Food Crush: [foōd KRUSH] noun. An intense infatuation with a specific dish or meal, to the point where an individual thinks about it all the time and may drool a little when it crosses their mind. For example, her food crush on tacos was well known, to the point that everyone knew if you gave her tacos, she would be happy.
Yes, I regularly develop food crushes. Sometimes they come and go with the seasons and the seasons of life. Sometimes I think about a dish all the time, and I never get to have it again. But the crush abides. And sometimes, more than a brief infatuation, it will become an abiding love for a specific dish with a regular pilgrimage to get reacquainted with it. That is the case for this food crush—I’ve loved it for over eight years. That’s a long time in the food relationship world. And I want you to fall in love too.
I’ve been a fan of Salt Lake City restaurant HSL (Handle Salt Lake) since they opened. In fact, I was at their opening party in April 2015, judging by my Instagram feed and the charcuterie board I posted that day. The highlight of that evening was a dish I’ve been raving about ever since. And I know I’m not alone. Listed simply as “Cauliflower” under the hot section of the menu, it has been a staple and a star in Chef Briar Handly’s repertoire. The minimalist description on the menu suggests that this dish might be more than just your standard cauliflower: “General Tso’s style | sriracha vinaigrette | pickled Fresno.” But even that hint isn’t enough to convey just how good this shared plate is.
When the Cauliflower shows up on the table, you might mistake it for a salad—topped with fresh frisée, cilantro, thinly shaved carrots and bright red pickled chiles, it looks like a vibrantly wild, edible Bird-of-paradise flower in a bowl. Splashed over the top like paint is the sriracha vinaigrette.
Underneath the crisp-cool, raw vegetables are piping hot, battered, deep-fried cauliflower dressed in a General Tso’s-style sauce. When I say dressed, I mean lightly dressed so the breading doesn’t get soggy. For ultimate sauce dispersal control, there is a nice puddle of the sauce in the base of the bowl for dipping and scraping up. The cauliflower is tender-crisp and avoids the internal mushiness of many deep-fried vegetables. The contrast of the cold salad greens, the spicy sriracha, the tart-spicy pickled Fresno chilies (a signature of Chef Briar), and the warm, crunchy cauliflower is a well-executed balancing act.
General Tso (Zuo Zongtang) was an actual general from the Hunan province of China in the 1800s, but he would never have sampled his namesake dish. Like any famed dish, the origin is as sticky as the sauce. It might have been derived from a simple chicken dish from the province with the word “zongtang” showing up in a same-spelling-different-meaning kind of way. The meaning of “ancestral meeting hall” may be a bit of a stretch. Still, food historians make a strong argument for the possibility. The other two possible originators were immigrant restaurateurs in New York City in the 1970s: Chef Peng Chang-kuei and Chef T. T. Wang. The origins of the current General Tso’s chicken recipe, known for its crispy fried meat, can be traced back to Chef Wang, who initially may have called it “General Ching’s chicken.” The more familiar name, “General Tso’s chicken,” is attributed to Chef Peng, who prepared the dish using a different cooking technique. Either way, it was always made with chicken and “sweet” with spicy to appeal to the wimpier (at the time) American palate.
Chef Handley flips the notion that the dish must contain chicken to be toothsome. As a matter of fact, he has toned down the sticky sweet as well. A dish where you won’t miss the meat, still enjoy the heat and aren’t overpowered by the sweetness feels refreshing. I wouldn’t call it “elevated” because I hate that term and its racially-charged connotations that something traditional wasn’t great to begin with. But it is a playfully vegetal homage where you might ask, “What chicken?” And you might just fall in love to boot. It is well worth the trip to HSL for this dish alone.
If You Go…
HSL (Handle Salt Lake, 418 E.200 South, SLC, 801-539-9999) Reservations are recommended
Find more of Lydia’s crushes at Salt Lake City restaurants here!
We have all been there.Standing at a picked-over rack of neckties in a crowded mall department store, debating over navy with a red pattern or red with a navy pattern, we start to wonder, “Wait. Did I get Dad a tie for Christmas last year? Or was it socks?” Regardless, he has more socks and ties than anyone who works from home could ever need. In fact, maybe we all have too much stuff. But what do you give for the holidays without adding to the clutter? Something that shows you actually love—and maybe even like—these people?
As kids, whenever we asked our moms what they wanted for Christmas she would always say, “Time together with my beautiful children.” We would always roll our eyes. How do you gift-wrap “time together” and put it under a Christmas tree, anyhow? Nowadays, we’re starting to think she was on to something. You might have to get creative with how you wrap up these presents to open up on Christmas morning, but they give the opportunity for something truly priceless: quality time together and memories to last a lifetime.
Singular Dining Experiences
A romantic dinner for two after a snowy, moonlit forest hike or a warm gathering with friends to share good food and warm conversation, either way it’s hard to go wrong with gifting one of these unique dining experiences to someone you love this holiday season.
