 …or, on the trail of art. If you follow this blog, you know that hiking has been a big part of our Park City Summer. And it’s now a big part of our Fall. One of our regular loops from home is about 4.25 miles and includes the McLeod Creek Trail between the Copper Moose Farmstand and Temple Har Shalom. While not far from highway 224, it’s a peaceful, tree-covered, dirt path with a stream and several wooden bridges. A new addition to the trail this September came courtusy of Basin Recreation and the PCSC Arts Council. Honestly, I walked past several times before stopping to really see what I was seeing. I’m calling that a good thing. To me, it meant that this installation was done with care to not over-take nature, but to fit in with it. Local artists were invited to add work that was of nature, to be place along or tucked just off the trail. And passers by are encouraged to leave their cellphones to the side as they sit and enjoy the work. Work that includes, abstract metal sculpture, painted rocks with inspirational messages and a depiction of deer made repurposed wood, wild flowers and polished red abalone.    For the moment, while some many of us are opting for outside activities, and passing o things like museums, having the art come to us is just ne more gift that Park City is giving. Thanks to all who made it happen. (You can learn more about this exhibit at www.pcscarts.org/art-on-the-trails) Cheers to your next visit, Your Resort Resident
0 Comments
 Last week, I was reminded just how easy it is to take all the exceptional things we get to do and see in this town for granted. I’d hiked a portion of the Mid Mountain Trail which, is awesome. And not the kind of awesome that people throw around when they mean, cool. But actually, awesome. As in, inspiring awe. But I digress. The point is, the trail finishes at the top of Olympic Park. My timing was good, and the shuttle had just pulled up. Figuring I’d take the shuttle down, at least part way and avoid the downhill strain on my knees, I jumped on. There was one other gal already on. She noted that I looked dusty. I told her about my trek and she shared with me her experience as a visitor in from Minnesota. Before she got off, our shuttle driver joined the conversation. We discussed watching the skeleton athletes training. When it was time to drop her off, at the end of the bobsled run, my shuttle driver offered to take me all the way down to the highway so we could keep the conversation going. Turns out, my shuttle driver, Carl, is also the announcer for the Olympic Park events and has announced in the Olympics. Not too shabby. We talked about all the events and training that anyone can just walk up to and see for free. Olympic caliber athletes in bobsled, skeleton, aerials…thrilling. He talked about how he craves feedback on how things are being covered and explained so he can improve his coverage and make sure viewers get a full experience. Which, we do. I’ve been fortunate enough to experience many events at Olympic park. It’s shocking just how close you can get to the action. You can watch from the start, turn 12 (where you really get a sense of just how fast the athletes travel) and the finish. I’ve also walked the museum many times, watched ski-jumpers and taken visitors to the zip line, ropes course, alpine slide and extreme tubing. Question: Who else gets to do all of this? Answer: not many. Conclusion: Appreciate all we have. Thank you Carl, for the lift and the reminder. Cheers to your next visit, Your Resort Resident  Populous tremuloides is a deciduos tree native to cooler areas of North America and one of several species referred to by the name aspen It is also commonly called quaking aspen.
Okay, now that we’ve dispensed with the dry part of this blog post, on to the delightful. And aspens are delightful. Truly. Before moving to Utah, I’d never lived in an area where aspens were native. I’d heard people wax poetic about them, but I hadn’t really understood why. My first real encounter with the why of aspens happened in Taos New Mexico. We were visiting a friend who took us for a hike. We were well into the aspen grove and everything was appropriately lovely. But then he told us to stand still and look up. As a breeze came through, the then yellow aspen leaves (it was fall) started moving. Shimmering. Yellow turned to gold. It was like living in the middle of magic. It was a level of delight that hit you, smack in the heart. Here, in Park City, there are aspens everywhere. And while everything is currently green and not gold, sitting and watching the aspen leave is still something that hits with joy. And with all the stresses that life brings, stopping and watching the quakies is a pure way to re-center. So, if you happen to happen upon an aspen/quakie, I strongly suggest that you stop and look up. It’s pretty great. Cheers to your next visit, Your Resort Resident  All over the country, more people are out hiking and biking. Running shoes and bike sales are way up. And while these activities were already big in Park City, our numbers are still up. So, where to go?
