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May 26
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Utah Olympic Park Summer Adventures

By Adventures, Outdoors

The snow has melted, and it’s time to take advantage of the sunshine. Utah Olympic Park has adventure activities for everyone, from the reluctant outdoor explorer to the hard-core adrenaline junkie. The park opens up for summer activities on Memorial Day weekend, and the activities will run through October.

Channel your inner Olympian by zooming around on a Comet Bobsled ride. Climb a rock wall with a swimming pool as your safety net. Test your high-altitude finesse on three adventure ropes courses of varying difficulties. Take in a mountain view on the Alpine Slide, a coaster specifically designed to be smooth, comfortable and fun.

A visit to Utah Olympic Park wouldn’t be complete without a rush on the ziplines. Step off the 65-foot high Drop Tower, try the Extreme Zipline, or ease into your adventure with the tamer Freestyle Zipline.

One of the park’s newest and most popular attractions is Extreme Tubing on the ski jumps. If you’ve ever looked at the steep grassy hills where Olympic skiers train and thought, “I want to tube down that,” this thrill is for you.

If keeping your feet firmly on the ground sounds more appealing, check out the Alf Engen Ski Museum and the Eccles 2002 Salt Lake Olympic Winter Museum that offer free admission. After all, Utahns get bragging rights for the best snow on Earth and a killer Winter Olympics, so why not learn some history to back up those claims?

The Drop Tower zipline

The Drop Tower zipline

The Utah Olympic Park summer adventure activities are open from May 27-October 5. Guests can purchase tickets for individual attractions or a seasonal Gold Pass. Click here for ticket purchases and more information.

May 25
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Lantern Fest returns to Salt Lake

By Adventures, Arts & Culture, Outdoors

When the world first saw the movie Tangled, everyone wanted to experience the floating lanterns that were such a big part of the movie in real life. You’re kidding yourself if you say you didn’t want a little piece of that magic.

The Lantern Fest makes that bucket list wish possible with a release of thousands of glowing lanterns into the night sky. The celebration is coming back to Salt Lake City on Saturday, August 20. Click here to purchase tickets. This is the second Lantern Fest event in Salt Lake in 2016, and the first was in April, when nearly 9000 people lived out their Disney-fueled dreams. The evening’s family-friendly schedule includes live music, s’mores roasting, games, food truck fare, dance contests and more leading up to the lantern release. The evening ends with the lighting and release of thousands of lanterns to the tune of (you guessed it) “At Last I See the Light” from Tangled.

I went to the Lantern Fest in Salt Lake last September, and it was definitely worth it. I roasted a perfectly golden s’more without lighting myself on fire, I made new friends around the campfire and I got the perfect Instagram-worthy photo of my floating lantern among thousands of others in the sky.

Each kit comes with markers for lantern decorating. Participants are encouraged to individualize their lanterns by drawing designs or writing down dreams, regrets, or goals. If you’re worried that all those lanterns will end up littering the highway, don’t. The Lantern Fest sends specially trained Lantern Chasers in vehicles to make sure every last biodegradable lantern is disposed of properly.

Early registration tickets are $25 until June 10. Each admission ticket comes with an entrance wristband, s’mores kit, lighter, a lantern and markers for decorating. Lantern Fest merchandise is also available for purchase at the event.

Utah Motorsports Campus, 512 South Sheep Lane, Grantsville, UT – August 20 – gates open at 4 p.m. thelanternfest.com

Mar 01
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Move Over, Moab

By Adventures, Outdoors

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Gooseberry Mesa Trail near Hurricane, Utah; photo by Andreas Siegel 

When the mountain biking craze rolled from Marin County to Moab in the ’80s, the tiny town quickly became the prime location for two-wheeled adventure in Utah. Furnished with lilting slickrock and heart-pounding trails, for decades Moab was the best terrain riders anywhere could imagine.

But though logic tells us being first is usually a good thing, history tells us otherwise: If you’re first, you will eventually be overturned or overrun. (Just ask the Olmec or the Sony Walkman.)

