Final

Over the course of the semester, I've become a better writer, thinker, reader. As I was preparing to write this post, this statement I'm supposed to argue, forced me to think about how I've become a better critical writer.
Through this class I've become a better critical thinker by learning the habits and thought processes of an "A" student. Almost every week Prof. Hammond referred to something that a A student did, wether it was a study habit or a difference in an assignment. These examples stuck with me, and I thought about how I could implement those ideas into my own schooling. Three things stuck with me, using readings and summaries, double dipping into assignments, and using sources.

As I was writing my final essay, the summary assignments finally made sense. By reading a seemingly separate assignment, I was able to easily integrate that into my essay. Same with the daily readings, a short summary each day, and I was able to draw on that information the remainder of the semester. By reading something well just once, digesting the information, and writing it down, I was able to improve my performance in each of the future assignments.

Secondly, this class taught me how to integrate multiple assignments and even classes together. The use of the blog seemed like a tedious, unnecessary assignment, but in the end, it saved so much time on the larger projects. Simple planning and thinking early in the semester would provide the opportunities to coordinate different assignments into one.

Finally, I learned how to use other sources to improve my own thinking and writing. This semester was one of the first times where I had thoroughly used other sources in my writing. At first I simply thought using sources was just have someone else say what you were going to say. However, as I was writing my essay, I realized that others weren't saying exactly what I wanted to say. Then I realized that sources are just the mortar that holds the bricks of the argument together. I learned how to implement different topics in order to argue what I had to say, all the more strengthening my argument. With that came structure and conciseness to my writing, all the more increasing the A student mentality.

Through these three items I've learned how to value my time, without losing any of the value of my work. All in all this class taught me a new way to look at school. Now I am so much more concise with my work, yet a better academic writer altogether.

The Last Frontier:

The Deceptive Protection of the National Wilderness

National Wilderness is. . .  “an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.”

- 1964, National Wilderness Act

The national wilderness encopasses 106 million acres of national forest and park (“Wilderness”). With the massive amount of land controlled by the forest service, it is important to examine how that land is cared for. The Organic Act of 1916, clearly stated the purpose of the national park service is to conserve the land and its resources and leave them unimpaired for future generations (United States “History...”). Those 106 million acres of land, are the inheritance of future generations. If that land is not protected, then there is no more untouched land and there are no more available resources to draw from. The recent push for outdoor activities have greatly affected that land. The rugged sections are becoming polluted with the footprints of the environmentally unconscious. As the national wilderness is slowly being stripped of its natural worth, is the forest service accomplishing its goal? Is man just a visitor in the vast wilderness? Although national parks and forests were originally intended to protect wilderness areas, federal land management has taken away the natural ruggedness of the land by the ever-increasing infrastructure, the disruption of the wildlife, and an over-emphasis on visitor experience.

Scarring the national wilderness areas, forest and park roads take away from the natural beauty of the wilderness as they damage each facet of the environment. In Yellowstone National Park, 80% of the park roads, as of 2015, do not have the capacity or the quality withhold the use they receive (United States. “Road Construction and Delays”). This lack of quality road infrastructure increases delays in national parks as well as decreasing the aesthetic appeal. Roads themselves have high environmental impacts to the water runoff, chemical balance of the soil, and the vegetation (Ament, Clevenger, Yu, and Hardy 480-496). These environmental effects of roads do great damage to the visible environment, but also the health of the microenvironment. The high traffic that some national areas receive creates habitat fragmentation which includes animal death by vehicles and the disruption animal routines (Daigle 65-89). Not only are roads a disruption the the visitors and landscape, but they also disturb the animal population and raise the animal mortality rate. The roads that fill the national wilderness areas diminish the aesthetic appeal of the area while doing great damage to each individual part of the ecosystem.

The addition of campsites and lodging to national wilderness areas takes away from the primitivity of the land, as well as leaving a large impact on the surrounding environment. Leung and Marion found that any visible camping sites or backcountry impacts attracted further overnight use ending up in multiplicative environmental strain (193-203). The continued use of campgrounds in national parks stresses the environment and decreases the rugged feel of the park. The continued overnight usage of wilderness areas disrupts the surrounding wildlife, which in turn decrease the visitor’s park experience (“Top Ten Issues...”). The mass camping sites and overnight lodges appease visitors, but they take away from the isolated, natural feel. Hamed and Laughlin found that 25.6 small mammals (per km) were killed by litter and trash containers, in Cherokee National Forest (506-515). The environmental footprint from overnight usage is extremely detrimental to the well being of the surrounding wildlife. Campsites and lodging in national wilderness areas are a harm to the environment.

