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Utah Travel Headlines

Monday, February 28, 2011

8th Annual Utah Tourism Conference

The 8th Annual Utah Tourism Conference will be held May 11-13, 2011, at the Grand Summit Hotel in Park City.

Registration for the conference begins tomorrow, March 1.

Here is info about the conference, provided by the conference.

The 8th Annual Utah Tourism Conference is co-sponsored by the Utah Tourism Industry Coalition & the Utah Office of Tourism. REGISTRATION OPENS MARCH 2011

This year's highlights include: Tourism Hall of Fame and Advertising/Marketing awards, Legislative Update, Utah Office of Tourism Update, International Tourism Representatives Report, PR/Domestic Press, and Tourism Research.

This year's conference will be held at the Grand Summit Hotel at Canyons Resort. Check back in March for hotel room booking information.

Get to know the city! Visit the Park City Chamber/Bureau website for information on local restaurants, night life, activities, events, and community information.

Questions? Contact the Utah Tourism Industry Coalition

Nominate someone who has made a significant contribution toward tourism in Utah for the Tourism Hall of Fame Award

Enter the Sixth Annual Utah Tourism Advertising & Marketing Contest celebrating Utah’s best in tourism advertising/marketing/promotion.

Visit last years 2010 Utah Tourism Conference web page

Friday, February 25, 2011

Delta's In-Flight Magazine Focuses On Utah

The March issue of Delta Air Lines’ in-flight magazine, Sky, includes a 53-page profile of Utah, covering topics ranging from our national parks to Salt Lake City, Park City, Moab and other popular destinations, plus info on restaurants, liquor laws and many other things that make Utah unique.

The Salt Lake Tribune has this article about the magazine profile. Below are excerpts.

“Utah has a great story to share with the world,” said Sky magazine publisher Marialice Harwood before joining with Delta Vice President Greg Kennedy (a part-time Utahn) and Gov. Gary Herbert to unveil an oversized version of the profile’s cover page.

Showing an oft-seen view from the north of Salt Lake City’s skyline with the Wasatch Mountains in the background, the cover carried the headline “Elevated Ideas,” elaborating that “From snow-covered peaks to multicolored canyons, this scenic state is the blueprint for what’s possible when people collaborate.”

It does so with articles on the state’s ski industry, health care innovations, Sundance and the Utah Film Commission, the LDS Church’s investment in the downtown City Creek development, food and alcoholic drink possibilities, the arts and the splendors of Utah’s different regions.

Tourism Office Managing Director Leigh von der Esch said the publication will arrive on Delta planes just as an in-flight video about Utah makes its debut. “This will help us push our brand further. The buzz is out about Utah and we’re thrilled,” she added.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Utah Provides Information to Help Disabled Travelers

The Utah Office of Tourism has published new information to help travelers with disabilities find information about services such as car rentals, the location of campsites and trails compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and accessibility options at state and national parks.

The Salt Lake Tribune has this article about the new information. Below are excerpts.

“We want travelers of all ability levels to have the best planning information available to them,” said Tourism Office Managing Director Leigh von der Esch of the publication “Accessible Utah One-Sheet Guide.” This is the 19th “one sheeter” created by the office to highlight things that might appeal to potential tourists, from dinosaur and Olympic legacy sites to destination spas and renewable energy projects.

The one sheeters are available at state and local welcome centers and on the Tourism Office’s website, http://travel.utah.gov/publications.

“Our national parks are some of the most accessible in the nation,” said von der Esch. “Combine that with world-class facilities like the National Ability Center [in Park City], the state’s wonderful outfitters and nonprofit organizations, and you see how interest in adaptive recreation and sports has been building since the 2002 Winter Paralympics.”

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Magazine Looks At Utah's Best Restaurants

Salt Lake Magazine has selected area restaurants for its annual Dining Awards, including eateries in Salt Lake City, Park City and other locations. The magazine's March/April issue has the full story. It will be on newsstands this week.