Moab, for all its beauty and years of trail building, has been supplanted. The usurper is a series of upstart trails in St. George and the surrounding area. Some are well established, others are merely toddlers, but taken together they amount to the best weekend you’ve ever had on a bike.

Bearclaw-Poppy Trail (Historic Green Valley Loop) – St. George

When it comes to conversion—in this case, to mountain biking—this lovably lap-able trail puts any missionary duo to shame. The Bearclaw-Poppy Preserve greets visitors with an endless network of trails that hug the base of Bloomington Hill. The variation between these interlocking routes makes the trail a popular destination for more experienced riders to bring their beginner friends, without fear of pushing novices beyond their skills. It’s like a ski resort where expert runs parallel the rope tow.

Carsonite trail markers, scattered throughout the area, identify easy escape routes for features like “Three Fingers of Death” and “The Acid Drops.” It’s important to follow the signage for safety reasons, but also to retain the right to use the trails meandering through the preserve (so please, no improvising on this trail).

Within the confines established by the BLM, however, are some uproariously fun pump tracks, drops and smooth-rolling desert hardpack, which makes sticking to the script easy. The trail in its entirety can be shuttled as a 5-mile downhill run, or an 11-mile out-and-back (longer if you loop back using the city roads). Whatever route you choose, you’ll be grinning as wide as your chin strap by the end.

JEM Trail – Hurricane

When linked to Hurricane Rim and Goulds, JEM (blazed by John, Ellen and Mike) forms a 21-mile loop of intermediate-level riding. If you choose the classic JEM loop, you can ride this trail as a 13-mile loop with roughly 800 feet of gain, but you’ll have to chug 6.2 miles up a dull and dusty doubletrack to reach the point where most riders start: the top of a 7-mile joyride to the Virgin River.

The descent pours smoothly from Highway 59 down an open desert plain before an abrupt shift in tempo at “The Staircase,” a steep, technical section with tight switchbacks. Aside from this geologic aberration, which can easily be hiked while toting your bike, the JEM singletrack flows like Busta Rhymes to the river gorge. Here, anyone afraid of heights can choose to walk the brief segment of exposed trail overlooking the riverbed before finishing the ride.

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JEM Trail, photo by Gary Colet 

Barrel Roll – St. George

Barrel Roll outside of Santa Clara was a local favorite before the recent development of BLM trails. Barrel Roll is an intermediate 6-mile loop with 700 feet of climbing that shares a trailhead with the Rim Rock, Sidewinder and newly minted Suicidal Tendencies Trails. Barrel Roll is the least challenging of the group, so riders can test their suspension on its varied terrain before taking on the trail’s more technical cousins.

As you push along Barrel Roll, pale tufts of sagebrush and intermittent speckles of Indian paintbrush enliven the trailside landscape. In the distance, the Pine Valley Mountains cap the Navajo Sandstone cliffs in a stacked collage of crimson and yellow—a worthwhile reward as you pedal back to the trailhead.

Gooseberry Mesa – Hurricane

To some, Gooseberry Mesa is a sacrilege—a mohawk-topped punk with the audacity to undermine Moab’s monopoly on slickrock. To the rest of the world, it’s simply the most fun they’ve had on two wheels. Riders from across the globe make the Gooseberry pilgrimage to pay homage to the nine painted trails spidering atop the bubbled and boiling sandstone. These international devotees never return home disappointed.

Each of the nine trails stretched across the mesa top offers their own degree of difficulty. Beginners can ride the dirt road or the practice loop for a tiny taste of the technical splendor on Gooseberry without missing out on some of the visual delights. Experts can take on the Big Loop, a 12.5-mile bruiser that incorporates the more challenging stunts and stints of smaller trails into an anthology of Gooseberry’s greatest hits. Every trail has its own highlights, so it’s worth spending a day or two to discover which ones capture your loyalty. After all, devotion is a foregone conclusion here.

Zen Trail – St. George

When people gush about the riding around St. George, they’re actually talking about the Zen Trail. While supremely difficult, Zen Trail is a perfect balance (as the name implies) of climbing and descent, full throttle fun and focused technical riding. You’ll zip along desert singletrack before picking your way through blossoms of sandstone and other monoliths, but the topological contrasts of the trail flow together in a riotous ride that’s worth every second.

