Author Archives: Jill Adler

Utah Ski Resort Closing Dates

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Here they are. The ‘official’ Closing Dates- until they change. As usual, the last two resorts to close will be Alta (April 28) and Snowbird (May 27).

I hear we are going to have a seriously wet April. Better buy that Bird spring pass. J

Park City Resorts

Deer Valley Ski Resort
Anticipated Closing April 14, 2013

Deer Valley Resort official website

The Canyons Ski Resort

Anticipated Closing April 14, 2013. Don’t miss their final free-at-3p après concert on the Plaza this Saturday- The Pour Horse is a Salt Lake based quartet that produces a mixture of rock, funk and blues with a little bit of a jam band-esque feel.

The Canyons Ski Resort – Official Website 

Park City Ski Resort
Anticipated Closing April 14, 2013
Park City Mountain Resort – Official Website 

Provo Resort
Sundance Resort
Anticipated Closing April 7, 2013. Will open for summer operations April 18! Guess with a 30″ base it won’t take long to melt off.

Sundance Resort – Official Website

LCC/BCC
Alta Ski Resort
Anticipated Closing April 14, 2013, then Fri-Sun. through April 28. No uphill traffic until May.
Alta Ski Resort – Official Website

Brighton Ski Resort
Night skiing ends April 6. Anticipated Closing April 21, 2013. Take advantage of their Tax Day Relief promotion, April 15. Lift tickets $20!!
Brighton Ski Resort – Official Website

Snowbird Ski Resort
Anticipated Closing Memorial Day Weekend (May 27), 2013
Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort

Solitude Ski Resort
Anticipated Closing April 14, 2013, Lift tickets are $49 until close; free if you stay at one of Solitude’s lodging properties.
Solitude Mountain Ski Resort – Official Website 

Northern Utah Resorts
Beaver Mountain Resort
Closed

Beaver Mountain Resort – Official Website

Powder Mountain Resort
Closing April 7, 2013
Powder Mountain Resort – Official Website

Snowbasin Ski Resort
Anticipated Closing April 14, 2013
Snowbasin Ski Resort – Official Website

Wolf Mountain Ski Resort
Closed
Wolf Mountain Ski Resort – Official Website


Southern Utah Resorts
Brian Head Resort
Anticipated Closing April 14, 2013. Don’t miss the Spring Carnival on Sat., April 13, with fun events from 11a-4p.
Brian Head Resort – Official Website


Eagle Point Resort
Anticipated Closing April 7, 2013
official website

Celebrity Ski Race At Canyons Resort Buys Smiles

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There were quite a few more kids (instead of adults) going neck and neck and significantly less recognizable faces at the 2013 Operation Smile Celebrity Ski Challenge at Canyons Resort this weekend. Lea Michele, Cory Monteith and Lucy Hale- Operation Smiles’ headliners and biggest draw were no shows. Last year, you had Billy Bush announcing with the same glib, jovial finesse he has on Access Hollywood but this year, Utah native and host of Spike TV’s Flip Men filled in for Bush and the spirit of this fun spring event waned.

Still, Kevin McHale and Jenna Ushkowitz (Arte and Tina from Glee), Jason Ritter (Parenthood), Kate Walsh (Private Practice) and Mark Eaton took turns arcing in the slush near the bottom of Doc’s.


Smile’s Ambassador Zachery Levi (the voice of Flynn Rider in Tangled) also stepped in but without popular stars like Modern Family’s Ty Burrell and Jessie Tyer Ferguson (Phil and Mitchell) and Monteith combing the Plaza there was a definite lack of star power. Which is too bad considering the attention this charity deserves.

Operation Smile has provided more than 200,000 free surgeries for children and young adults throughout the world born with facial deformities. One in every 10 children born with a cleft will die before their first birthday. The children who survive might be unable to eat, speak, socialize or smile. They’re teased and, worse, rejected.

Vampire Diaries’ Michael Trevino showed his support this weekend. (Apologies for the background noise).

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cuifp-TSKQ&w=560&h=315]

This year’s event raised enough money to help more than 900 kids. But it could be more. My fingers are crossed that more Hollywood TV stars hear how much fun it is to come to Canyons, make turns and support a worthy cause that they sign up for next year’s event. Just the same, the crowd enjoyed themselves, raised money for a charity that literally puts smiles on the faces of kids throughout the world and, with any luck, next year’s event will lure back Rachel and Finn, Phil and Mitchell.

 


P.S. How cool would it be to see Alec Baldwin take on Donald Trump and John Krasinski hand it to Mariska Hargitay. It’s completely plausible seeing as how NBC President Jennifer Salke and her teenage son Henry created this event. And while you’re at it, Guys, can you please talk Finn and Rachel into doing a duet on the stage after the race?

 

 


 

Trip Report: June Mountain

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Photos by Ryan Freitas

Skiing June Mountain is bittersweet today. While I’d normally relish having a mountain all to myself, it’s kind of sad here now. The ghosttown feel is heavy. Although there are still a handful of homeowners and businesses in the June Lake area still trying to muscle through, it’s evident that last summer’s announcement from Mammoth Mountain CEO Rusty Gregory that June would close after 50 years of continuous operation hit Mono and Inyo County hard. No one seems happy with this decision.