Below is a quick list, taken from this blog report.

Food and Education Award: Lifelong Learning Program at the University

Best Ambiance: MARTINE

Best Bar: Ruth’s Chris

Best Bakery: Tulie Bakery

Best Breakfast: Finn’s

Best Brunch, Park City: Easy Street

Best Brunch, Salt Lake City: Sego Lily

Best Chinese Restaurant: J. Wong’s

Best Comfort Food: Left Fork

Best Design: High West Distillery

Best Steakhouse: Prime

Best Indian Restaurant: Kathmandhu

Best Mexican Restaurant: Frida Bistro

Best Italian Restaurant: Sea Salt

Best Thai Restaurant: Ekamai Thai

Best Wine List: Shallow Shaft

Best Lunch: Bambara

Best Neighborhood Restaurant: Caffe Niche

Best Japanese Restaurant: Kyoto

Best Restaurant, Central Utah: Communal

Best Quick Eats: Chow Truck

Best Mediterranean Restaurant: Aristo’s

Best New Restaurant: Copper Onion

Best Restaurant, Salt Lake City: Forage

Best Restaurant, Park City: Talisker on Main

Best Restaurant, Northern Utah: Zucca Trattoria

Best Restaurant, Southwest Utah: Parallel 88

Best Restaurant, Southeast Utah: Hell’s Backbone Grill

Green Fork Award: Summit County Coalition of Grass Fed Beef

Lifetime Achievement Award: Takashi Gibo, Takashi’s:

Community Service Award: Utahns Against Hunger:

Golden Spoon Award: Ian Campbell at Log Haven

Hall of Fame: Squatters

Past Hall of Fame recipients are Mazza, Red Iguana, Cucina Toscana, Takashi and Log Haven.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Brian Head Opens Revamped Terrain Parks

Brian Head Ski Resort in southwestern Utah has improved and expanded two terrain parks, called Junkyard and Progressive. The revamped parks have now been reopened, according to this news release on skiutah.com. Below are excerpts.

Between the two parks, there are many new beginner, intermediate and advanced features. There is likely something for every rider & freeskier in any family.

“The Junkyard Park is probably the favorite park for more advanced riders,” said Austen Armstrong, Brian Head’s Park Director. Armstrong sculpted the park along with his park crew, including “diggers” Chris Pickering, Scott Hunter, and Vance Rowley.

Located along the Wildflower chairlift, Junkyard features four air-producing jumps ranging from 10’ to about 35+’, the new jump line is the highlight here. It includes five jumps, several rails, boxes, logs, a Red Bull bonk and an actual Land Rover vehicle with a fully functional sound system pumping out tunes.

In total, Brian Head’s terrain parks offer over 20 jib-worthy rails, boxes and snow-only features like berms and rollers, plus about 10 jumps of varying styles and degrees of difficulty. Additional jumps and jib features will be expanded in the coming weeks by Armstrong and his team. Armstrong finds park designing to be as much art as engineering. He is always working with an eye on keeping the flow pattern fresh and constantly can be found in his snowcat tweaking features as storms pass through, adding to Brain Head’s 2010-2011 season total of over 200 inches of The Greatest Snow on Earth.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Big Storm Brings Great Ski Conditions, Backcounty Avalanche Danger

A huge storm dumped on Utah ski resorts over the weekend, adding to the already impressive snowpack. Conditions are great at all of our resorts. Below are some 48-hour totals for new snow:

Solitude - 44 inches new
Sundance - 43 inches new
Alta - 37 inches new
Brighton - 30 inches new
Powder Mountain - 27 inches new
Snow Basin - 27 inches new
Snowbird - 25 inches new
Deer Valley - 25 inches new
Eagle Point - 25 inches new
Canyons - 24 inches new
Park City - 24 inches new

All of the new snow has created high avalanche danger in backcountry areas. Avalanche control work is done on a regular basis at developed ski resorts and along highways, and so list is minimal in those areas. At ski resorts, stay inbounds and you will be fine. Skiers and snowmobilers are advised not to venture into the backcountry.