It’s a hearty 1,100 feet of climbing condensed into a 6-mile loop overall so be prepared to pedal. The southwest end of the circuit overlooks the Bearclaw-Poppy Trail but stays on the Green Valley side of the bluff. Despite being a relatively short cityside trail, it’s important to bring lots of water to meet the trail’s demanding technical descents and aerobically stimulating ascents.

Meet the Expert

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Photo provided by Mark Erickson

When Mark Erickson retired to St. George 15 years ago, he figured he’d spend the rest of his mornings playing golf. “That lasted a few weeks,” he says, explaining his decision to ditch a golf cart for his mountain bike. “I found I needed a little more than golf to keep the blood pumping. But the real reason I enjoy mountain biking so much is that it gets me out into some of the most beautiful scenery on earth.”  His first ride into the landscape he loves was on the cityside Green Valley Loop. The ride itself was short, but circling back to the trailhead on busy roads was uninspiring and long, which may have planted the seeds for his future shuttle service, Mountain Bike Buddies. 

“I got myself totally lost on a ride in Washington and ended up sitting on a rock all night, waiting for someone to come along. I was thinking, ‘This is how the people I find lost on the trails around St. George must feel.’ They have two options—either get rough directions from a local bike shop or sign up with a big guided tour company.” Neither option is ideal if all you want is someone to pick you up, point you in the right direction and then meet you at the bottom. Erickson offers riders a third path, between “turn by the rock that looks like a longneck, bro” and “that’ll be $150…per person.”

Erickson has become the preeminent shuttler in St. George. Whether he’s taking first-timers down the paved trail in Snow Canyon or fearless pros to the insanity of Flying Monkey Trail in Virgin, his feedback from guests is unanimous: “That may have been the most fun day of my life.”

The Raging Bull

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Photo by Garett Buehler

As a brand, Red Bull occupies a unique position atop the world of sports. It’s not only the patron saint of soccer players, skateboarders and rally drivers, but also the sponsor of soapbox races and other benign bits of absurdity. For all the silly venues and mainstream sports, though, Red Bull is still the horned god of truly terrifying spectacles. Foremost among them is the Red Bull Rampage, where mountain biking’s brave-and-stupid chieftains gather in Virgin, Utah, (although it’s not virgins that get sacrificed). Every fall, the unsullied terrain is transformed into a monstrous playground where 20-foot drops are commonplace and 70-foot backflips rate third place.

Each year the jumps get bigger and riders push physics to the Newtonian limits. Worries tug more insistently at spectators and competitors alike—successful runs are merely a crisis averted, a nightmare deferred. It was these concerns that led Red Bull to cancel the event in 2004, but in the twisted logic of extreme sports, those fears were symptomatic of a challenge pros can’t ignore. After all, overcoming fear is part of the thrill. With that in mind, the Rampage was reborn in 2008. The event is an unending crescendo with new bones and records broken annually. But until the bubble bursts with a broken back or worse, this particular bull rages on.

Visit redbull.com/bike for details on the 2015 competition.

Back>>>Read other stories in our March/April 2015 issue.

Sep 10
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Take a Hike: Parley’s “Dog” Creek to Suicide Rock

By Adventures, Outdoors

Distance: About 3 miles for both the Creek trail and the Suicide Rock trail into The Reservoir.

Time: If you’re just taking your dog to splash with canine counterparts and heading back, about an hour, add an extra half hour to  if you’re planning to visit the highly-vandalized, but locally renowned Suicide Rock and The Reservoir, which are just past I-215.

Trail: Instead of an incredible workout, this one’s more of a light-afternoon hike to enjoy with your dog or to meet some dogs and then catch frat pledges painting “Sigma Chi Rules!” on Parley’s most famous rock.

It’s not for the uppity, and it’s a bit noisy due to the nearby freeway. And The Reservoir, unfortunately, is a bit trashed. But its clean on the west side of the freeway, and most dog owners clean up after their pets.