A romantic dinner ‘yurt’ sure to remember
The stretch of canvas above and a roaring fire keep the elements at bay as groups of friends or, perhaps, a private party of two get lost in the aromas of a hot meal. It’s intimate and romantic and there are multiple ways to experience the gift of dining in a yurt in Utah. The mountainside Yurt at Solitude Mountain Resort is home to the highly sought-after evening experience that begins with a guided snowshoe tour through a snow-capped forest and ends with a multi-course dinner in the warm and cozy comfort of The Yurt. The Wilderness Access Outfitters’ Nordic Yurt Dinner experience likewise takes diners on a half-mile, guided evening snowshoeing tour through Soldier Hollow in Midway. Then, they receive a private fine dining experience with a four-course meal. Before the night is over, guests are invited to make s’mores by the fire. The Viking Yurt at Park City Mountain Resort melds rustic sensibilities and fine dining. The four-hour dining experience is exclusive and meticulously paced. The preamble is a moonlit sleigh ride to the on-mountain yurt. Gift cards are available for the Nordic Yurt Dinner. solitudemountain.com, waoutah.com, thevikingyurt.com
Dining at the Soldier Hollow Nordic Yurt. Photo courtesy of WAO.
Snowglobe-trotting
For the people who love the idea of dining in a yurt, but would rather skip the snowshoeing and possible strangers, there’s the picturesque Alpenglobe. This European trend became all the rage in Utah during the social distancing of the pandemic, but they have shown some staying power. After all, who doesn’t want to dine outdoors, enjoying the beauty of winter, while staying toasty warm? These in-demand dining experiences can be found at Franck’s Restaurant in Holladay, Westgate Resort in Park City, Butcher’s Chop House & Bar in Park City and Stein Eriksen Lodge In Deer Valley. francksfood.com, steinlodge.com
A spirit guide
Imagine gifting your group of discerning booze-hound friends with a customized van tour of their favorite Utah distilleries. You can do just that with Utah Spirit Trail, which provides a knowledgeable guide to lead guests on their spirit journey. If wine is more their speed, the Utah Wine Trail awaits. Road trip through Southern Utah with a Trail Pass to tastings at five local wineries. (There’s a prize at the end after you visit all five locations.) For those lovers of beers and brews, Visit Salt Lake offers a Brewery Pass that grants a $5 credit that can be used toward any drink, food or merch at each of the 15 breweries on the pass. offutahspirittrail.com, utahwinetrail.com, visitsaltlake.com
Knowledge to Last a Lifetime
Taking a class or workshop to gain a new skill or improve an existing one is a worthwhile endeavor—especially for the people in our lives who never want to stop learning. Not to mention, taking a class together can be an intimate and fun bonding activity for friends, couples parents and their adult children.
Foodie Fun + Chocolate
While Caputo’s offers classes ranging from cocktail making to cooking an entire Italian Christmas dinner, what this stalwart Italian market and deli is best known for, in terms of its education offerings, is its craft chocolate tasting classes where participants learn what separates good chocolate from mind-blowing chocolate. caputos.com —Mellissa Fields
Lessons to impress
If your friends are the types who hungrily devour knowledge about their favorite topics to later captivate and impress groups at parties or work functions (and one of those favorite topics also happens to be wine or cocktails) this is for them. Sommelier and educator James Santangelo of the Wine Academy of Utah is an animated repository of knowledge about wine, spirits and many adjacent subjects. Gift your friends a class on wine pairings or rum and chocolate or whiskey and cigars. In-home tasting events are also available. wineacademyofutah.com,continue.utah.edu
HERC adult hiphop dance class. Photo courtesy of HERC.
Dancing the night away
The HERC at 1520 Arts in South Salt Lake has excellent programming for people who are still kids at heart…and like to groove. Their Adult Hiphop Dance Class is perfect for complete beginners and for people who are looking to boogie. They also offer art and DJ courses. slcherc.com.
A green thumb
Cactus and Tropicals is already one of our favorite places to buy plants and plant supplies for the “plant parents” in our lives. They are also a home for customers to learn what they should do with all of those plants and supplies. Check out their website for upcoming classes. cactusandtropicals.com
Going full hog
Full disclosure, this class is for people who like to learn hands-on (and aren’t too squeamish). In Beltex’s Whole Hog butchery class, students learn how to cut, saw, snap and chop a whole hog into cuts for a variety of cooking methods. Yes. Learn how to butcher a whole hog. beltexmeats.com
Beltex Whole Hog Butchery Class. Photos Cali Warner
Flying High
The closest some of us are going to get to being Brad Pitt or Robert Redford is reenacting scenes from A River Runs Through It. In the novella and film, fly fishing bridges the relationship between the two brothers. Of course, Montana isn’t the only place to fly fish. There are excellent places to develop the skill all over Utah. Western Rivers Fly Fishing offers a range of classes for all levels, as well as Private Fly Casting Lessons. Gift Cards are available at westernriversflyfishing.com
We have all been there. Standing at a picked-over rack of neckties in a crowded mall department store, debating over navy with a red pattern or red with a navy pattern, we start to wonder, “Wait. Did I get Dad a tie for Christmas last year? Or was it socks?” Regardless, he has more socks and ties than anyone who works from home could ever need. In fact, maybe we all have too much stuff. But what do you give for the holidays without adding to the clutter? Something that shows you actually love—and maybe even like—these people?