Presidents Day weekend marks the final big ski day during the regular season. From now on, slopes will not be as crowded and many resorts will offer special deals to entice people to continue to enjoy our great snow.

Storms are lined up and hitting Utah every few days, ensuring that ski conditions will remain very good for the next several weeks. This year is expected to bring some of the best late-season skiing ever.

Right now Sundance has a ski free event going, where visitors get two free lift tickets when they book lodging.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Highway 12 Called Best Drive in the American Southwest

BudgetTravel.com has this article on Highway 12, Utah's All-American Road. The article offers glowing accolades for the scenic highway, but also includes information that is misleading.

The article has this sub-head: Stunning and Seldom Driven, Utah's Highway 12 leads to expansive red-rock vistas, slot-canyon hikes, and surprisingly lively ghost towns.

The road is actually quite popular - hundreds of people drive it every week. Traffic is light compared to major highways, but you are not going to find solitude along Hwy 12.

I have no idea where the "lively ghost towns" mentioned are located. The highway passes through lively small towns, but they are not dead or ghost-like.

In the paragraph below, the writer talks about the highway winding into the Henry Mountains. That's wrong. It winds across the eastern side of Boulder Mountain. The Henry Mtns are located farther south, down near Hanksville.

Torrey is the northern terminus of Highway 12-we hadn't even made a dent in our drive yet-but the next day, Kelsey and I hit the road in earnest, winding into the Henry Mountains, the last-mapped range in the continental U.S. As we climbed, pines and aspens crept in among the junipers, and views of burnt-red canyons punctuated the forests. South of the Henrys, we pulled into the tiny town of Boulder.

In the sentences below, the writer refers to the town of Escalante being on the edge of Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. The national monument wraps all around the town. Hwy 12 runs through the monument for miles on both sides of town.

About 18 miles south, Kelsey and I arrived in Escalante, a town at the edge of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (ut.blm.gov/monument). The park contains more than a million acres of canyons...

- Dave Webb

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Moab Skinny Tire Festival Will Be March 12-15

The annual Moab Skinny Tire Festival is fast approaching, and it is one of the fist of Utah's big spring events. The festival attracts road bikers from around the country, to ride classic routes in Arches National Park and Dead Horse Point State Park, and other Moab area attractions.

The festival website has this information about the event:

Cyclists know about Moab; they know it as the home of the Slickrock Trail, the Mecca of mountain bikers. What many don't realize is Moab has some of the best road biking in the world. There are hundreds of miles of paved roads in and out of the world-class scenery that is known by every adventure seeker globally.

The Festival rides the best of the best: 1) Arches National Park, 2) Along the mighty Colorado River, 3) Dead Horse Point and back.

The three rides of the Festival highlight Moab’s different riding opportunities. The first two days follow the mighty Colorado River corridor, both up-stream and downstream. The next two days leave the valley and climb the beautiful canyon roads into redrock country.

From the bike seat you embrace the landscape, feeling the contours as gravity tugs on your tires, challenging you to climb and daring you to descend. You'll appreciate the grand scale of this place once you've ventured far from town under your own 'skinny' power down byways known only to a lucky few. Join the fun and adventurous group of riders through Canyon Country.

See the festival website for more information or to register for rides.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Delta Snow Goose Festival Runs Feb 25–27

Thousands of beautiful snow geese will be migrating through the Delta area during the next few weeks. The birds are impressive and people come from all around to view them. To help people see and learn about the birds, the community organized the Snow Goose Festival, which has grown to become one of the largest wildlife festivals in Utah.

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources personnel will be on hand to help people see the birds. They will provide spotting scopes at some viewing spots. The festival also offers a craft fair, quilt show, food, music and other activities. See the Millard County Tourism Snow Goose page for more information.

The DWR provided the news release below.

