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The view at Snowbasin in November, on my first day skiing this season, and my first day skiing there ever. |
And boy oh boy, this has been a winter for the record books. Our current snowpack is more than 150% of the multi-year median statewide, though it seems like even more as the snow keeps coming. All of that snow has meant amazing skiing and snowy hikes with Jack. It's also vital for our water supplies which have been severely stressed in recent years.
The Ikon ski pass helped to lure me back to the slopes. Especially if you're here all season, Ikon makes skiing still somewhat affordable. Many of my friends moan endlessly about how the multi-resort passes (Vail's Epic is the other major one) have ruined the sport. It's true that they've brought more people out, but without these passes I am not sure I'd be skiing and I am sure many others are in that same boat--including a young military family I met on the lift two days ago.
Utah has some of the best skiing in the world and it's been a joy and a privilege to partake in it. Skiing Utah's Wasatch Mountains is one of the things that first brought me here. Just this week I've skied Snowbasin, Park City, and my favorite resort: Alta. It's been fun re-embracing the sport after missing two full seasons because of the pandemic and other factors.
And I am rarely cold when skiing--something that's a common complaint of non-skiers. Sure, there are times when it can get chilly, but with the right clothes, the activity of skiing, and avoiding the colder and windier days, this person who doesn't really like cold is plenty warm. It's so good being outside too, especially in the stunning Wasatch. There is nothing quite like being high in the mountains surrounded by white everywhere, and when you're lucky some Rocky Mountain deep blue skies.
I also discovered some wetlands near my house in early December. They are adjacent to the very low Great Salt Lake and became my go to spot for taking my pup Jack Powell out for walks. They close this area on March 1 to humans (and their canine friends) for bird-nesting season, so we're in our final days of enjoying it for now. We've had some stunning Utah views out there and presently it is literally filling with many thousands of birds. Our recent outings have been walking bird safaris.
Tomorrow is the two year anniversary of the closing on my new-to-me house in Centerville, Utah. It's a part of the Wasatch Front where I never imagined living, but here I am and I am really loving it. My neighbors are nice and my house is too cool. With a little effort, it has been transformed since I bought it. Here's to mid-20th century modern living, updated for the 21st century, and enjoying winter in Utah.
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Jack on one of our many walks near the Great Salt Lake. |