Hike For Life

This week Summit County, where Park City resides, lifted “shelter-in-place.” That said, we are still being asked to wear masks in public spaces and maintain six feet of distance from other people. Also, gatherings should be kept to no more than twenty. Twenty? That seems a big number. It will be interesting to see how the new rules play out.
 
What won’t change is Parakite’s ability to self-heal through outdoor activity. As the snow melts and temperatures rise, the number of locals taking advantage of our enviable trail system increases. Our trails are cared for by Mountain Trails. They do a bang-up job clearing the brush and stumps and general trail maintenances. And locals are great about not littering. I have literally never seen a cigarette butt on a trail and on the few times something is laying on the ground we pick it up and dump it after our hike.
 
But I digress. The point is, daily outings on trial have helped us maintain sanity. Being able to get out, be physical, breath clean air, and enjoy the views has meant everything. And because we haven’t been going to the gym, we hike way more than before. We’re far from alone. It’s been interesting to see people decide what their “stay safe” trail edicate will be. Do they stand off to the side of the trail and look away as people pass? Do they just keep going, head down, but hold your breath when strainers go by? We’ve seen lots of versions of the safe, yet friendly trail pass.
 
On our hike the other day, we were approaching an older gal with a dog. She stepped way to the side of the trail and said, good morning. We said, hey. Then she said something about the weather and it was clear that she wanted to chat. So, we kept our distance and talked with her for a bit. Turns out, she lives alone. Her family is out of state and she’s been by herself this entire COVID time. Her daily hikes are her only chance to change her view and see people. So, glad that we gave her time and we hope to cross her path again.
 
Locals often say that they came to Park City for the winters and stayed for the summers. Why? Our trail system is one of those reasons. You can hike every day for a year and never take the same route twice. Not too shabby. And the amount and expanse of trails often means that there’s something close enough to your door that you don’t have to get in a car to get on dirt if you don’t want to.
 
As I connect with friends in big cities, I’m doubly aware of how fortunate we in Park City are to have this outlet. These friends haven’t enjoyed the outside other than to sit on a balcony since COVID started. Don’t think we’ll ever take our trails and all they provide for granite.
 
The next time you’re able to get here, I highly suggest slowing everything down and getting out on one or more of our trails. Your heart and your brain will thank you.
 
Cheers,
Your Resort Resident
 
P.S. here’s what Mountain Trails says on their site about our trails:
“Park City’s trail system entails approximately 400 miles of continuous, non-motorized recreational trail. Spanning two world-class mountain resorts (one is the largest in the US at 7,300 acres) and an additional 8,000 acres of preserved open space, Park City has been designated a Gold Level Ride Center by the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA). From mountainous, alpine terrain reaching altitudes of nearly 10,000’, to rolling high desert, Park City’s trail system is predominantly buffed single-track interspersed with occasional technical sections.”