety of fine dining establishments around town since 2014—Katie at Firewood and High West, Jason at the St. Regis—Jason started Nosh, a Mediterranean-inspired eatery at the Silly Market which has since become a restaurant in Prospector. “We both grew up eating deli in New York, which was just a huge part of the culture there,” says Jason. “There didn’t seem to be anything filling that niche here, and it’s always been a dream of Katie’s to open a deli. When the opportunity presented itself just a few doors down from Nosh, we jumped at the chance.”

Enter Stacked, which the pair opened in January 2023. It has the New York classics you’d expect, along with some evolved, creative flavors. “It’s a little bit globally inspired, and we’ve created everything we could from scratch. The pastrami, the roast beef. We make it all right here,” Jason says. You can taste the dedication in the sandwiches, from the Banh Mi, to the Veni Vidi Vici (a classic Italian), to the Reubenawitzsteinberg (a Reuben, of course). Regardless of what you choose, the sandwich will be stacked, and you won’t be going home hungry.

Not Just Lunch

As much as Stacked is built around delectable sandwiches, the Greenbergs are hoping you’ll stop by for more than lunch. “We have a full espresso bar and an ever-expanding breakfast menu. We want people to come in multiple times a week and be able to have something different each time,” Jason says. I can personally vouch for the breakfast sandwich, made with an authentic east-coast roll, being the best in town.

435-214-7052, 1890 Bonanza Dr., stackedpc.com

Apr 26

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Is the Future of Park Silly Sunday Market at Risk?

By Tony Gill Community

When did this town get so serious? Seriously. Do people think Park City transformed from a post-silver-mining backwater because of some faux polished veneer of exclusivity and golden-year serenity? No matter how overused the word “luxury” is or how curmudgeonly people act, this town is never going to be Aspen or Naples. Park City became what it did because of personality and identity derived from the kind of things that make a place distinct and memorable. The kind of things like the Park Silly Sunday Market. That hasn’t stopped some folks from trying to get rid of it.

The Silly Market has been a Main Street institution for 16 years. As evinced by its name, it’s an eclectic mix of live music, food carts and local vendors.

Organizers are trying to secure a new long-term contract with Park City but will operate for 2023 under a temporary one-year agreement. To many long-time locals and visitors, the idea of eliminating the Silly Market is preposterous. However, for a vocal subset of Old Town business owners and homeowners the boisterous shenanigans are a business-draining, crowded nuisance.

Those opposing the Silly Market generally fall into two camps, easily identified by public comments submitted during a November 2022 Park City Council Meeting. The first group’s argument essentially boils down to a Grinch-ey sentiment: “Oh, the noise, the noise, noise, noise, noise!” The second camp comes largely from Main Street merchants who argue the hordes of people descending onto Main Street to attend the Silly Market don’t actually benefit local businesses, because, as one business owner euphemistically said, the event “keeps many of the higher end homeowners and visitors away.”

(Outside of events like the Silly Market, I’d argue Main Street has been shedding most things non-higher-end-homeowner-and-visitor-related for years now.) But Historic Park City Alliance members opinions were overwhelmingly against the Park Silly Market according to a recent a survey in which 63 percent of respondents favored eliminating it. Their general sentiment was that the Silly Market is a drag on Sunday business

However, single day sales for a portion of businesses doesn’t tell the whole story of a Park City’s economy say Silly Market leaders (who are very serious).

“We’re fostering businesses that become cornerstones in the community,” Kate McChesney, Silly Market Executive Director says. “Places like Nosh, Freshie’s and Sammy’s all got started here with an opportunity to build a footprint without a huge investment up front.”

Some have suggested changes to the Silly Market, including its location and the day of the week, both of which would fundamentally alter its identity. A Wednesday Silly Parking Lot Market doesn’t have quite the same appeal, especially for local families who have jobs and kids in school. “We’ve made some concessions for the upcoming year in good faith,” McChesney says. “We’re doing 10 dates as opposed to 14, starting music later, at 1 p.m., for noise reduction and working to make people in the community feel heard. But we’re not ready to move or change the day.”

Park City will remain Silly for the upcoming year. But until a long-term contract is secured, we’ll be left wondering why the town has gotten so darn serious.

The Park Silly Sunday Market Impact

Each Silly Sunday somewhere in the neighborhood of 15,000 people flock to Main Street, totaling around 200,000 people per season. It’s difficult to imagine that isn’t helpful to Main Street businesses, but some merchants claim the benefit is seen by bars and restaurants while Sunday sales tank for everyone else. There’s no publicly available reliable data with which to cast judgment, so we’re left with assumptions about whether throngs of visitors or tranquil streets are preferable.