Delta — It's a sight you have to see to believe: thousands of pure white snow and Ross' geese lifting off Gunnison Bend Reservoir amid honks and the beating of wings.

Spotting scopes will be available so you can get a close up view of geese.
Photo by Lynn Chamberlain

You can see this spectacle yourself on Feb. 25, 26 and 27, 2011 at the annual Utah Snow Goose Festival. The festival will be held at and near Gunnison Bend Reservoir, just west of Delta. Admission is free.

As many as 20,000 snow geese have been at the reservoir during past festivals. Except for the black tips on their wings, snow geese are pure white.

"We'll provide spotting scopes so you can get a close look at the geese," says Bob Walters, Watchable Wildlife coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources. "We'll also be available to answer any questions you have."

In addition to seeing the geese, you can learn more about wildlife at free seminars offered by the DWR. The seminars will be held on Friday, Feb. 25.

The best times to see the geese
The areas where you'll see the geese vary according to the time of the day.

Walters says if you arrive early in the morning, you can watch the geese feeding in fields that surround the reservoir. Then, at about 10:30 a.m., the geese take off and fly back to the reservoir. "That's an exciting time to see and hear the geese," he says.

After landing on the reservoir, the geese usually spend the next few hours there. "Then, anywhere from 4 to 6 p.m., they take off again and fly back to the fields," Walters says. "It's thrilling to be there when the geese do this."

DWR biologists will watch which fields the geese fly to. If you arrive after the geese have left the reservoir, the biologists will direct you to the fields where the geese are feeding.

Viewing tips
Use binoculars or a spotting scope to view the geese. If you get too close to the geese, you could scare them away.

If you pull off the road to view the geese, pull as far off the road as you can. And watch for cars.

The weather could be cold and wet. Bring the proper clothes so you can stay warm and dry.

For more information about the 2011 Snow Goose Festival, call the Delta Area Chamber of Commerce at 435-864-4316.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Some Climbing Routes Temporarily Closed In Zion Park

Some cliff climbing routes in Zion National Park will be temporarily closed beginning March 1, to protect nesting Peregrine Falcons.

The National Park Service provided the news release below:

Climbing routes on cliffs used by nesting Peregrine Falcons at Zion National Park will be temporarily closed beginning March 1, 2011, in order to protect the nesting success of this bird which is in recovery from "endangered species" status. The closing date is based on analysis of information collected from 2001-2010 regarding the peregrines' arrival time to their nesting cliffs in the park.

The following cliffs will be closed to climbing beginning March 1, 2011: Angels Landing, Cable Mountain, Great White Throne (beyond single and double-pitched climbs), Isaac (in Court of the Patriarchs), Sentinel, Mountain of the Sun, North Twin Brother, Tunnel West, East Temple, Mount Spry, Streaked Wall, Mount Kinesava and Middle Fork of Taylor Creek. All other cliffs are open to climbing.

Park biologists will continue to monitor the nesting activity of Peregrine Falcons in the park throughout the 2011 breeding season. Cliffs that were previously used for nesting by peregrines, but are not being used this year, will be re-opened in May. Those cliffs being used by nesting peregrines this year will be monitored until the chicks fledge, usually in late July, and then will be reopened to climbing.

Zion National Park is home to a high concentration of breeding Peregrine Falcons each spring and summer. These magnificent birds of prey were listed as an "endangered species" in 1970 under the Endangered Species Act. Fortunately, peregrine populations recovered across North America and the species was delisted in 1999. Zion National Park has been and continues to be an important sanctuary for peregrines and other species. Even when peregrine populations were declining elsewhere, they continued to successfully nest and raise their young on the tall cliffs found in many canyons in the park. Historically, Zion National Park has hosted breeding Peregrine Falcons in 18 known territories. Some of the park's most popular climbing routes are located on Peregrine Falcon nesting cliffs.

For up-to-date information on the status and maps of the closed climbing cliffs and routes, please check the Zion National Park website at www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/climbing.htm. Climbers are responsible for checking the specific maps and photos of the closed areas. The website will be continuously updated as routes are reopened.