As kids, whenever we asked our moms what they wanted for Christmas she would always say, “Time together with my beautiful children.” We would always roll our eyes. How do you gift-wrap “time together” and put it under a Christmas tree, anyhow? Nowadays, we’re starting to think she was on to something. You might have to get creative with how you wrap up these presents to open up on Christmas morning, but they give the opportunity for something truly priceless: quality time together and memories to last a lifetime.
Singular Dining Experiences
A romantic dinner for two after a snowy, moonlit forest hike or a warm gathering with friends to share good food and warm conversation, either way it’s hard to go wrong with gifting one of these unique dining experiences to someone you love this holiday season.
A romantic dinner ‘yurt’ sure to remember
The stretch of canvas above and a roaring fire keep the elements at bay as groups of friends or, perhaps, a private party of two get lost in the aromas of a hot meal. It’s intimate and romantic and there are multiple ways to experience the gift of dining in a yurt in Utah. The mountainside Yurt at Solitude Mountain Resort is home to the highly sought-after evening experience that begins with a guided snowshoe tour through a snow-capped forest and ends with a multi-course dinner in the warm and cozy comfort of The Yurt. The Wilderness Access Outfitters’ Nordic Yurt Dinner experience likewise takes diners on a half-mile, guided evening snowshoeing tour through Soldier Hollow in Midway. Then, they receive a private fine dining experience with a four-course meal. Before the night is over, guests are invited to make s’mores by the fire. The Viking Yurt at Park City Mountain Resort melds rustic sensibilities and fine dining. The four-hour dining experience is exclusive and meticulously paced. The preamble is a moonlit sleigh ride to the on-mountain yurt. Gift cards are available for the Nordic Yurt Dinner. solitudemountain.com, waoutah.com, thevikingyurt.com
Dining at the Soldier Hollow Nordic Yurt. Photo courtesy of WAO.
Snowglobe-trotting
For the people who love the idea of dining in a yurt, but would rather skip the snowshoeing and possible strangers, there’s the picturesque Alpenglobe. This European trend became all the rage in Utah during the social distancing of the pandemic, but they have shown some staying power. After all, who doesn’t want to dine outdoors, enjoying the beauty of winter, while staying toasty warm? These in-demand dining experiences can be found at Franck’s Restaurant in Holladay, Westgate Resort in Park City, Butcher’s Chop House & Bar in Park City and Stein Eriksen Lodge In Deer Valley. francksfood.com, steinlodge.com
A spirit guide
Imagine gifting your group of discerning booze-hound friends with a customized van tour of their favorite Utah distilleries. You can do just that with Utah Spirit Trail, which provides a knowledgeable guide to lead guests on their spirit journey. If wine is more their speed, the Utah Wine Trail awaits. Road trip through Southern Utah with a Trail Pass to tastings at five local wineries. (There’s a prize at the end after you visit all five locations.) For those lovers of beers and brews, Visit Salt Lake offers a Brewery Pass that grants a $5 credit that can be used toward any drink, food or merch at each of the 15 breweries on the pass. offutahspirittrail.com, utahwinetrail.com, visitsaltlake.com
Knowledge to Last a Lifetime
Taking a class or workshop to gain a new skill or improve an existing one is a worthwhile endeavor—especially for the people in our lives who never want to stop learning. Not to mention, taking a class together can be an intimate and fun bonding activity for friends, couples parents and their adult children.
Foodie Fun + Chocolate
While Caputo’s offers classes ranging from cocktail making to cooking an entire Italian Christmas dinner, what this stalwart Italian market and deli is best known for, in terms of its education offerings, is its craft chocolate tasting classes where participants learn what separates good chocolate from mind-blowing chocolate. caputos.com —Mellissa Fields
Lessons to impress
If your friends are the types who hungrily devour knowledge about their favorite topics to later captivate and impress groups at parties or work functions (and one of those favorite topics also happens to be wine or cocktails) this is for them. Sommelier and educator James Santangelo of the Wine Academy of Utah is an animated repository of knowledge about wine, spirits and many adjacent subjects. Gift your friends a class on wine pairings or rum and chocolate or whiskey and cigars. In-home tasting events are also available. wineacademyofutah.com,continue.utah.edu
HERC adult hiphop dance class. Photo courtesy of HERC.
Dancing the night away
The HERC at 1520 Arts in South Salt Lake has excellent programming for people who are still kids at heart…and like to groove. Their Adult Hiphop Dance Class is perfect for complete beginners and for people who are looking to boogie. They also offer art and DJ courses. slcherc.com.