Its proximity to the city also makes it a good lunch-break hike, and you’ve got to see Suicide Rock.

As you walk from the trailhead into the canyon, you’ll notice a splits in the trail. Stay left, and it will lead to a shared bike/hike trail, which has historical markers along the way, including Joseph Pudler’s wine cellar, which dates back to 1870. Stay right, and you’ll walk by the creek and over a cool wooden bridge. There are other options, but if you keep heading east, they’ll all reach still water for dog play.

Once you reach the area where dogs congregate to splash, look left for the shared bike/hike trail, which will lead to a bridge crossing I-215. Go over the bridge, make a right and go down the hill, which will lead to the dirt trail leading to Suicide Rock.

Who you’ll see: Bikes, families and dogs. Maybe some taggers at the right time of day.

The Story: Legend goes Suicide Rock was a watchtower for local Indians. After a young maiden’s brave died, she jumped from the top of the rock to join him in the afterlife. Now, it’s a billboard for youth with spray cans. Wildflowers sprout among the tags—which are not exclusive to the rock. And unfortunately, you’ll also see a lot of beer cans and plastic bags near the rock. Don’t add to the waste.

How to get there: Park at or across the street from Tanner Park, 2760 S. 2700 East. Walk up the hill for a minute, turn left and you’ll be at the trailhead.

Jun 25
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Take a Hike: Farmington Creek Trail (Lagoon Section)

By Adventures, Outdoors
Distance: 2 to 6 miles (depending on who you’re with/where you start)

Elevation gain: 284 feet (below the base of the mountain)

Time: Three ways to do this hike or bike: Start near the mountains, start by Lagoon and make your way up to the base of the mountains (best if you’re with kids) or start by Lagoon and continue on into the mountains to see the slow transition to wilderness. We’re mainly writing about the option with the kids, which is two hours out and back with frequent stops for photos and enjoying Farmington Pond.

Notable: The Pond! Go fishing, have a blast.

Trail: If you’re a hardcore hiker or biker, the part we’re talking about is not for you. Scroll down to the second to last paragraph and skip the rest. This is the perfect trail to take the kids on foot or bike. It’s relatively flat and they’ll see things along the way that will keep them engaged like Lagoon’s animals, horses on private property and Farmington Pond, where you can stop and do some fishing. Go ahead and bring snacks as well. There are benches and trash bins along the way. Bridges and beautiful foliage are also on the route. If you see signs for “Lagoon Trail,” don’t get nervous. It’s the same exact trail with a different name along the park’s perimeter. The trail starts on a short pathway through some shrubbery and then across the street beside Lagoon’s campgrounds. Keep going and you’ll pass by Lagoon’s zoo. Once the “Lagoon Trail” ends, you’ll need to make a left down the street and go across to pick up the trail again, which will take you to Farmington Pond. Keep going and you’ll be at the base of the mountain, away from all the screams of people on Colossus you were hearing about an hour ago. Now, you’ll actually be able to hear the creek! At that point, you can continue into the mountains or head back down to the car.

Who you’ll see: You’ll see a lot of joggers, older couples and big families on bike rides. If it’s summer, you’ll also see people camping out and getting on and off Rattlesnake Rapids at Lagoon. Once you get to the pond, you’ll see families enjoying the water.

How to get there: Take the Farmington exit off I-15 North and pass by Farmington Jr. High. Drive on 200 West until you hit State Street. Make a left and then a right on 400 West (right before the overpass that goes over the freeway). Parking is on your left. A gazebo to have lunch in is on the north end of the parking lot.

To get to the Canyon section: Drive up Farmington Canyon (reached from 400 N. 100 East) until you reach the Sunset Campground, which is half way up.

Dec 20
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Midway’s Ice Castle

By Outdoors

A castle is coming to the kingdom of Midway. Ice Castles, LLC will bring a one-of-a-kind to Midway, as it unveils a massive castle made entirely of ice. This ice castle will feature lofty ice towers, shimmering archways, glowing tunnels and glossy walls—all made completely of ice.