Monday, February 14, 2011

BLM Considers Paving Road In Nine Mile Canyon

Nine Mile Canyon is one of the best places in the US to see and study ancient Native American rock art figures. The canyon is located near Price, in eastern-central Utah.

Large quantities of natural gas and possibly oil have been located in the area and so energy development is prompting improvements to roads and infrastructure in the remote area. The Nine Mile Canyon Road provides access to some existing wells and to sites of potential new wells. As a result, traffic in the canyon has increased tremendously and large trucks are kicking up dust, which coats the canyon walls and obstructs views of the rock art.

Much debate has raged over how much protection the canyon merits. The area is managed by the federal Bureau of Land Management. The Bill Barrett Corporation is doing much of the energy exploration. Now BLM and Barrett are cooperating on a proposal to pave some of the road in the canyon.

Public comment is being sought on the proposal. The Deseret News has this article about the proposal. Below are excerpts.

A 36-mile section of the road going through Nine Mile Canyon will have improvements made to it — such as laying of chip and seal — to control dust that may be kicked up from a nearby drilling operation.

The Price field office of the Bureau of Land Management is hosting two meetings to discuss granting a right-of-way to Carbon County in support of the project. The meetings will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Feb. 15 at the Carbon County Fairgrounds & Event Center, 310 S. Fairgrounds Road, Price, and from 5 to 7 p.m. Feb. 17 at the Duchesne County Administration Building, 734 N. Center St., Duchesne.

Bill Barrett Corp., has a significant drilling operation on the West Tavaputs that necessitates heavy truck traffic on the road. Environmentalists and archaeologists have been concerned that dust and vibrations will damage the canyon's rock art panels, which number more than 10,000 and are said to be the world's largest collection of rock art.

Input on the project is being accepted by the BLM through Feb. 25 and can be faxed, mailed or emailed.

Comments should reference "Nine Mile Road Improvement Project," and should be directed to the BLM, Connie Leschin, 125 S. 600 West, Price, Utah, 84501, or faxed to 435-636-3657, or e-mailed to UT_PR_Comments@blm.gov

Friday, February 11, 2011

Changes Coming At Some Utah State Parks

Some Utah State Parks will see reduced budges and staff cutbacks, as lawmakers struggle to balance the state’s budget.

The State Legislature is now in session and budget cutbacks are a major issue. The down economy means there is less money to spread around and so cutbacks are needed in many areas. There had been talk of closing some parks, but lawmakers now say they can prevent that from happening.

The Salt Lake Tribune has this article about the issue. Below are excerpts.

No Utah State Parks will close in the foreseeable future and $1.5 million of restricted funds will likely be appropriated in the next fiscal year to help ease the pain of a projected $3 million loss of general tax dollars.

About 25 park employees probably will lose their jobs and major changes are coming in the way state facilities that host 4.6 million visitors a year operate — including reduced hours and seasonal closures.

It used to be that lawmakers viewed parks as a public good and didn’t mind putting taxpayer dollars into both building and subsidizing facilities such as campgrounds and golf courses. Increasingly, though, states are turning to user fees and are making an effort to force parks to come close to breaking even financially.

"Every park will have a business plan by July 1," parks division director Mary Tullius promised the committee. "We expect innovation from every park in the system."

To make up the loss of revenue, Tullius proposed savings of $315,000 in the way the state’s four golf courses are operated, $693,872 in savings by closing some parks during slower seasons and managing parks that are near each other as complexes, $54,500 from converting law enforcement officers into other jobs, and reducing programs to the tune of $1,389,472.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Salt Lake City Has Second Best Public Transit In US

US News & World Report is out with this new study ranking public transit systems in US cities, and Salt Lake City holds the number 2 position. Below are excerpts from the study.

Salt Lake City earns its No. 2 spot in large part because of its heavy investment in serving a large suburban and exurban population. It is the No. 1 city in the nation in terms of public transit spending per capita, one reason being the current expansion of the Utah Transit Authority’s light rail system, known as TRAX.