A green thumb
Cactus and Tropicals is already one of our favorite places to buy plants and plant supplies for the “plant parents” in our lives. They are also a home for customers to learn what they should do with all of those plants and supplies. Check out their website for upcoming classes. cactusandtropicals.com
Going full hog
Full disclosure, this class is for people who like to learn hands-on (and aren’t too squeamish). In Beltex’s Whole Hog butchery class, students learn how to cut, saw, snap and chop a whole hog into cuts for a variety of cooking methods. Yes. Learn how to butcher a whole hog. beltexmeats.com
Beltex Whole Hog Butchery Class. Photos Cali Warner
Flying High
The closest some of us are going to get to being Brad Pitt or Robert Redford is reenacting scenes from A River Runs Through It. In the novella and film, fly fishing bridges the relationship between the two brothers. Of course, Montana isn’t the only place to fly fish. There are excellent places to develop the skill all over Utah. Western Rivers Fly Fishing offers a range of classes for all levels, as well as Private Fly Casting Lessons.
Gift Cards are available at westernriversflyfishing.com
Squinting through bleary eyes I feel like I’ve engaged the hyperdrive in the Millennium Falcon. The headlights give the falling snow a disorienting luminescence, but the way the flakes are piling up on the pavement makes me think the white-knuckle journey will be worth it. The license plate on my truck says, “Greatest Snow on Earth,” but every now and again a string of splitter storms leaves the central Wasatch high and dry. Some folks cut bait to warm themselves like lizards on desert rocks, but I’m in search of snow. I’m also looking for an escape from the homogenized commercialization permeating skiing. I’m after deep snow and warm yurts in remote mountains. I want cheap lift tickets with an old-school vibe and a watering hole that wears its carpet stains with pride. I’m yearning for some skiing in Northern Utah.
Powder Paradise
After a winter like last year’s, during which a record-setting amount of the Greatest Snow On Earth blanketed the Beehive State, it’s no surprise to see Utah resorts receiving some well-earned accolades. Still, it caught our attention when Powder Mountain, with its famously low-key vibes, topped the SKI magazine western resort rankings for 2024. The publication—part of the Outside mega-conglomerate—electronically polled more than 200,000 people to compile this year’s rankings. Previous reader surveys have regularly leaned toward destinations with swankier accouterments than the ski-centric Pow Mow offers, but readers this year clearly gravitated to the resort’s core skiing experience.
Powder Mountain – Ian Matteson
Pow Mow limits daily lift tickets to keep lift lines in check and offers a refreshingly uncomplicated experience. Ski down, hop on a lift, and maybe stop in an unpretentious lodge for a reasonably-priced burger and beer if the mood strikes. The resort also gets a ton of snow and has more than 8,400 acres of skiable terrain above the Northern Ogden Valley. They even offer $19 night skiing, a welcome sight in a world of soaring lift ticket prices.
While in Paradise it’s best to lean-in and fully embrace indulgence. Whisper Ridge’s yurts take luxury glamping to the next level. The Perch Yurt Village is atop a backcountry mountain ridge with 360-degree views of the Wasatch as well as an outdoor hot tub and a recreation yurt with ping pong and billiards. Don’t forget a dinner prepared by a five-star chef to refuel after a day of ripping powder. Ski and lodging packages start at $930.
Prudent in Poki
After emptying the 401k for a day of cat skiing, it’s time to climb the latitudes for a more frugal adventure in Idaho. The miles tick by quickly on the hour and 45 minute drive North on I-15 from Paradise. Columnar basalt formations dot the landscape as you approach the Portneuf Range and your ultimate destination: Pebble Creek Ski Area. Pebble Creek—known locally as The Rock for its steep and rocky nature—is a little-known stone in the crown of the Gem State that’s been in operation for 69 years and counting. The understated base area sits in the shadow of Bonneville Peak and its 2,200 lift-accessed vertical feet is more than 50 percent advanced and expert skiing. A full day ticket can be had for $69, and it’s only $54 for a half day, or go full night mode for only $25.. You could take a family of four skiing here for about the price as a single ticket at one of Utah’s corporate mega-resorts.
Photo courtesy of Pebble Creek
Each of Pebble Creek’s three chairs is a fixed-grip triple, so you’ll have to embrace the slower pace of the day. Your legs will probably be thankful for the extra rest as the laps start to pile up on The Rock and Rattlesnake off the Skyline Lift. The resort backs up to the Caribou National Forest, which offers endless backcountry skiing opportunities for the knowledgable and incredible views for everyone else.
You will miss out on a couple things skiing at Pebble Creek. Mostly lift lines and overpriced food and drinks. A beer at the Rock Bottom Saloon is $2, and the popcorn’s free. Local bands liven up the apres scene on Sunday nights and move to the outdoor deck when things warm up in the spring. There’s not much else going on Inkom, so make your way over to Pocatello for the evening. Try Jim Dandy Brewing for a beer and a bite with a rotating cast of craft brews and popular food trucks.
The LDS Conference Center was built in 2000, primarily to host the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ semiannual congregations of the faithful (called simply General Conferences). But it also sets the stage for many other musical and performance events—namely the Tabernacle Choir’s Christmas Concert. An engineering marvel with insanely fastidious acoustics, the 1.4-million-square-foot center seats 21,000 people and is large enough that it could fit a Boeing 747 in the main auditorium. Moreover, it was designed so that the view from every one of the 21,000 seats in the house is unobstructed by support pillars. And engineering milagro!