Because I live at Canyons Resort, heading up the ski runs seems a natural. So, at least once a week, I’ve been picking a different ski run to hike up. Summiting always feels like a victory. And the view is pretty swell. A few weeks ago, on a weekly summit outing, my husband and I were stopped by an “official.” We were told that the Park City side of the mountain was open for hiking and biking but the Canyons side was not. No one would be available to us if we needed help. He told us that he wouldn’t stop us this time, but to be careful and consider hiking the golf course before it opens at 8am. (Okay, that’s not going to happen.) We thanked him and continued up. Since then, there’s a new sign on the Canyons side that basically say, “Proceed at your own risk.” Guessing that’s what it took to make the lawyers happy. But we’re happy as well. And, if like us, you’d be happy to summit a ski run, here are a few things to consider:
We’ve been avoiding the trails and heading up and down the runs themselves. It’s steeper, but way less traffic. Oh, and if you’re hiking up the Canyons side, beware of flying golf balls at the bottom. Cheers to your next visit, Your Resort Resident  As you know, Park City has tons of options for outdoor Summer activities. Hiking, biking, kayaking, paddle boarding, fishing, golfing… About that golfing…
On my regular hikes (6 days a week) I noticed something new and different. Disc Golf holes. The holes are chains around a metal poles that serve as the holes for disc golf. And I started wondering. Does Park City have much to offer in the way ofdisc golf? It just has never been one of my things, so I’ve paid no attention. I quickly got my answer. And that answer is, YES. Two quick finds includes: Trailside Disc Golf Course “9-holes of unbelievable fun arranged on a sagebrush hillside at Trailside Park. Our natural mountain desert landscape offers a mix of longer downhill shots, uphill challenges, great exercise and gorgeous views of the Wasatch Back. Each hole has legit birdie potential for veteran players and the lack of tall obstacles makes it a great course for beginners. There aren’t many trees, but players should be cautious of wildlife, mountain bikers, midday winds and thick sagebrush outside of fairways. The course is playable year-round but disc tails are recommended during the winter months. Please follow signs and stay on established trails.” Canyons Resort | Professional Disc Golf Association “Mid-mountain, ski resort course. Play free with valid winter season pass - or gondola fee is $15/day for adults, 6 and under free. Confirm via web site or contact that the course is up and playable.” And if you’re up for a short drive there are a half dozen more options including: Creekside Park in Murry. “The park itself has become one of the gems of the Salt Lake City disc golf community, featuring an 18 hole course. The park has some beautiful big trees and is relatively flat aside from the hill on the west side, and there is the namesake creek that runs along the south edge of the park. It is one of the best disc golf courses around, and plays hosts to leagues and tournaments.” So, there you have it. One more great way to spend a day outside in the mountains. Cheers to your next visit, Your Resort Resident  I’m sure that Park City is not alone in the recent trend of gym classes moving outside. And yes, some outdoor classes had already existed. Yet, how many outdoor classes offer a view this inspiring? While hiking and biking were already a part of my own routine, during COVID, these outings have increased significantly. In part because all gym classes were cancelled. But over the last two weeks, as I hiked past parks, I started spotting more than a few workout classes. These groups are spread out (remember, COVID) over large areas. People six plus feet apart, with matts laid out on the grass. General gym classes with bands and hand weights, as well as yoga and sport specific activities. I found myself making sure no one was “too close.” And just beyond the classes? The Canyons and Park City Ski Resorts and the Wasatch back mountain range. Inspiring. It’s hard to not want to run over and join in.  While there are obvious concerns about how far we need to stay from others and what precaution have to be taken when we do get together, these classes are intriguing. And optimistic. Maybe it’s the optimism that’s most striking aspect of it all. The opportunity to get fit in front of a beautiful mountain range is moving. So, I hope everyone continues to stay safe and make good choices in their personal bid to stay fit. And if you can make it happen in a gorgeous setting like ours, so much the better. Cheers to your next visit, Your Resort Resident P.S. If you're interested in a place to stay in Park City, you can check out www.parkcitycondostorent.com |
Your Resort ResidentWhen you live in Park City full time, you have the inside track on why this place is so special. Here's where we do our best to share that with you. Archives
November 2020
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed
|