The over visitation of parks disrupts the wildlife’s natural lifestyle and decreases the number of wildlife sighting. S. L. Burton studied Denali National Park and found that as vehicle traffic increased on the main road, moose sighting decreased and the distance at which Dall Sheep were sighted also decreased (146). The constant visitation of an area changes the natural patterns of the wildlife as they attempt to find places with fewer human interruptions. Repetitive human use of an area for logging, caused small animals to move from the area to nearby, non invaded habitat (Lindenmayer, D.B., et al. 2070 - 2078). Any repetitive human use, especially ones of high environmental impact will force the wildlife into a less disturbed area. Crait, Regehr, and Merav found a struggling Yellowstone food chain between lake trout and river otters, caused by  invasive species introduced from tourists (596-605). The tourist market creates destructive opportunities that can lead to the endangerment of some species. All in all, the massive human footprint on national parks disrupt the animal's natural environment which decreases the wildlife sighting in wilderness areas.

Visitors in a wilderness area often harm the local wildlife and put themselves in danger by their environmental footprint. There have been 45 bear related injuries in Yellowstone National Park alone (United States, NPS, “Bear Inflicted Human Injuries…”), and that number is combined with many yearly Bison injuries. These yearly injuries from wildlife are caused by human carelessness. “A fed bear is a dead bear” (United States, NPS, “Bear Inflicted Human Injuries…”). Because of the accessibility of up close nature experiences, ignorant visitors can do great harm to the animals, to themselves, and to future visitors by simply welcoming an animal to human environment. Not only large animals are affected, but small mammals are also affected by the carelessness of visitors (Hamed and Laughlin 506-516). There are areas such as Denali National Park that require safety training and safety equipment, especially about animals to insure the safety of the animals and the visitors. Without proper training, ignorant visitors can harm the environment and themselves.

Focused on visitor experience, national parks and forests disturb the environment by helping visitors easily visit scenic destinations through buses, trams, and motor-vehicles. Borkowski noticed the behavioral response of Bison and Elk in Yellowstone to snowmobiles and snow carriages often resulted in disruption and defense (1911). The focus on appealing visitors often puts the animals in vulnerable positions as their daily patterns are throw into disorder. Many parks are beginning to integrate public transportation to reduce traffic, but Monz suggests that these public transportation systems affect the physical environment and the ecosystem structure (27-35). While they may improve visitor experience, the massive waves of crowds bring a massive environmental footprint at each delivery. The major emphasis on visitor satisfaction has created an environmental impact.

The national parks and forests do not separate between hard and soft ecotourism which gives to much responsibility to one side and is not lenient enough with the other. Finnessey defines soft ecotourism as, “tourists without a deep understanding of environmental issues and who are more focused on their needs and wants than those of the environment.” Soft tourists are the majority of the visitors at national parks. The ignorance of soft tourism catalyzes the problems facing parks and forest. Education for those people, would protect the environment and the tourists themselves. Finnessey also defines hard ecotourism as, “tourists that have a strong connection to the environment and believe their activities should “enhance the resource base”.” These tourists are conscious of the environment. However, they face many restrictions preventing further exploration and enjoyment of the national wilderness. More opportunity for hard ecotourists would be a reward and it would motivate others to have a similar outlook. The separation of these two groups would help conserve the environment and promote clean tourism.

Hayes and Porter-Bolland both have shown that locally managed land has been better at conserving and protecting the land’s resources (2064-2075), (6-17). So why does the forest service have so much power in determining how our land is handled? Dilsaver and Wyckoff determined that there is a domino effect in developing the infrastructure of a national park (75-92). The more infrastructure is build, the more supplementary infrastructure is required. So as each national park and forest takes small steps in developing opportunities and access for visitors, the domino effect continues. So as the recreational boom continues to advance, the national wilderness continues to be tamed. How long will this violation of the last natural land take place? Maybe it is time for a conservative approach to maintaining this valuable land. Although they are supposed to protect and conserve the national land, the national forest and park services are enabling the devaluation of the national wilderness because of the growing infrastructure, the over focus on visitor satisfaction, and disturbance of the wildlife.