The LDS Conference Center is also home to the famous Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, formerly known as the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, which was mind-bogglingly renamed in 2018. (Why would The Church give up such a household name? It’s Elvis Presley changing his name to “The Singer at the Las Vegas Hilton.” But whatever.) The Choir’s former internationally recognized name came from the Church’s original Temple Square gathering space, the Tabernacle, which the much larger Conference Center was built to replace. (Locals cheekily call the Conference Center “the SUPER-nacle.”)
Bell ringers accompany the Choir during the annual Christmas Concert. Photo courtesy of the LDS church.
The original Tabernacle still is a functioning concert hall and an interesting piece of frontier architecture. Its builders designed an amazingly acoustically sound hall. If you take the tour, the tour guides will demonstrate the acoustics by dropping a pin from the dais that you can hear at the back of the hall. Another interesting note: the pillars that support the upper mezzanine in the Tabernacle are made of wood, but the designers, seeking old-world grandeur—which, in the new world that Utah was in, was anything “from back east”—meticulously painted the wooden columns to look like striated marble. Sections of the Choir and other smaller choruses still practice and perform in the Old Tabernacle.
How Super? The numbers.
1,200 lights illuminate the stage.
38 horsepower of wind drives the Conference Center’s organ.
50,000 miles of electrical wire power the building, enough to circle the Earth twice.
8.4 on the Richter scale would not be enough of an Earthquake to topple the building.
620 tons of fabricated steel hold up the roof without the aid of support columns.
Little Cottonwood Canyon cuts a steep, serpentine fissure through the Wasatch Range. In the winter, snow cleaves to sheer granite cliffs, stubbled with pine trees of such deep green they appear almost black. For more than 80 years, skiers have been driving the canyon road to reach the slopes of Alta Ski Area. When I started ski lessons at Alta during the 2022-2023 season, I had only a general knowledge of the long history of the area. I had no knowledge at all of how that history intertwined with mine and the histories of many Utahns who donned their first skis at Alta. For generations, Utah families of powder hounds have raised future ski pilgrims to learn the ways of the mountain faith, using Alta as their base and temple. When I learned I had unknowingly continued my own family’s Alta tradition, I prevailed upon them to share what it was like when they first skied those same slopes.
Photo courtesy of Alta Ski Area
1940s Powder Hounds
“We’d go almost every weekend, not just once in a while, but we as much as we could,” My grandfather, Lloyd Bishop, started skiing with his friends as a high school student in Kaysville, Utah in the 1940s. There were not as many options then, and Alta had the best powder. He used second-hand equipment and, eventually, gear he bought “for almost nothing” from an Army surplus store after the war. (Alta served as a training ground for Army paratroopers to prepare for combat in the Alps.) To hear my grandpa tell it, nothing was more uncomfortable than heavy, 7-foot, Army-issue skis and boots. “They were just horrible,” he groans, but it was the only gear he could afford.
To earn money for a ski pass, he played saxophone in a “dance band,” performing at churches and weddings. “I started playing when I was 14 years old because—this was the start of World War II—and all of the older guys that would normally be playing were gone,” he says. “I made about $3.50 for playing the night, which is about what it cost for a day pass to Alta!” He laughs, “We would beg, borrow and steal,” anyway they could get it, he says, to ski.
The author’s grandfather, Lloyd Bishop, stops to pose for a photograph while skiing at Alta Ski
Area in 1947. Photo Courtesy Lloyd Bishop
My grandfather and his friends’ quest for powder and thrills saw them skiing all day in the warmest clothes they had—thermal underwear and denim jeans and jackets—until they were soaked through. Back then, Alta had just the Alta Lodge and one main lift. The old Collins lift opened in 1939, becoming the second chairlift in the West. While my grandpa skied Alta throughout high school and college, it grew with the conversion of the Rustler and Peruvian J-bars to single-chair lifts, the opening of the Rustler and Peruvian lodges and the expansion of the Ski School.
The quest for powder drove them to hike in skins for half a day up the backside of Brighton (before there was a resort in Park City) to ski down the other side. They would spend the second half of the day skiing at Brighton for the cheaper, half-day rate. Similar ventures were made to Alta from where would eventually become Snowbird. “You were on absolutely virgin, fresh snow that nobody had ever skied. And the snow is powder, deep powder,” he explains.
In 1950, my grandfather went to Germany for an LDS Mission, where he skied the Bavarian Alps on those “horrible” Army skis at Zugspitze and gained a little perspective. It remains a popular German skiing destination and, at the time, it made ski areas in Utah look downright “primitive.” “It’s because most people didn’t realize it back then, that Alta is one of the best ski areas in the United States,” he says. “But it was also very primitive, which is both good and bad.” For example, “The road up Little Cottonwood was a challenge by itself,” he says. The road to Alta was even more treacherous and frustrating than it is now—prone to closures and fraught with avalanches that we were still developing the techniques to mitigate. On the other side of that same coin, powder hounds of the era look back at the staggering number of runs they could do on nearly unbroken powder in a day at Alta, but nothing good stays secret for long. It’s a balancing act that defines and guides Alta still today—modernizing and growing to meet demand without sacrificing the quality and nostalgia of the Alta skiing experience.