Ice architect Brent Christensen started Ice Castles by building small ice structures in his Alpine yard in 2008. Now, his work has been seen by over 300,000 visitors, and he’s built castles in Colorado and Minnesota.

Christensen comes back to his roots this year with his first large-scale Ice Castle at Midway’s town square, next to the ice rink. Christensen patterned his design for Midway’s castle after well-known geological features across the state, like slot canyons, arches and cave-like tunnels. Guests are invited to not only view the beauty of the structures but to squeeze and crawl through parts of the stunning display.

Each castle is created by hand using only icicles and water. Millions of icicles sparkle a glacial blue by day and glow multi-colored at night with help of thousands of LED lights embedded in the ice. “Ice Castles really are one of the most unique and beautiful places on earth,” Christensen says. “Every visitor gets a distinctive experience since the ice is constantly melting, freezing and being reshaped. It’s an amazing, continuously evolving experience.”

Midway’s ice castle began construction in late November and will be open to the public in late December and possibly through March 2014, weather permitting. The Ice Castle will be open from noon to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Check out their website to learn more. See all our our outoors coverage here.

May 16
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Even More Summer Camps

By Outdoors
Summer is a time for kids to find a place and time to follow their bliss, and Utah’s summer camps are the place to do it.

Read our feature story on summer camps, Geek Out, in our May/June 2013 issue. Here are the ones we wanted to include, but just couldn’t fit in the print edition (scroll all the way down for special needs camps):


Photo Provided by Deer Valley Resort

MUSIC

Find Your Wild Side 

Kids ages 7-18 can take part in this unique chance to learn Brazilian and Afro-Brazilian drumming, dance, song and culture. Kids get to bring home a T-shirt and homemade percussion instrument. A performance is held on the final day of the camp for friends and family members. June 17-21: Ages 7-12, June 24-28: Ages 13-18, SLC Arts Hub, 663 West 100 South, $60 per student scholarships are available, sambafogo.com

With the band

Just because school’s out doesn’t mean band class has to be. In “Da” Band with Al Badham, kids will learn new skills and even be in a 4th of July parade and concert. June 10–July 4, must have at least one year of jr. high-level concert band experience, $85. Imagination Place, 1155 E. 3300 South, SLC, 801-463-9067, imaginationplace.com 

Find Rhythm 

In partnership with the Utah Arts Alliance, Rhythms of Life Summer Camp gives kids a chance to participate in workshops, including drama, African and hip hop dance, drumming, painting, photography, frisbee, gardening, puppetry, sculpture, soccer, circus arts and more. June 10-14 through July 29-August 2, ages 8-12 $165 per week/ $1150 for all 8 weeks. 801-649-4420 Scholarships are available, drumbus.com

An early start

Jump start your kid’s musical education with a beginner’s exploration of music theory using the piano, along with fun rhythm and tonal activities, at Imagination Place’s Musical Bridge. June 17–Aug. 15, ages 4.5–7, $130. Imagination Place, 1155 E. 3300 South, SLC, 801-463-9067, imaginationplace.com

ART

Artwork up North

Cache Valley Center for the Arts is worth a trip north for its amazing productions. It’s also worth checking out for this year’s art camps, focusing on Polynesian, Latin American and African cultures. June 10–Aug. 8, ages 5–11, $90. Cache Valley Center for the Arts, 43 S. Main Street, Logan, 435-753-6518, centerforthearts.us

FANTASY/IMAGINATION

Potter Meets Holmes

With camps for Harry Potter, Angry Birds and Sherlock Holmes fans, Thanksgiving Point has offerings for just about anything your kid is into. June 3–Aug. 19, registration open until full, ages 4–18, single day $20–$175, multi-day $75–$175. Thanksgiving Point, 3003 N. Thanksgiving Way, Lehi, 801-768-2300, thanksgivingpoint.org