Works Cited:

Ament, Rob, Anthony P. Clevenger, Olivia Yu, and Amanda Hardy. "An Assessment of Road Impacts on Wildlife Populations in U.S. National Parks." Environmental Management 42.3 (2008): 480-96. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.  

Borkowski, John J., et al. "Behavioral Responses of Bison and Elk in Yellowstone to Snowmobiles and Snowcoaches." Ecological Applications 2006: 1911. JSTOR Journals. Web. 5 Dec. 2015.

Burson, S. L., et al. "The Effect of Vehicle Traffic on Wildlife in Denali National Park." Arctic 2000: 146.JSTOR Journals. Web. 5 Dec. 2015.

Crait, Jamie R., Eric V. Regehr, and Merav Ben-David. "Indirect Effects Of Bioinvasions In Yellowstone Lake: The Response Of River Otters To Declines In Native Cutthroat Trout." Biological Conservation 191.(2015): 596-605. ScienceDirect. Web. 5 Dec. 2015.

Daigle, Patrick. “A summary of the environmental impacts of roads, management responses, and research gaps: A literature review.” BC Journal of Ecosystems and Management 10. (2010): 65-89. Web. 10, Dec. 2015

Dilsaver, Lary M., and William Wyckoff. "Regular Article: Agency Culture, Cumulative Causation And Development In Glacier National Park, Montana." Journal Of Historical Geography 25.(1999): 75-92. ScienceDirect. Web. 5 Dec. 2015.

Finnessey, Lauren. "The Negative Effects of Tourism on National Parks in the United States." Johnson & Wales University, 2012. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.

!!!!Gundersen, Vegard, et al. "Linking Visitor Motivation With Attitude Towards Management Restrictions On Use In A National Park." Journal Of Outdoor Recreation And Tourism 9.(2015): 77-86.ScienceDirect. Web. 7 Dec. 2015.

9 Hayes, Tanya M. “Parks, People, And Forest Protection: An Institutional Assessment Of The Effectiveness Of Protected Areas.” World Development 34. (2006): 2064-2075 ScienceDirect. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.

10 Hamed, M. Kevin, and Thomas F. Laughlin. "Small-Mammal Mortality Caused By Discarded Bottles And Cans Along A US Forest Service Road In The Cherokee National Forest." Southeastern Naturalist 14.3 (2015): 506-516. Academic Search Premier. Web. 5 Dec. 2015.  

11 Leung, Y, and Marion, Jeffrey. "Regular Article: Characterizing Backcountry Camping Impacts In Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA." Journal Of Environmental Management 57. (1999): 193-203. ScienceDirect. Web. 20 Oct. 2015.

12 Lindenmayer, D.B., et al. "Small Mammals And Retention Islands: An Experimental Study Of Animal Response To Alternative Logging Practices." Forest Ecology And Management 260.(2010): 2070-2078. ScienceDirect. Web. 7 Dec. 2015.

13 Monz, Christopher, et al. "The Ecological Implications Of Visitor Transportation In Parks And Protected Areas: Examples From Research In US National Parks." Journal Of Transport Geography 51.(2016): 27-35. ScienceDirect. Web. 7 Dec. 2015.

14 Porter-Bolland, Luciana, et al. "Community Managed Forests And Forest Protected Areas: An Assessment Of Their Conservation Effectiveness Across The Tropics." Forest Ecology And Management 268.Multiple Use of Tropical Forests: From Concept to Reality (2012): 6-17. ScienceDirect. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.

"Top Ten Issues Facing the National Parks -- National Geographic." National Geographic. Web. 13 Nov. 2015.

United States. National Park Service. "Bear Inflicted Human Injuries and Fatalities in Yellowstone." National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior, 09 Dec. 2015. Web. 10 Dec. 2015. <http://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/injuries.htm>.  

United States. National Park Service. "History (U.S. National Park Service)."National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior, 07 Dec. 2015. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.

United States. National Park Service. "Road Construction and Delays."National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior, 08 Dec. 2015. Web. 10 Dec. 2015. <http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/roadclosures.htm>.