For Park Silly 2023 dates visit parksillysundaymarket.com

Apr 21

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Endless Snow and Volatile Weather Shape Utah Avalanches in 2022/23

By Tony Gill Adventures, Outdoors

This winter was one for the record books. The 2022/23 season was by many measures historic, with Alta recording nearly 900” of snow and Utah registering its wettest winter in recorded history. But along with bountiful snowfall, the winter presented periods of significant, and at times unprecedented, avalanche activity, which snarled canyon traffic, challenged ski resort operations and tragically killed three people. The enormity of snowfall at times overwhelmed the snowpack’s and our own ability to cope.

Natural avalanche cycles led to repeated periods of interlodge at resorts like Alta and Snowbird, while periods of massive snowfall and rapid warming forced road closures in Little Cottonwood that lasted for days at a time and on U.S. 189 in Provo. Perhaps never before have Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) and ski resort personnel been tasked with such an arduous and Sisyphean ordeal to mitigate avalanche danger.

The primary cause of avalanche activity this season is not difficult to understand. Continual heavy snowfall repeatedly overloaded slopes to the point that avalanches released. It’s not unusual for this to happen in Utah. Copious snowfall is the Beehive State’s calling card after all. UDOT staff and resort ski patrols are well prepared for this, and both utilize explosives to release avalanches during and after storms when members of the public won’t be impacted.

This season’s storms came so frequently with such ferocity it was simply difficult to keep pace. Further complicating matters, avalanche paths in the Utah mountains this season became greased—meaning they were filled in with deep snow and cleared out by previous avalanches—which caused avalanches to run farther than is typical.

A more thorough look at the 2022/23 avalanche season reveals a unique snowpack behavior in comparison to prior years. The notably dangerous 2020/21 season was marked by persistent slab avalanches. In very simplified terms, periods of dry, clear weather led to the formation of weak, faceted grains—think sugary, crystallized snow that doesn’t pack well into a snowball. When those grains were buried by subsequent snowfall, they became long-lasting instabilities upon which avalanches would slide when overloaded by new snow or impacted by skiers, snowboarders or snowmobilers.

This season’s avalanches, at least after New Year’s Day—were primarily caused by instabilities within the new snow. A deeper snowpack tends to be more stable than a shallower snowpack, owing to some basic principles of temperature, pressure and the rate at which water vapor moves through the snowpack. Utah’s snowpack was certainly very deep with properties that would trend towards stability this season, but snow adapts well to gradual change, rather than rapid change. With storms lining up back-to-back off the pacific depositing feet of snowfall at a time, the snowpack rarely had time to adapt to new loads.

Just as snow adapts well to gradually added loads, it adapts to gradual temperature changes. Rapid temperature increases release water into the snowpack, in between individual snow grains and occasionally deeper in the snowpack causing wet avalanches. When spring suddenly arrived in April on the heels of yet another massive winter storm, the snow didn’t have time to adapt and wasn’t able to solidly refreeze overnight. The resultant apocalyptic wet avalanche cycle led to a closure of Little Cottonwood Canyon for the better part of a week as wet avalanches on well-greased paths overran the S.R. 210 time and time again.

No season or snowpack can be defined by a singular characteristic. Terrain, sun, precipitation and wind all combine to create a degree of spatial variability that will always confound, but the 2022/23 season will forever be remembered for monumental snowfall and the remarkable depth of the resultant snowpack. The season’s avalanche activity was marked by the same properties, with seemingly endless snowfall and volatile weather creating hazards different that most are accustomed to. Between the bottomless powder days and the awe-inspiring avalanche cycles, this season has been one we’ll never forget.

Apr 06

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Ski_ParkCity_ScottMarkewitz_20170315_001_0045_Large-1-2048x1363-1

Utah Ski Resort Closing Dates 2023

By Tony Gill Adventures

The sun is peeking out, seemingly for the first time in months, but winter in Utah ain’t over yet. Just in case you’ve been unable to see outside since, oh about last Halloween, the snowfall this year has been rather substantial. I use that purposely unembellished descriptor because I’ve frankly run out of adjectives to describe the gargantuan, epic, absurdly copious and literally record-breaking dose of the Greatest Snow on Earth™ the Utah mountains have received during the soon-to-be deified winter of 2022-23. It’d be downright shameful to shut down the chairlifts with all that snow still on the hillsides, and thankfully many ski resorts throughout the Beehive State have extended their season and pushed back closing dates.

Let’s start with the upcoming closures. Sundance has closed for regular operations—ring the shame bell—already, but will thankfully be providing an additional two days this weekend April 7 and 8. At least give the people a final Sunday, Sundance! Beaver Mountain and Nordic Valley are closing April 9, while Cherry Peak is closing April 15 and Powder Mountain April 16.

Now let’s move on to some benevolent season extenders. Cheers to you, Park City, Deer Valley and Snowbasin! The two Wasatch Back resorts have both extended their seasons through April 23, as has Snowbasin in the Northern Wasatch. Alta, which is sitting just shy of 900” for the season, is shutting down on the same day. Woodward Park City and Brighton are open through the end of the month, each closing April 30.