To that point, James Laughlin, the once owner of Alta Lodge is quoted saying, “You’ve got to keep some places like god made them. If you overdo it, you’ll destroy Alta…I take great pride in Alta because it is the one place that’s left that’s a little bit like the old skiing.”
Alta Ski
School Students in the ’80s. Photo courtesy of Alta Ski Area
1970s Powder Pilgrims
“I can’t remember the name of the mountain because it wasn’t a mountain. It was a hill. It was more like a pimple.” My grandpa moved the family to New Jersey when my mom was just a kid, and skiing there, once again, gave some perspective. “They get so much traffic coming down the ski run that, when you have a curve, all the snow had been worn off.” He shakes his head. “So, they would cover the mud with straw.”
“After that, I said to the kids, ‘what would you rather do? Go to Utah and maybe only ski twice or three times a year, or continue to ski for a year here?’” It wasn’t even a question. That’s how my mom, Kellie, and her siblings ended up visiting Utah every Spring Break to ski. By then, the Goldminer’s Daughter had opened. New and expanded lifts at Alta accessed higher areas as well as some that were more beginner-friendly, as if to accommodate the cultivation of a new generation of Alta skiers.
Skiers at Alta, 1947. Photos courtesy of Utah Historical Society
“For me, Alta was like growing up.” Even though my mom had skied elsewhere before, she considers Alta where she really learned to ski and keep up with bigger kids on the mountain (including an older boy who was her first-ever crush). They would ski all morning, then go to the parking lot to scarf down some bagged lunch in the car, then back to skiing. “I couldn’t last all day back then,” my mom says. “I mean, granted, I would have been like eight or nine. I thought it was really cool that I could walk in my ski boots in the lodge and get hot chocolate and sit in there by a fire while I waited for everyone else to be done.” It’s one of her favorite parts of the experience.
While she remembers having to overcome her fear of heights to first ride the lifts, the transfer tow ended up being the real problem. “I would always keep my hair in a ponytail tucked into my cap,” she says, so it wouldn’t get in her face as she skied. With equal parts laughter and terror, she recounts grabbing onto the tow behind her older sister, Lynn, who wore her hair in a long, free braid. To this day no one is sure quite how it happened. The end of Lynn’s braid caught in the rope, pulling her hair as the tension increased with the addition of more riders.
My grandpa was waiting nearby and looked over to see that “it was dragging her up the mountain by her hair. I rushed down to her and skied up as fast as I could before the rope tow came to an end and she could get herself tangled.”
Not even a vindictive rope tow stopped the fun that day or the yearly pilgrimages to Alta, however, and the tale has become a piece of family lore.
And Now
I’m not a powder hound or a pilgrim. My ski lessons at Alta last season marked the first time I had skied ever. But before I graduated to the beginner runs, Patsey Marley and Crooked Mile—some of the same runs my mother braved her fear of heights to ski—I shared my brief time on the bunny hills with parents teaching their young children, who in turn had been taught to ski by their parents on those same slopes.
While the experience has changed some since my grandfather’s formative Alta years (improved facilities, new lifts and much better gear) and since their annual family spring ski trips (yet bigger, better lifts and the addition of the Albion Day Lodge) much remains the same. It’s the balance that Alta and its collection of family-owned lodges are trying to maintain. The things that remain the same, the experiences we all share, are the things that connect us to the generations that came before: The morning ritual of loading up ski gear with family and friends. The awe-inspiring but oft-frustrating drive through Little Cottonwood Canyon. The search for thrills and untouched snow. The celebration of fresh powder. Resorting to creative methods to fund an expensive habit. Bagged car lunches. Pushing ourselves to go a little higher and faster. Laughing at our siblings’ misfortunes. The simple pleasure of sipping a warm drink in a mountain lodge.
Alf Engen Ski School
In 1935, the ski school namesake, world-champion skier Alf Engen explored Alta’s slopes on behalf of the U.S. Forest Service to scout potential winter sports sites, ultimately recommending Alta as a place to develop a ski area. Engen (who also lends his name to the legendary run Alf’s High Rustler) helped found the Alta ski school and served as Ski School Director for 40 years, starting in 1949. The ski school has since become a model for others across the country. The program offers group or private lessons for adults and children of all skill levels, as well as camps and multi-week lessons with some of the best ski instructors around. alta.com/ski-school
Alan and Alf Engen, the namesake of Alta’s Ski School. Photo courtesy of Alta Ski Area
Utah offers a selection of venues where the charcuterie board is not just an offering but a specialty. Let's slice into the scene and discover the best places for charcuterie…
We have all been there.Standing at a picked-over rack of neckties in a crowded mall department store, debating over navy with a red pattern or red with a navy pattern, we start to wonder, “Wait. Did I get Dad a tie for Christmas last year? Or was it socks?” Regardless, he has more socks and ties than anyone who works from home could ever need. In fact, maybe we all have too much stuff. But what do you give for the holidays without adding to the clutter? Something that shows you actually love—and maybe even like—these people?