"Wilderness." Wilderness. National Park Service, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2015. <http://wilderness.nps.gov/faqnew.cfm>.

The Best of Utah

Even with its flaws, Utah is a fantastic place to live. If you think about it, there is so much diversity in the state. The weather has a broad range and offers mild extremes in the Winter and Summer. For outdoor enthusiasts, Utah could arguably be the best state in America. The southern half of Utah features stunning, redrock desert and a wide variety of outdoor activities: four wheeling, hiking, fishing, biking, canyoneering, rafting, and rock climbing. The Northern half of Utah features rugged mountains also full of weekend activities: hiking, camping, biking, fishing, hunting, skiing, and climbing. With all of the diversity of Utah, where is the best place to live in order to take advantage of as much as possible.?

The great capitol of Utah is Salt Lake City. SLC is a great place to live because of the delicate balance that it holds. It is the largest city considering population, but along with the larger population comes some rich culture that can't be found anywhere else in Utah. SLC is home to the University of Utah, so for college students, it is a great option. From the perspective of an outdoor enthusiast, SLC is a great center of the state. Within 30 minutes from the great Wasatch front and the majority of the major ski resorts, SLC has great access to most outdoor activities. Within a four hour drive, lies the Southern capitols of Moab, Ceder City, and St. George, as well as the Southern national parks.

For more of an isolated feel, Cedar City and St. George are busy cities in the Southern end of the Utah, that offer great opportunities as well. Cedar City is the home of Southern Utah University, and St. George is home to Dixie state university. Both these cities are within a hour or two from all of the major southern parks and they are a stone throw away from Las Vegas. 

The two small town cities are Kanab and Moab. These are both located near the southern border. They both are tourist locations, but from an adventurer's point of view, they both have easy access to all of the Southern parks. They also come with a cozy, small town feel and are packed with a variety of culture. 

The Northern city to live has to be Logan. Logan is the home of Utah State University, and is a bustling city. Logan is very close to the Northern mountain range, and is close to a few ski resorts. Although the mountains are not as extreme as the Wasatch front, there are still plenty of activities that are available: hiking, camping, biking, skiing, and fishing. 

An honorable mention would have to be the city of Vernal, it is the best place for those extreme hunters and fishers. Also a great place to live is in Utah county. There is a large amount of growth and opportunity, and Utah county is home to Utah valley university and BYU. Utah county is right in the middle of the state, and offers easy access to just about anywhere.

Standing above all these towns, and voted by Outside Magazine's 2013 best town in America is Park City. Park city is one of the wealthiest towns in Utah. It is a mountain town tucked away in the Wasatch front, yet just 15 minutes from SLC. Park city contains great skiing, hiking, and biking right outside your front door. It has a solid tourist base, but it also has a small town feel that attracts millionaires from across the country. All in all, Park city is the best place to live in Utah. 


 

Fishing Utah

The long wait is finally redeemed as the fish jumps out of the water. Whether big or small, there is nothing like catching a gorgeous fish straight out of the water. Utah is one of those great states that offers great fishing destinations. Utah offers place to fly fish, ice fish, or bait fish. Even for out of state fishermen, Utah provides fairly cheap fishing licensees, and many different places to fish and accomplish some other outdoor activities at the same time. 

The Provo river is a prime destination and it has been national recognized as one. The Provo river is fed from the Deer Creek reservoir just West of Heber. The Provo river runs down the Provo canyon for about twenty miles. The Provo river is  closed to bait fishing, but is open to artificial flies and lures only. The Provo river contains mainly Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout, but it also contains some Mountain Whitefish. Other activities around the Provo river include river rafting and a visit to Sundance resort, where they offer mountain biking, fly fishing, hiking, ski lift rides, and in the winter time there is some fantastic skiing. 

Strawberry Reservoir is another excellent place to fish. Located 23 miles from Heber city, Strawberry reservoir is one of Utah's most popular fishing destinations. Strawberry contains large numbers of Rainbow trout and Cutthroat trout, and it also contain small numbers of Kokanee salmon. The reservoir contains three major fishing areas: Soldier Creek Basin, Strawberry Basin, Meadows Basin, and the Narrows. The diversity of Strawberry supports fly fishing, bait fishing, trolling, and ice fishing. Around Strawberry there is great areas for camping, hiking, and hunting.