...though the city’s population is just over 180,000, the system serves 1.7 million people in the larger area. Those residents take great advantage of the system...

The Deseret News has this article about the ranking. Below are excerpts.

"By transporting people to work, school, local attractions, and health care facilities, public transit can reach into nearly every area of city life, from public health to tourism," the publication states.

Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker said that the latest recognition is a "reflection of the priorities for the city we all share."

Utah's capital city fell just behind Portland, which leads the nation with a convenient, multi-faceted system. New York City was listed at No. 3 in the report due to the sheer numbers its transit system serves, accounting for 40 percent of the nation’s total transit trips in 2008.

Wednesday, February 09, 2011

Boat Show Begins At South Towne Expo Center

In a sure sign that spring is just around the corner, the annual Utah Boat show begins tomorrow at South Towne Expo Center (12605 South Minuteman Drive, Draper, Utah). It runs through Sunday (Feb 13, 2011).

The show is a popular place to see and learn about the latest boats, water craft and marine accessories. It also offers exhibits, info, demonstrations about fishing and other outdoor sports.

A Lake Powell houseboat vacation will be given away at the show. Attendees can also register for a chance to win an Alaskan dream fishing trip.

Below are some of the attractions, pulled from the show's website.

Everything for Boating Fun!
See the new 2011 Wakeboard Boats, Ski Boats, Fishing Boats, Houseboats, Power Boats, Pon-toons, Personal Watercraft and more. Find the boat of your dreams and make your best deal at the show!

See the Latest Marine Accessories!
Wakeboards, water ski's, wake skates, surf boards, winches, tubes, generators, canvas covers, towers, boating services, boat motors, trailers and more. The boat show has everything for the active boating lifestyle.

Experience the Rail Jam
The Pro Riders will be demonstrating the newest gear and the latest tricks at the all new "WakePark." This water park is a live indoor feature with pros sliding and jumping rails, ponds, and gaps. Meet the pros at the Utah Boat Show & Watersports Expo.

Show Hours
Thursday: 2 pm to 10 pm
Friday: Noon to 10 pm
Saturday: 11 am to 10 pm
Sunday: 11 am to 6 pm

Tuesday, February 08, 2011

Zion Park Updates

Zion National Park staff members are using Twitter to provide informational updates. Go here to see their Twitter page, and to follow.

The park is also building two new restrooms/comfort stations in Watchman Campground. The park provided the news release below.

Zion National Park to Begin Construction of Two New Comfort Stations in Watchman Campground

Zion National Park will begin the construction of two new comfort stations in Loops A and B of Watchman Campground on January 30, 2011. The construction of these 900-square-foot buildings will include the restroom facilities, sidewalks and adjacent landscaping. The replacement of the deteriorating comfort stations is necessary to improve visitor safety and resource protection. The project is expected to be completed by July2011.

The new comfort stations will be designed using the National Park Service Rustic Style and will incorporate sustainability principles used in recently completed comfort stations at the Temple of Sinawava and Watchman Campground. The project will also include the removal of the existing comfort stations.

Four campsites will be closed in Loop A and one campsite in Loop B in Watchman Campground beginning February 1, 2011. These closures will remain

in effect for the duration of the project. The remaining campsites in Loops A & B will be open as scheduled throughout the construction period. Visitors camping in sites near the project area may experience construction noise during daytime hours.

The work will be completed primarily by contract which was awarded to BeXar Advanced Solutions Group, LLC from Kaysville, Utah. Funding for this project came from the National Recreation Fee Demonstration Program which provides monies collected from park entrance fees and other fees for use in park maintenance, repair projects and public service programs.