Mythical Creatures and Fantastic Fantasy 

Explore ancient artifacts and search for mythical and magical creatures. Children in grades 4–6 will explore forests, animals, potions, mythical creatures and write in invisible ink to keep their secrets hidden at one of this summer’s Salt Lake County 4-H camps. Copperview Recreation Center, 8446 Harrison St in Midvale. July 15-19, $75 per child 385-468-4830, saltlakecounty4-h.org 

SCIENCE/EDUCATION

Get slimy, gooey and gross

Kids can explore slimy, gooey and gross science while conducting experiments and getting your hands dirty at this Salt Lake County 4-H camp. Grades 1–3, Entheos Academy, 4710 W 6200 S, Kearns. July 15-19, $75 per child 801-417-5444, saltlakecounty4-h.org

CSI Spy 

Learn how detectives use science to uncover crimes by solving the mystery of “The Murder of Professor Half Track” at one of this summer’s Salt Lake County 4-H camps. Use clues and attend Super Spy School to learn how to be a expert spy. Grades 4–6, Murray Park, 296 E Vine St, Murray, 801-284-4200, Aug. 12–16, saltlakecounty4-h.org 

Mayan Robo-Dig

Kids are called to help a team of scientist who have just discovered a Mayan pyramid at this Salt Lake County 4-H camp. The junior robotics experts help unlock the secrets of the pyramid and learn how to use robotic sensors and advanced programing, using the Lego Mindstrom. Previous robot experience required. Ages 12–15, $75, Aug. 14–16, Sandra N. Lloyd Community Center, 12830 S 1830 W in Riverton, saltlakecounty4-h.org 

Go, Dog. Go!

Okay, this one’s not technically a camp, but going every month makes it feel like one. Kids who struggle with reading can practice by reading to service dogs at Anderson-Foothill Library. First Saturday of every month, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Anderson-Foothill Library, 1135 S. 2100 East, SLC, 801-594-8611, slcpl.lib.ut.us (call ahead to sign up)

Peek of Park City

The Peek Program has everything to keep a kid’s mind active all summer, from science and history to sports and Dr. Seuss—field trips and swimming included. June 17–Aug. 16, ages 3–8, $35–$65 per day. 10 Pinebrook Road, Park City, 435-649-9188, thepeekprogram.com

Cook up Science

This Salt Lake County 4-H camp teaches kids grades 3-4th about basic biology, chemistry and physics using common items from the kitchen. Kids will get to make rock candy, goo and learn how to extract iron from their morning cereal. Copperview Recreation Center, 8446 Harrison St in Midvale. July 8-12, $75 per child 385-468-4830, saltlakecounty4-h.org

Mini-Edisons

Kids solve big problems at Camp Invention, like how to reassemble a crashed spacecraft with everyday objects. The camp focuses on science, technology, engineering and math. June 10–14 or June 17–21, grades 1–6, $220. Schools in Sandy, Draper, Woods Cross, Cedar Hills, Park City, Layton, Provo and Price, campinvention.org

Rollercoaster, baby 

You might not learn much at an amusement park beyond gut-level physics, but designing those rides is another story. At Bricks 4 Kidz, campers will use math and science skills to engineer LEGO rides that roll, spin and rock. June 27, July 11, 18, Aug. 1, 8, 15, ages 5–8, $96 per day ($15 for each additional day). Holladay Lions Recreation Center, 1661 Murray Holladay Rd., Holladay, 801-898-3000, bricks4kidz.com

Wet and Wild Science

Salt Lake County 4-H keeps the kids active this summer while exploring a local watershed and learning about life beneath the surface of streams and lakes in your community. They will collect and study underwater insects and learn about water quality. Copperview Recreation Center, 8446 Harrison St in Midvale. June 24-27, $75 per child 385-468-4830, saltlakecounty4-h.org 

Forces of Nature

Kids in grades 3–5 learn about earthquakes, floods, fire and the extreme weather we see on earth, along with basic science principles while participating in hands-on activities like building bridges and making weather instruments, thanks to Salt Lake County 4-H. Copperview Recreation Center, 8446 Harrison St in Midvale. June 10-14, $75 per child 385-468-4830, saltlakecounty4-h.org