As kids, whenever we asked our moms what they wanted for Christmas she would always say, “Time together with my beautiful children.” We would always roll our eyes. How do you gift-wrap “time together” and put it under a Christmas tree, anyhow? Nowadays, we’re starting to think she was on to something. You might have to get creative with how you wrap up these presents to open up on Christmas morning, but they give the opportunity for something truly priceless: quality time together and memories to last a lifetime.
Into the Woods: Outdoor Adventures from Mild to Wild
Whether your people are backpack-in-the-mountains-for-a-week kind of people or just enjoy-the-scenery kind of people, there’s an outdoor adventure (and a gift) that is just right for them.
A License to Give
For the intrepid outdoorsman, this is a simple but thoughtful gift. Did you know that Utah State hunting and fishing licenses and permits can be purchased as gifts? Now you do. And it’s not just for the warmer seasons. There are several hunts in Utah during the winter, and don’t forget about ice fishing! wildlife.utah.gov
A Zippy Tour
What better way to see Utah than while strapped in a harness, suspended from cable dozens of feet from the ground? We all have a thrill seeker in our lives. This is for them. Sundance Resort’s ZipTour offers stunning views of Mount Timpanogos and includes the biggest vertical drop of any zipline in the country. In Heber, Zipline Utah’s “Screaming Falcon Full Tour” is apparently the longest course in the world. Bridgerland Adventure Park near Bear Lake has zip lines and ropes tours and something called a “Zorb Ball” (a floating hamster ball for people) on Bear Lake. And for tours soaring over Moab’s red-rock scenery, there’s Ravens Rim or Moab Adventure Center. sundanceresort.com, ziplineutah.com, blap.rocks, ravensrim.com, moabadventurecenter.com
Zion Narrows (in Winter)
Exploring the famed Narrows of Zion National Park in winter is a truly unique experience. The park, woefully crowded in the summer, is practically empty in winter and crawling upriver below the towering cliff walls, coated in ice is pure splendor. Book a guided or self-guided tour at Zion Outfitter or Zion Adventures in Springdale. Tours come with dry suit rentals that will keep you warm and toasty. zionoutfitter.com, zionadventures.com
Every Park, One Pass
This is for the person who packs up their 10-year-old Subaru to go hiking or camping every other weekend. Utah is home to five national parks, seven national monuments and even more national recreation areas, and you can give your friend free, unfettered access to all of them for an entire year with the America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass (as well as access to every NPS area in the U.S.). The pass pays for itself after visiting just three parks. If you really like this person, you can also throw in a Utah State Parks Annual Pass, which provides access to Utah’s 44 state parks. usparkpass.com, parkspass.utah.gov
Backcountry Ski Tour
This is for the expert skier (sorry snowboarders, it’s a ski-only thing). The Ski Utah Interconnect Adventure Tour connects up to six Utah ski resorts through backcountry terrain. This adventure includes walking, hiking, traversing, and, yes, skiing. The tour guides are experts, trained in snow safety and backcountry etiquette. Your gift recipient will be in good hands. Open and private tours are available as well as preset and custom routes. skiutah.com
CRATE Grand Canyon River Tour. Photo courtesy of CRATE Grand Canyon River Tours.
The Trip of a Lifetime
A rafting trip down the Grand Canyon is truly one of the world’s most incredible outdoor adventures. People wait for years to get a permit and only a few guide companies are allowed to run the river. One of the oldest and best outfits, Colorado River & Trail Expeditions (CRATE), offers 8- and 14-day trips (motorized and non-motorized) down the Colorado River through one of the wonders of the natural world. CRATE offers customized gift certificates. If your loved one likes white water thrills, the ideal time to go May through June. You’ll want to put this in a big box. Call 800-253-7328 or visit crateinc.com
Staycations in Utah: Explore Your Own Backyard
While gifting an international getaway might not be feasible, staycations tend to be more friendly both in planning and affordability. In our own backyard, we have chic mountain suites and modern hotels that cater to adventurers both urban and rural, for potential surprise weekend trips.