For more information on this construction project, contact Jim Valentine at 435-772-0191. For information on Watchman Campground, visit the park website at www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/campgrounds-in-zion.htm

Monday, February 07, 2011

Bear Lake Chocolate Festival & Craft Fair

The annual Bear Lake Chocolate Festival & Craft Fair will be held Feb 18-19 at the Garden City Town Hall, on beautiful Bear Lake. Events will run from 3-7 pm on Friday and 10 am - 7 pm on Saturday.

The event is sponsored by the companies listed below, in cooperation with the Bear Lake Chamber of Commerce.
- Twilas Gourmet Fudge
- Gosner's Cheese Factory
- Pepperidge Farm
- Boost Biz Solutions for Identity Theft
- Bear Lake Vacation Rental / BearLakeLodge.com
- The Chocolate Bear / Bear Trapper Steak House

People attending are encouraged to donate a can of food to support the local food bank.

Friday, February 04, 2011

Dates For Moab Bike Events And Photo Workshops

We stumbled across two good articles that summarize bike events and photography workshops scheduled for Moab during 2011.

This one describes each bike event and then gives dates. We show the dates below, for your convenience.

The 2011 Year at a glance for bikes in Moab Utah:
March 4-6 2011 Yeti Thaw
March 11-14 2011 Skinny Tire Festival
March 26 2011 Adventure Xtreme
May 7 2011 Gran Fondo
May 14-15 2011 Moab Triathlon Festival
June 10-11 2011 Rockwell Relay
October 5 - 9 2011 OuterBike
October 8-9 2011 24 hours of Moab mountain bike race
October 27-30 2011 Moab Ho Down Mountain Bike Event
October 27 & 28 Mountain Bike Film Festival

This article describes upcoming nature and landscape photography workshops. The first one is coming later this month. Here's the intro paragraph and details on the first event.

The remarkable landscapes of Moab Utah, Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, Dead Horse Point State Park and the Colorado River corridor attract professional photographers willing to share insights on technique, composition, inspiration, field photography fundamentals spiced with comradelier. Here is the 2011 list of workshops based out of Moab Utah.

February 20 -24 2011
Joseph Rossbach will teach a variety of techniques—both in the field and in the classroom—that will allow you to advance both your technical skills and artistic vision. A number of professional field techniques are taught to help create dramatic and powerful nature images. Participants will work with dramatic light, including sunrise and sunset; get instruction on the fundamentals of powerful compositions; use long exposure techniques for incorporating time and motion into photographs; shoot night photography and abstract techniques.

Thursday, February 03, 2011

Utah May Reduce Grooming Of Snowmobile Trails

The Utah Legislature is in session, grappling with ways to balance expenses and projected revenue. The tight economy means there is less money for programs, and some lawmakers are considering reducing funds that go to Utah State Parks for recreational programs. As a result, there may be less money available to groom snowmobile trails.

People who have strong opinions about this matter are encouraged to share them with their state representatives.

The Salt Lake Tribune has this article about the issue. Below are excerpts.

One of the first things to come out of the 2011 Utah legislative session was a proposal to cut $3 million from the Utah State Parks budget. That represents 9.5 percent of the agency’s annual budget and is in addition to $4.5 million in reduced budget funding for Utah State Parks in the past two years.

The agency, which runs 43 state parks in Utah, is also in charge of the state’s off-highway vehicle, boating and trails programs.

State Parks employees typically spend 1,200 hours grooming more than 25,000 miles of trails each winter at nine snowmobiling complexes across Utah. Without occasional grooming, snowmobile trails can become a bumpy series of whoop-de-dos that can be hard on riders and machines. If riders hit the wavy — and sometimes hard-to-see — spots too fast, they can be dangerous.

“They do an excellent job. They are always on top of it,” Ken Rossum, executive director of the Utah Snowmobile Association, said of the state park groomer operators. “We have been paying attention to the budget issues and it is unfortunate where it seems like things may be going.”

A large part of the grooming budget comes from annual snowmobile registration fees and a gas tax, but the economic woes, which are leading to budget cuts, have also affected the number of registered snowmobiles.

