Technology has advanced sports in ways that few people could have imagined. Snowboard designs were applied to skis, resulting in the forgiving fat skis that are so popular now. Paragliding technology was combined with wake boarding technology resulting in kitesurfing. You can even ski in the most unlikely of places — like Dubai — thanks to technological advances.
Snowbird is one of those resorts that in almost always included in best ski resort lists, and rightly so. It has one of the biggest annual snowfalls in the country, and it’s the legendary Utah driy powder. It has some of the most accessible in-bounds extreme terrain that I’ve ever seen.
I was fortunate enough to visit Snowbird a few times this year and shoot some of their sponsored riders. It was epic. I rode chutes like the ones I’d only previously seen in movies. Hucked sme pretty big cliffs as well. The conditions weren’t always great for photos, but we still got some pretty spectacular shots.
When I first moved to Utah I was appalled to learn that there are two ski resorts here that don’t allow snowboarders: Alta and Deer Valley.
I was also intrigued.
Alta, one of the oldest hills in North America, is regularly featured on lists of the best ski resorts in in the United States. It’s referred to by many skiers as the mecca of the sport. It’s also a source of tension among local skiers and snowboarders, as can be clearly seen in the video Sh*t Alta Skiers Say About Snowboarding.
When I found out about Alta’s policy, I knew I had to find out what it was about this hill that created such devotion among pass holders and why the management felt it necessary to prevent snowboarders from sharing the hill.
I made my first turns of the season on opening day at Snowbird and I began my investigation into whether or not Utah actually has The Greatest Snow on Earth ® as the state’s trademarked motto claims. It’s an investigation that I will work long and hard — even on weekends — to complete.
It’s going to be a rough winter.
The hike to Angel’s Landing (formerly known as the Temple of Aeolus) is well-known as being one of the most spectacular hikes in Zion National Park in Utah, which places it among the most beautiful hikes in the world. However, it’s also one of the most dangerous.
Yesterday an interesting item popped up in my Facebook feed. It was a link to the website for the Utah Undie Run. Emilie and I had just moved to Salt Lake City and our friend Danielle had come to visit. I thought it would be fun for us to do so I suggested it.
Not being the types to go parading around in their undies in front of large crowds, I was surprised that they agreed.
So, yesterday at around 5pm we stripped down and headed to the Salt Lake City Public Library where the event was to going to start.
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High in the mountains and near several lakes, Park City is one of America’s favourite outdoors destinations. Outdoors adventure opportunities there are varied and spectacular. Rock climbing around Park City is incredible. There are numerous mountain biking and hiking trails for people of all abilities. There are several world-class ski hillswithin driving distance, and numerous rivers and lakes for canoeing, rafting, and kayaking. Enough cannot be said about this place.