Climbing to great heights in the Granary
This is for your friend or partner who, let’s face it, hasn’t seemed to realize they’re a little too cool for you. The Granary District is swiftly joining Central 9th as one of Salt Lake City’s trendiest up-and-coming neighborhoods. The outdoor music venue Granary Live just opened this summer and, while two tickets to a live concert at the cool new venue make for a great gift on their own, why not include a place to crash after? EVO Hotel has an on-site coffee shop serving local coffee, a rooftop bar, an art campus—oh, and an on-site skate park and climbing gym. Your cool friend about town can cool down with a public art stroll through the Granary, where 12 new murals are on display. granarylive.com, evohotel.com, thegranarydistrict.com
Evo Hotel has become a magnet for all ages of skateboarding enthusiasts who are drawn to a first in Utah, a skatepark within a boutique hotel. Photo courtesy of Evo Hotel
Adventure to Park City
A staycation at Canyons Village in Park City serves as a great base for the gift of family adventure in any season—with access to hiking, biking, lifts, skiing and snowboarding. You also don’t have to go far (just outside your hotel room door) for shops, restaurants and entertainment (like year-round fireworks shows and the perfect venue for kids’ pizza parties), not to mention a mountainside golf course. If you’re looking to gift a close-to-home ski trip for a busy family, the Epic Day Pass’s flexibility makes for the complete gift package. And we haven’t forgotten about the kiddos! The Epic SchoolKids Utah Pack is a program for local kids in Kindergarten through 5th Grade that includes five days of free skiing and riding at Park City. parkcitymountain.com, epicpass.com
Ice Skating at Gallivan Center. Photo by Austen Diamond, Visit Salt Lake
A Weekend on Broadway (in Salt Lake)
The plays: MJ orPretty Woman at the Eccles on night one, and Plan B’s Balthazar on night two. Stay at the newly renovated Hotel Monaco. Make dinner reservations at the Monaco’s Bambara, led by new chef Patrick LeBeau or head over to the funky, speakeasy-esque The Rest. Spend the day in-between shows soaking up downtown’s magical wintertime vibe by ice skating on Gallivan Center Ice Rink, going to the top of the Hyatt Regency for Cocktails & Curling, sipping an expertly made cappuccino at Three Pines Coffee or having afternoon tea at The Rose Establishment. For a post-show aperitif, we recommend a craft cocktail at Post Office Place or a round of Space Invaders and a draft beer at Quarters Arcade. —Melissa Fields
Our 2023 Holiday Gift Guide is here! Discover unique and special gifts as well as solutions for your holiday gathering from Salt Lake Magazine’s partners in finding that perfect gift for everyone on your list.
Minky Couture
Visit their website or any location to receive 45% off use code: SLC45
Non-alcoholic cocktail kits by WB’s Eatery include a non-alcoholic spirit and a mixer or de-alcoholized wine so you can mindfully recreate. All kits are gift wrapped and shipped nationwide.
The Lollia Wish line is rich and comforting with a vanilla and jasmine scent, it creates a delicious and soothing experience! Angels in Our Midst includes beautiful artwork and encouraging, hopeful stories by renowned artist Anne H. Neilson and makes for a gorgeous coffee table book for anyone!
Looking for that special treasured gift for your special someone? Stop in and take a look at our amazing room of treasures that are sure to make even the most discerning of collectors shout with “Joy to the World!” Specializing in hand-knotted rugs is our focus, making your entire home a treasured experience is our pleasure.
Discover distinctive and memorable holiday gifts this season at Anthony’s, your premier source for early Utah art, original paintings, sculptures, and works on paper by renowned European and American artists. Located in Salt Lake City, our 25,000 square-foot gallery features not only beautiful antique furniture and rare decorative arts but also stunning jewelry selections.
Gift a curated dining experience at Aqua Terra Steak + Sushi! The new restaurant showcases premium steaks, wild game, sushi, seafood, cocktails, wine, and more in an alluring yet approachable atmosphere.
Share the gift of locally roasted coffee with your friends and family. Kings Peak Coffee offers coffee club subscriptions (the gift that keeps on giving) as well as gift cards to make your holiday shopping a breeze. Our goal is to build meaningful relationships with our farmers and always ethically and consciously source our coffees. From light roast to dark roast and single origins to blends we offer something for everyone. Come visit our shop or order online.
Otto Huggie Earrings – $980 Tarot Baguette Ring – $3,100 Mini Sole Sun Necklace – $1,200 Mini Bezel Crescent Earrings – $2,400 All in 18K yellow gold with diamonds, pink sapphires, and emeralds.
Delight the garden enthusiast in your life with botanic-inspired gifts from the Red Butte Garden Gift Shop! You’ll find one-of-a-kind fine jewelry, designer bags and scarves, sun hats, books, note cards, fairy garden supplies, wind chimes, seasonal gifts, and indoor/outdoor home and holiday decor. Join us for our Annual Gift Shop Holiday Sale on Dec. 2 and 3.
Sugar House Distillery, situated in Salt Lake City, stands celebrated for its grain-to-glass artistry. Our esteemed spirits—Vodka, Rum, Malt, Rye, and Bourbon Whiskey—crafted from local grains, undergo meticulous distillation and bottling. Additionally, be sure to experience our expertly crafted canned cocktails.
No matter how you say it, all of life’s magical moments deserve a toast. Celebrate with Santé! Traditional Methode Chamenoise Sparkling Wine from Grande River Vineyards.
Sip, savor, and embark on a spirited local distillery adventure at Simplicity Spirits Co.! Explore distillation, relish craft spirits and canned cocktails, and toast to unforgettable holiday memories and cheer!