A BIT OF EVERYTHING

Camp at the J

Kids in grades one through six of all religions can take advantage of the Jewish Community Center’s rock wall, swimming pool and more, while older kids can take a week-long nature trip. June 10–Aug. 16, registration open until full, age 2–8th grade, $250–$420, Jewish Community Center, 2 N. Medical Drive, SLC, 801-581-0098 ext. 135, slcjcc.org

Join the Club 

Is your kid a super sleuth, eager to crack a great mystery? Or maybe she’s ready to learn some sleight of hand to become a famous magician. Club U has camps for these and more. June 5–Aug. 16, registration open until the Friday before each camp, ages 5–14, $199 per week. University of Utah, SLC, 801-581-6984, continue.utah.edu

Hit the Road

Field trip after field trip—Wasatch Kids Camps take kids to Utah’s iconic destinations, from Thanksgiving Point’s Museum to Franklin Covey Stadium. June 10–Aug. 23, registration open until full, ages 5–13, $190. Various locations around SLC, 801-263-2267, wasatchkidscamps.com

OUTDOORS

Not just for skiing

Based out of the Snow Park Lodge, Deer Valley’s Summer Adventure Camp offers unique activities like kiteboarding, where kids are pulled across a lake by a giant kite, all while surrounded by Park City’s mountains. June 10–Aug. 16, ages 2 months–12 years, $65 (daily), $300 (weekly), $2,500 (seasonal), Snow Park Lodge, 2250 Deer Valley Drive, Park City, 435-645-6648, academy.deervalley.com

SPECIAL NEEDS CAMPS

Nobody’s left out. With a strong belief summer camps should be accessible to all kids, these local camps are looking out for kids with disabilities and special needs.

Dietary needs met

Camp UTADA offers all the traditional stuff, like sports and campfires, while watching diets and supervising care, set in beautiful Camp Red Cliffe above Pineview Reservoir. Day and week-long camps, June 15–Aug. 16, grades 1–11, $240 (price may vary), no camper is turned away due to financial concerns. Camp Red Cliff, outside Huntsville, 801-566-6913, click here for more info.

Bring bro and sis

Camp Hobé is for kids with cancer and their siblings, who are often overlooked during treatment. Set out west at Camp Wapiti, kids enjoy archery, hikes, biking and swimming. June 10–21, ages 4–19, $15–$35, fee waivers available. Camp Wapiti, near Tooele, 801-631-2742, camphobekids.org

Hold your horses 

National Ability Center has plenty of great camps for kids with disabilities, but we’re partial to Camp Giddy Up, where campers ride trails with the horses and build on skills each year. June 10–Aug. 16, ages 8–18, $120–$190 (2–3 days), $290–$550 (5 days), discount for registering before May 17.  National Ability Center, 1000 Ability Way, Park City, 435-649-3991 x609, discovernac.org

Cooking, canoeing and braille

The Utah School for the Blind and the Utah Foundation for the Blind and Visually Impaired teamed up to give blind kids outdoor, sports and braille reading camps this summer. June 9–Aug. 10, ages 8–16 (summer work program available for ages 16 and older), $40–$125 (fee waivers available). Most camps held at Utah School for the Deaf and Blind Ogden campus, 742 Harrison Blvd., 801-209-8492, ufbvi.org

Getting social

Along with social coaching and treatment, Camp Takoda gives kids with ADHD a chance to swim, go on field trips and grow their self-esteems while making new friends. June 11–Aug. 2. Camp Takoda is in SLC. Call 801-467-8553 or visituafc.org for info on ages, prices, registration deadlines and more.