Wednesday, February 02, 2011

I-15 In Spanish Fork To Close For 3 Nights

I-15 is the main north-south traffic corridor through Utah. It carries much of the local traffic moving along the Wasatch Front (Salt Lake, Ogden, Provo area), as well as people traveling through the area.

The freeway will be totally close in both directions in Spanish Fork on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights next week (Feb 7-9), while crews work on the massive I-15 construction project.

This Salt Lake Tribune article provides the information below about the closure.

Interstate 15 in Spanish Fork will shut down in both directions overnight next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for bridge construction.

The Utah Department of Transportation said the closures will be between Spanish Fork Main Street and U.S. 6 from 11 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. each night. Signs with detour routes will be in place during the closures.

Crews will place beams on the new U.S. 6 bridge over I-15 as part of a reconfiguration of the Spanish Fork Main and U.S. 6 interchanges.

More information about the I-15 core project.

Updated road and traffic conditions.

Tuesday, February 01, 2011

Inn At Entrada Ranks #24 On Trip Advisor List

The annual Travelers Choice Awards on TripAdviser.com ranks the Inn at Entrade at number 24 among the “Top 25 Hotels in the United States.”

The Inn At Entrade is located at the Entrade golf course, adjacent to Snow Canyon State Park, just outside of St George.

Thr news release below describes the ranking:

TripAdvisor released the Travelers’ Choice 2011 Awards which recognizes hotels worldwide, ranking The Inn at Entrada #24 in the Top 25 Hotels in the United States. TripAdvisor is one of the most reputable travel websites in the world, allowing visitors to post comments and rank the hotels after their visits. The Inn at Entrada is the only hotel on the list from the State of Utah.

Among hotels in the Top 25 are the Fairmont Heritage Place Ghirardelli Square, San Francisco, CA; Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea, HI; The Tides South Beach, Miami, FL and the Grand Del Mar, San Diego, CA. For a complete list of TripAdvisor’s Top 25 US Hotels go to http://www.TripAdvisor.com/TravelersChoice.

“We are honored to be a part of such exclusive company," states Rheanne Etken, Resort Manager, “Trip Advisor’s rankings are based on travelers’ reviews of the property, which makes this award a significant one because our guests have shared their memorable experiences at Entrada.”

The Inn at Entrada is a small luxury golf and spa resort of 40 private casitas within the gated Entrada at Snow Canyon Country Club. The resort is located along the 9th fairway of the Entrada’s Johnny Miller Signature Course, ranked as Utah’s best year-round course by Golf Digest. The Inn at Entrada offers nightly, weekly and monthly rental casitas. Each luxury casita is complete with a studio and suite-style living accommodations. The One, Two and Three Bedroom Suites feature living and dining areas, kitchens, laundry facilities, Jacuzzi tubs and attached garages. The Studios feature cozy accommodations for two with a kitchenette, fireplace and attached garage.

A guest of The Inn at Entrada is entitled to a temporary membership in the private Entrada at Snow Canyon Country Club which allows access to the Johnny Miller course, Entrada’s Sports and Fitness facility, with indoor and outdoor pools, spa services, and racquet sports, as well as the private Kokopelli Restaurant and Lounge.

For lodging information, please call 435.634.7100 or visit us online at http://www.innatentrada.com. The Inn at Entrada and the Entrada at Snow Canyon Country Club are managed by the world’s leading golf management company, Troon Privé.

Entrada at Snow Canyon is located in St. George, Utah, 119 miles (192 km) northeast of Las Vegas, NV, and 303 miles (488 km) south of Salt Lake City on Interstate 15, and is within easy day-trip distance to some of the nation’s most stunning natural attractions: Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks, Grand-Staircase Escalante and Cedar Breaks national monuments, Lake Powell and the Grand Canyon. The new St. George municipal airport, which opened in January 2011, has service to and from Salt Lake City and to Los Angeles beginning in March; the Las Vegas McCarran International Airport is serviced via frequent shuttle service throughout the day and evening.
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