Southern Utah holds the gorgeous Lake Powell. Lake Powell is another great place to fish, and is another of Utah's best fishing destinations. Lake Powell is known in Utah as a great place to learn how to fish as it is pretty easy to catch fish in. Lake Powell contains Striped Bass, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Catfish, Walleye, and Blue Gill. Lake Powell is best fished by boat. Because of the heat in the summer, the fish move lower in the lake. So access to the deeper portions of the lake provide good results. While Bass are more of a challenge, nearly anyone can catch the lake's catfish with simple bait or table scraps. Around Lake Powell are great places to hike and camp as well as other outdoor activities--the Grand Canyon is just a stone throw away. Lake Powell is also known for its incredible cliffs that are perfect for jumping, just one more attraction of the lake. 

One last major fishing destination in Utah is Flaming Gorge. Flaming Gorge contains large amounts of Rainbow Trout, Smallmouth Bass, and Kokanee Salmon. Flaming Gorge can be fished both from the shore and from boat. Flaming Gorge offers excellent fishing because of the small offshoots from the main body of water that are easily accessed by boat. They create a quiet environment in which the fish thrive. Other activities around Flaming Gorge are mainly boating, hiking, camping, and great deer and elk hunting in the fall. 

While there are many more excellent fishing destinations in Utah, these are some of the most popular and proven successful areas. 

Hard and Soft Ecotourism

On one of my very first backpacking trips, I was up in the Uinta mountain range. We were reading the posters at the trailhead to see if there was any important information that we needed to know for the trip. We came across a poster that banned campfires around Dollar lake, which is where we had planned in advance to spend the night. Obviously we were disappointed. We continued hiking and still camped near Dollar lake like we had planned. While I was around the lake, I realized why there was a ban on fires. A large majority of dead wood was cleared. Almost all of the trees had broken branches until about seven feet from the base. Many smaller trees had been chopped down. I was very sad to see the depletion of the forest and how little respect people had for the natural resources. It was also frustrating that I had to give up something because of the carelessness of others. So what can be done to balance between those who unnecessarily disrespect the resources as compared to those who do respect nature's resources.

As I was researching a paper today I stumbled across two definitions. Hard ecotourism is defined as, "tourists that have a strong connection to the environment and believe their activities should “enhance the resource base”." So basically someone who is very aware of his impact. On the reverse side, soft ecotourism is defined as, "tourists without a deep understanding of environmental issues and who are more focused on their needs and wants than those of the environment." This side is based upon the tourist's needs and not the needs of the environment.

How can we reduce the effects of that soft tourism has, and how can we increase the amount of hard tourism, all in all benefitting the tourist and nature. Here is my opinion:

In order to reduce the soft tourism influence, it would be good to have more training programs for people who want to go backpack or do any other sport. That way, they would not be ignorant to the effects that they have on the environment. If at that point they still choose to be destructive to the environment, there is nothing anyone can do. If they can see the destructive force that they put on the environment, then they have incentive to change.

In order to increase the amount of hard tourism, it would be good to also have training on how to left no trace. On top of that though, it would be beneficial to reward those who have shown they take the necessary steps to reduce their footprint. For example, people who knew about the damage the forest takes without the dead wood, they could have a fire in that area, as long as they do not abuse that power. If there is a reward for those hard tourists, then that gives motivation to those on the outside, looking in.

Once we can emphasize the need and the benefit of hard tourism, then both the tourist and the environment can start to change.

Moab.

Anyone who lives in Utah has heard and probably has visited the great city of Moab. For the people in Southern Utah, Moab is one of the main cities that everything else centers on. Moab has a ton of culture and is a great place to visit, but more importantly Moab is a major recreational destination. From simply walking around town, four-wheeling, hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, canyoneering, to river rafting, Moab provides all of these activities. 

Moab is famous for four-wheeling, let's be honest. One drive down main street, and you'll see more jeeps than you ever seen. For people who want to get into the sport more, Moab is great place to start. The Sand Flats recreation area contains a lot of different trails for beginners and more experienced drivers; this is located just a few miles to the South East. One of Moab's most famous trails is located here--Hell's Revenge. There are other extremely enjoyable trails in the Sand Flats area as well. Just North of Moab is the Gemini Bridges trail, which offers access to miles of off-roading. The trail is especially nerve-racking as the first few miles are next to a large cliff. On top of those, there are plenty more trails scattered around the area.