Camp for all abilities

Camp Kostopulos strives to include all kids of all abilities who could benefit from a summer riding horses, fishing, swimming and taking on the ropes course. They also offer a travel camp, which takes kids to destinations across the Intermountain West. June 1–Aug. 2, ages 7 and up, $405, scholarships available for low-income families, families registered with Division of Services for People with Disabilites may have respite funds available, register by mid-May. Camp Kostopulos, 4180 Emigration Canyon Road, SLC, 801-582-0700,campk.org 

Doubling up

Two camps with all the traditional camp activities for kids with disabilities: Camp Valor for kids with hemophilia and Camp Hawkins for kids with heart disease. Siblings are welcome to both. Camp Valor: July 29–Aug. 2, ages 5–17, $65, hemophiliautah.org. Camp Hawkins: June 24–27, ages 4–17, $20–$65,camphawkins.org

Aug 01
Love0

Standup Paddle Boarding in Utah

By Outdoors
It all began, the story goes, in the waters off the islands in Hawaii half a century ago. It took about that long to reach the waters here in Utah.

They call it “standup paddle boarding’’ and it is said to be the fastest growing water sport in the country.

It started as standup paddle surfing. Surfers, on calm days, stood on their boards and paddled, “just to stay in shape,’’ as the story goes. Standup paddle boarding is similar in that participants stand, or sit, on look-alike surf boards and paddle, but do it on lakes or rivers, away from the oceans.

It’s relatively easy. The main issue is balance. Standing on a board, even a stable board that’s 12 feet long and 31 inches wide, can be a bit challenging on the water.

New students, says Alisha Niswander, owner/guide of Mountain Vista Touring in Park City, who also offers boarding instruction at Jordanelle, usually begin with a brief introduction on land showing foot placement, how to stand and paddling techniques.

“On the water we take baby steps, starting with students sitting on the back of their heels, then moving from there to kneeling and then standing.

People like (standup boarding) because it’s such a nice change to get off land and on the water, with all the open views. It’s just a really peaceful sport,’’ she adds.

One of the most popular paddling waters is Jordanelle Reservoir. It’s scenic, accessible and offers good water, especially in the early morning and late afternoon when breezes calm down.
Paddle boarding is a sport even the younger ones can pick up.

The boards used are similar to the long surf boards used back in the 1950s and 1960s, but very different from the new high-performance surf boards used today. The cost of good boards is around $1,500.

Jordanelle Rentals and Marina have boards to rent.

It helps that the marina is somewhat protected from the wind, and boats around the marina are required to drive at wakeless speeds, so waters are typically smoother. Rentals start at $20 for one hour and go to $35 for two hours and $55 for four hours.

“Most rentals are for an hour. An hour is about all most people can do. It’s  a physically challenging sport,’’ notes Brinton Passey.

The concessionaire started offering boards two years ago. This year it added to its stock of boards simply because “it’s becoming very popular,’’ he says. Rentals come with board, life vest and paddle.

Proof of the growth can be seen in the Outdoor Retailers’ report that in 2005 there was but one standup board company registered and in 2012 there were more than 35 makers of standup products.

Lincoln Clark, assistant manager at REI, says, “Without a doubt, for us, this is the number one popular growth sport. This is the first big surge in a sport we’ve seen in years.’’

REI not only sells boards, but offers daily rentals at $35 a day, “and where most of our rentals go out on weekend, all of our boards are going out almost daily,’’ he says.

There are three levels of boards — beginner, intermediate and advanced. Beginner boards are longer, wider and more stable; intermediate boards are a little longer and easier to maneuver; and advanced boards are fiberglass, longer and not as stable, but very maneuverable.

As for when to board, Niswander says, “The best suggestion I can give anyone is to (paddle board) in the early morning or late afternoon, when the water is calm. Afternoon winds can be a challenge.’’

For information visit www,parkcityhiking.com, rei.com, jordanellerentals.comand colesport.com.
Facts:
Choosing a board is based on skill level. Beginner boards are wider, flatter and more stable. More experienced boarders can choose narrower, longer and less stable boards.

Paddles have a small bend in the shaft for more efficiency.

Personal flotation devices (life vests) are required onboard.

Feet should be parallel and about hip-width apart, with knees bent and back straight.

Keep eyes looking forward and not down at the board.

As forward momentum increases, stability increases.

Plant the paddle blade completely under the surface. then pull back even with the body and then pull the blade out and plant it forward.

Start with short, smooth paddle strokes.

Paddle boarding is physically challenging, so pace yourself.

Always wear sun protection.