A handful of Utah resorts staying open so skiers and snowboarders can enjoy May snow showers. Solitude is open every day through May 7 then Friday-Sunday through May 21. Snowbird is open through May 14, then Friday-Sunday through Memorial Day. After that, it’s up to mother nature as conditions allow, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see the tram running on July 4 this season.

A complete list of closing dates is below, so get out and enjoy the best season in memory while it lasts. There’s a Tax Day buoy pop in the forecast with plenty more to look forward to outside of actually having enough water for a change. Powder to the people!

2022–23 Closing Dates

Alta – April 23, 2023

Beaver Mountain – April 9, 2023

Brian Head – to be announced

Brighton – April 30, 2023

Cherry Peak – April 15, 2023

Deer Valley Resort – April 23, 2023

Eagle Point – April 2, 2023

Nordic Valley – April 9, 2023

Park City Mountain – April 23, 2023

Powder Mountain – April 16, 2023

Snowbasin – April 23, 2023

Snowbird – TBA

Solitude – May 21, 2023

Sundance – April 2, 2023 then April 7 and 8

Woodward Park City – April 30, 2023

Mar 29

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Cold-Pressed Juice in Park City

By Tony Gill Eat & Drink

What on earth is cold-pressed juice anyway? It means nothing other than force from a hydraulic press squeezing fruit and vegetables was used to produce the juice. No additional heat, pasteurization or any other process that could rob the juice of precious nutrients—or prevent large scale food spoilage, for that matter—to be found. The not-so distant cousin of the cold-pressed juice, of course, is the superfood-rich smoothie or shake. These concoctions share unadulterated ingredients, which can likewise be consumed without the use of teeth.

Now, for all the brute force magic within cold-pressed juices and blended shakes, they contain more concentrated sugars and lack the fiber found in the solid foods from which they came. They also tend to be more expensive than their base ingredients, begging the question: is the literal juice worth the metaphorical squeeze? I can’t manage an answer for everyone, but I can confidently say such drinks have provided occasional salvation in the wake of life decisions both enriching and self-destructive. Should find yourself exhausted or otherwise indisposed, Park City has the juices and shakes to find redemption.

The One With All The Vibes

High Vibes Juicery

High Vibes Juicery (formerly known as Guest Haus), has the top-to-bottom atmosphere to accompany an extravagant juice or smoothie. Located inside a former greenhouse in Prospector, the interior is bathed in natural light. Staff can even coach you through a cleanse if you’re keen to give that a go. Owner Jennifer Sutton recommends the Gut Instinct Juice, made with dandelion greens, celery, apple, kale, cucumber, ginger and turkey tail mushroom extract, to help with those heavy après-related digestive issues. They’ve also opened a second, convenient location in The Market at Park City.

1800 Prospector Ave., 435-604-0831, guesthauspc.com // 1500 Snow Creek Dr.

The One For Grab-And-Go

Land Juicery

Maybe you’re not in the mood to discuss a cleanse, or even take off your sunglasses inside for that matter. Land Juicery is for you. You can order a six-dollar wellness shot, like the “whole-body-healing” Tumeric Wellness Shot or grab one of their ready-to-go cold-pressed juices like the Detox Charcoal Lemonade and mumble your way through tap to pay. Bonus points for sharing a space with Pink Elephant Coffee, which is the best in town.

509 Main St., landjuicery.com

The One To Pair With Crossfit

Protein Foundry

If the other drinks are focused on wellness and recovery, the ones at Protein Foundry are more about building something. “Their Protein Shakeouts” are designed to fuel an active lifestyle. As such, expect to find some keto-friendly options, plenty of nut milk and some accompaniments like whey protein and hemp. The Acai Kicker ticks all the boxes you need to stay energized while discussing proper dead-lift technique.

1784 Uintah Ct., 435-575-1100, theproteinfoundry.com

Photos Gabriella Santos Photography / courtesy high vibes juicery

Mar 22

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Park City Grüv Festival

By Tony Gill Outdoors

Here’s a bit of breaking news for you: the best skiing of the year is happening right now. While some unwise and otherwise impatient folks are starting to prematurely transition to flip flops, the deepest snowpack, most enjoyable events and best all-around vibes are up on the hill in March and April. At Park City Mountain, the annual Spring Grüv festival begins March 23rd replete with parties, and tons of live music in the base areas

The resort’s Spring Concert Series takes place every Saturday on the Canyons Village stage. Some of the upcoming acts include The Pranksters, Cousin Curtiss, Mudpuddle and Lash Larue. You can find the entire lineup here.

The spring festivities are always sent off with a splash with the annual Park City pond skim competition. The always spectacular and disastrous pond skim combines costumes, showmanship and skill—it’s basically one epic party on the ski hill. This year’s event will be held on April 8th, and only allows 100 registration spots. Sign-ups open soon and all proceeds are donated to Epic Promise.

There are months of 100-degree days in the forecast, so don’t wish away the last of the snow. Check out Park City Mountain’s website for a full schedule of Spring Grüv events.