Mountain biking is also something that pulls visitors to Moab. The more popular trail is in the Sand Flats rec area, called Slick rock. It's a scenic 12 mile loop that provides many thrilling downhill portions and some brutal climbs. Again, there are many more trails throughout the area.

Moab is also a very big hiking and backpacking destination. There are three state/national parks centered around Moab: Arches, Canyonlands, and Dead Horse Point. Arches has many fantastic day shorter hikes, they range from a half to twelve miles in length. It is a fabulous park just because of the rarity of the natural arches that have formed and the stunning red-rock landscape. One of the most popular hikes is to the Delicate Arch which is featured on Utah license plates. Canyonlands also provides some excellent hiking opportunities, but is more of a rugged area. While there are many short, scenic hikes, Canyonlands features some excellent backpacking terrain. The Maze and the Needles sections require an off-road vehicle and the some major hiking skills. While it may be a more challenging location, the scenery is worth the time and energy. Dead Horse Point State Park is quite a bit smaller, but it is easily accessible from the highway and offers some stunning overlooks of the Colorado river. Finally the Le Sal mountains are a bit further from Moab, but are very scenic. If you are looking for a place to escape the summer heat, the Le Sals are higher elevation and have many mountain lakes and streams. They offer great hiking and camping locations.

One more attraction that Moab offers is some incredible river rafting. In the heart of Moab, there are a few different outfitters that will provide the raft, transportation, and a guide for a trip down the Colorado. There is a white water portion a few miles from Moab that is a lot of fun for a good price. Also in Canyonlands NP, there is a great white water portion.

Finally after a long day adventuring, downtown Moab is a great place to sit back and relax with some great fun and shopping.

The Outdoor Kitchen

In everyday life the kitchen is the center of attention. Outdoors, the kitchen is no different, it is a place for socialization and food. When camping with others, people depend on the cook to produce a quality meal that will be satisfying and refreshing. When backpacking, a good meal is vital to keep up energy and moral. With so much depending on a warm, delicious dinner, granola and an apple just do not make the cut. So what's the secret to creating a masterpiece in the backcountry kitchen?

There are many different types of cooking techniques that people use, but which one yields the best results? For a casual campout, many people love to cook with dutch ovens. The main reason is because dutch ovens are both easy to cook with and produces great results. Dutch oven cooking simply requires a few hot coals on the top and bottom of the pan. Most any food can be cooked in a dutch oven. The ovens come in many sizes so they are compatible with most any budget. However they are expensive, brand new they range from 50 to 200 dollars. Another downside is the weight, which makes them impractical for anything other that traditional camping. On a side note, they are a bit of a pain to clean as you can't use dish soap, and they require an oil after every use. 

Another option for cooking is straight over the flames. Again, more practical for camping, this style of cooking is more for the enjoyment. There are limited foods that you can cook over the fire. However if you buy a grate to sit over the campfire, that opens more options. There is also always foil cooking in the fire, which simply involves wrapping various foods in foil and letting them cook from the fire's heat; that also produces great results. 

For backpacking purposes, cooking gets a little more complicated. The best option is to own a portable camp stove. The small, single-burner stoves are lightweight and easy to use. Simply purchase a small container of fuel to fit the stove, and cooking will be covered. As a combination with camp stove, plates, bowls, and utensils are needed. While carrying each of these individual is an option, there are some lighter and more convenient options. GSI carries some great options for backpacking kitchen equipment. The options range from a bowl and a spoon to a frying pan, pot, bowl, mug, spoon, and a kitchen sink. All the models are fairly inexpensive and are quality equipment. With a nicer setup, any food can be made backpacking.

Now that we have looked at some of the different options for cooking, let's look at some different options for food. When hiking and backpacking, it is important to return the calories that are burned in during the course of the day. The goal for food is high calorie, lightweight, and quick to prepare. Dehydrated food typically entails those things, but I find that it is nice to have a little fresh food/produce at least for the first half of the hike. Some advice that I was once told is to pack food that you are not excited to eat. Eat quality food, but this way food will last and will be evenly distributed. An example of this would be to eat almonds instead of sweet granola bars. However each person will have different preferences for food.

  

The Lone Peak Wilderness

     There are not many places that are both easily accessible and stunningly scenic, but the Lone Peak Wilderness is one of those places. For the people in Salt Lake and Utah counties, the LP Wilderness is a short drive away and offers a very wide variety of beautiful and fun destinations. There are many destinations on the edge of the wilderness, as well as deep into the forests. Whatever the destination or simply afternoon scenery, the Lone Peak Wilderness is an incredible environment.

     Two of the more relaxed, entertaining destinations are Snowbird and Alta resorts. About 15 miles up the rugged Little Cottonwood Canyon, lies the two world class ski resorts. In the wintertime, they are the focus point of the LP Wilderness, as they offer thousands of skiable terrain and some of the best powder on Earth. In the summertime, the two resorts have many different attractions for people of all ages. They have campsites, lodging, hiking, mountain biking, and various mountain amusement rides. For convenient, family-fun in the Lone Peak area, Snowbird and Alta resorts are an excellent choice.

     For the more adventurous person, the Lone Peak Wilderness offers multiple 10 and 11 thousand foot peaks. Obviously the crowning beauty of the area, Lone Peak towers at 11,253 ft, over the Sandy and Draper area. This is one of the most popular summit hikes for the surrounding areas. Pfeifferhorn sits behind Lone Peak at 11,326 ft. This peak is also extremely popular as it is a relatively short summit hike, but still produces stunning views of the surrounding wilderness and city. Even further into the wilderness sits the American Fork Twin Peaks and the Broad's Fork Twin Peaks. Both sets of peaks are above 10,000 ft, and are fantastic day hikes. Situated above the Alta/Snowbird area lies two consecutive peaks, Sugarloaf Peak and the Devil's Castle. Sugarloaf Peak is an easy couple hour hike. The Devil's Castle however is a complex stack of rugged rocks, which offers some thrilling rock climbing and nerve-racking hiking. These are just a few of the many thrilling summits in the Lone Peak area.

     Underneath the towering peaks are many pristine, stunning, alpine lakes. My personal favorites are the red and white pine lakes in Little Cottonwood Canyon. Both are directly beneath sky-scraping summits nestled away in the granite sheets. On the American Fork side, Silver lake and Upper Silver Lake are very popular destinations and for good reason, as they are filled with clear blue water. Pittsburg Lake is nestled deep in the woods and offers a nice quiet location. Accessible from the Salt Lake Valley, Upper Bell's Canyon lake is a grueling hike, but is incredible because of its remote ruggedness. Secret lake is a short, family friendly hike that is just above the Alta area. Finally, Lake Hardy is located high up, near the ridge line, and is not easily accessible, but it is a great location to get away from the crowds.

     The Lone Peak Wilderness is truly a spectacular and versatile area. It offers so much diversity for people of any skill level.

King's Peak Via Henry's Fork

     One of my favorite times hiking thus far has been up to the summit of King's Peak in the Uinta mountains. The Uintas offer incredible scenery and relatively easy hiking for their massive heights. The range is the largest in Utah and is an excellent destinations for late Spring, Summer and early Fall. In the heart of the Uintas, King's peak lies at 13,528 ft, the highest point in the state. All in all the trail to the top of that mountain offers an incredible experience.

     The simplest route to King's peak is from Henry's Fork. The trail started from the Northern side of the Uinta range, which requires travel through Evanston, Wy., or through the Flaming Gorge area in the North East corner of Utah. The Henry's Fork trailhead is nothing to get excited about, it is tucked away off a 10 mile dirt road. There are bathroom and campsite services, but nothing else is around for miles.

     The trail starts on a gentle slope following the banks of a beautiful river. As the trail stretches on, it slowly gains altitude and a gorgeous view of the thick Uinta forest opens up behind you. After about 6 miles, the trail reaches a crest and it opens into a wide valley, walled in by massive, rocky peaks on all sides. At this point the trail splits in two trails which meet on the other side of the valley about 3 miles later. The loop passes many different lakes which nearly cover the valley floor.

     At this point in time the hiker could take either trail and hike the opposite on the way down so as to freshen up the scenery. The lakes the trails pass offer fantastic camping spots for the hikers who chose to take the peak over the course of two or three days. The three most popular lakes are Dollar Lake, Henry's Fork Lake, and Bear Lake. All of which offer gorgeous scenery and fantastic fishing for the hungry hiker. The lakes are around 8 or 9 miles up the trail.

    After the middle of the valley, the trails converge right before Guardsman pass. The slope starts to turn upward as the next mile or two climbs to the top of Guardsman pass which peaks around 11,500 ft. At the top of the pass, the visibility spans for miles both directions, revealing the multitude of hidden lakes speckling the valleys below. After the trail drops into the next valley, it skirts around the range of mountains containing King's Peak. For another 4 miles the trail gains elevation putting the hiker into position to begin the steep summit assault. At the top of the trail-- which is the base of King's peak--all of Henry's Fork is revealed, all the way to the trailhead. After a much needed break, the 1,000 ft summit ascend can begin.

      There is no defined trail to the top of Kings, however it is very simple as the hiker follows the ridge, hopping from rock to rock. With every step, the view expands more and more. After an excruciating 15 minutes or so, the slope flattens out, and an incredible 360 degree view finally appears in its full majesty. At the summit there are plenty of flat rocks to stretch out on and relax in the warm sun and cool breeze. After a total of 16 miles from the trailhead, you can claim that you have conquered the highest point in Utah. For the overachievers out there, the Uinta Highline Trail traverses 104mi over most of the Uinta range. Most of the major peaks are included in this stunning backpacking trail.

World's Greatest Snow

     Today is the first day of December. For people that means many things: the holidays are approaching, 2016 is closer than ever, but for many Utahans, December means snow and better yet skiing and snowboarding. Proclaimed on half the license plates in Utah, this state is home to the "Greatest snow on Earth". After last year's pathetic attempt at winter, Utah and the rest of America is ready for a great snow year. Don't worry because this year the tropical El Nino should stir up more storms than the previous year. While many are excited about this news, everyday people tell me how much they hate the snow. The most popular reason is they can't do anything during the winter. When I suggest skiing or snowboarding, I find most people are pretty accepting of the idea, but have nowhere to start. So here is a beginners guide to adventuring in the greatest snow on Earth.

     The first thing to decide is simply where to ski. Utah provides many resorts of various sizes and price ranges. In Northern Utah (Ogden/Logan area) there are two resorts: Snowbasian and Powder Mountain. Both of these resorts have great snow, but the slopes are a bit smaller. The Salt Lake valley has four resorts. Solitude and Brighton are in Big Cottonwood canyon, and both are smaller, but have great snow and slopes. Little Cottonwood contains Snowbird and Alta which are both massive resorts that bring sportsman from across the country. In Park City there are two resorts. Deer Valley resort is a high end, ski only resort, but is well worth the money. The new pride and joy of Utah is the Park City ski resort, which is now the largest resort in the country. While it is pricey, the resort is high quality all around. In Utah County the humble Sundance resides. Sundance is a smaller resort and is on the cheaper side, and in my opinion is one of the best resorts to start on. It has cheap passes, less crowds, plenty of beginner hills, and some sweet backcountry. Near Cedar City is Brian Head resort, which is extremely convenient for those who live down south. A simple day ticket to these resorts will range from 50 to 150 dollars. While a season pass will range from 400 to 1,000 dollars. All in all, I would suggest a SnowBird/Alta combo or a Park City pass because they both offer world class sporting.

      The next most important thing is gear. This is based totally on the rider's preference and the use of the gear. As with most everything, gear can span from a couple hundred to thousands of dollars. For a beginner, try to find a ski/board and binding set for a hundred to couple hundred until you have determined the sport is something to pursue. On top of that, boots and poles (for skiing) will cost less than two hundred. I started skiing with a ten dollar pair of skis from a thrift store. While that is a cheap option, quality gear makes a huge difference in the feel of the sport. A great place to look for skis (in Utah) is on KSL Classifieds. There are great deals on cheaper gear, more expensive gear, and resort tickets. On top of that, smaller items like snow clothes, gloves, and a hat will add to the expense. My advice would be to not invest an exorbitant amount until you're confident the sport is something that you'll consistently pursue, because it is very expensive.

    Winter sports are an awesome hobby to pursue, and there is no better place than Utah. While it may be a big investment, it is an excellent way to enjoy the bitter winter. If you need a little motivation watch this clip. This is a sport called speed riding, a cross between skiing and paragliding.