June was the lazy, hometown resort for locals and backcountry skiers. Those in the know would scramble to June and its world-class terrain parks and superpipe to avoid the swarms that descend on Mammoth every weekend.  It also offered unmatched, lift-served access to the Sierras and unbound exploration from here to Yosemite.

june_mountain

Fortunately for backcountry skiers, the US Forest Service softened the closure blow. Inyo National Forest leases June’s operating permit to Mammoth so when Mammoth yanked their operations, the Forest Service rules went into effect- “the land will generally remain accessible to the public for backcountry skiing, snowboarding or snowshoeing. Under the plan, ski patrollers are authorized to prohibit access to the area during avalanche control activities. The ski area remains prohibited to entry by snowmobiles and other motorized use by an existing Forest Order, except by special use authorization,” the Mammoth press release states.

And so June was “open” for skiing this year.  Local mountain guide Doug Nidiver commented, “It’s surprising how many tracks there were this season.”

Even better is that dogs are allowed now!

IMG_2384

At times the parking lot was full but not today. We packed up the water, the ProBars, the skins and the poop bags and headed up the service road toward the Chalet. The rise of the J1 lift and its face looked intimidating. I couldn’t wait to ski it but climbing it? Not so much.

IMG_2345

IMG_2350We stopped for a water break and views on the Chalet’s deck and Nidiver reminisced about riding the lift, taking in the views, having a tasty meal- “the food was excellent up here” and then venturing out of bounds. Locals had long whined for a backcountry lift where they could pay a reduced rate for lift-accessed OB but that had never happened.

Today, we skied the ski area. The conditions in the hot sun have shifted to spring corn and crust. It didn’t matter where we went so it was easy just to trek straight up the face.

Four hours later, we reached the 10,000-foot summit. We had no trouble skinning except that my hip flexors were a bit out of shape.

After the Kodak moment we ripped the skins, clicked in and dropped into Deer Bowl. We had to be nimble with the breakaway layer but after the first ten turns the trail turned into a smooth table of corn. Over the face and down IQ, the snow became dimpled with sun cups but we were able to ski all the way back to the car. Nearly 3000 vertical for the afternoon.

In my head, I could hear the whoops and hollers of my fellow Utahns enjoying the 10 inches of fresh powder back home. Sigh. But there’s something to be said for solitude, sun and blue skies for the end of March. I had a wicked body buzz going and a deep appreciation for spring skiing. I’m not sure that I would want to be anywhere else today.  I’ll be back in Utah soon enough!

P.S. It’s not official yet but all signs are pointing to June reopening for winter 2014.

Dog Training Tips- The Alpha Roll

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Last night I learned about Alpha Rolls.

I met Jan Perkins last fall during the Walk and Wag event held at the University of Utah. I really liked her, liked where she was coming from in terms of dog training and she stuck in my mind. Now that Takoda’s nearing his first birthday I’m getting serious about going beyond basic obedience. Plus, He’s a teenager and starting to push boundaries. I’m sick of him trying to jump out of the car and ‘escape’; of him jumping on strangers to say hello, etc. And now he’s trying to nip Sage when she runs past him- typical Australian shepherd behavior but nonetheless unacceptable.

I called Jan and that same night she was starting a rally/agility class. He loved it; I loved it and at the end we had time to discuss personal ‘homework’. Boundary training- I always go first; through doors. He’s not allowed out of the car until I say so. We of course discussed how to correct naughty behaviors. And when a dog tried to act like he’s man of the house, it’s the Alpha Roll….


Alpha Rolls: 

Make sure you are doing your alpha rolls daily.  Alpha rolls are the same thing that the mother dog or an alpha dog would do to another dog to show dominance over them.  When a puppy gets out of control, the mother dog will put her mouth over the puppy’s neck and put them on the ground.  The puppy then will usually submit by rolling on its back and showing its flank or if very submissive will piddle.   If a more dominant dog goes after a submissive dog the dominate dog will go for the neck, put their hackles up and become very large, or get on top of the submissive dog and the submissive dog will roll on his back to show submission.  At this point most dogs will walk away from each other unless they are on their own property and are very territorial. 

Dogs understand alpha rolls and by doing these you put yourself in the leadership position.  


To alpha roll your dog:

Roll them on their side taking one hand and gently but firmly placing it over the neck.  The other hand firmly but carefully lies over their body, keeping them in a prone position.  Be careful with their legs to make sure they do not get caught underneath and get hurt.  If your dog submits easily, these can be done as a fun body massage with lots of love.  When massaging your dog use two fingers and massage gently down the spine from the base of the skull to the tail.  Massage each leg and down to each foot.  If they are sensitive, move your hand up to a more comfortable area and work back to the sensitive place slowly.  You can massage the ears, gums and jaw muscle.  You can also use these as a correction for your dog. 

Now, if your dog defies you and is not listening to your correction you can put them in an alpha roll firmly but do not praise at the end with the massage.  Have them get back up and do whatever you were correcting for.  Then you can praise.  Just make sure your dog stays down until you release them.  If your dog fights his way up and you let him, you lose big time.  They then know they are stronger than you are.  Also, make sure that your dog doesn’t put his paw over your arm while they are being rolled.  That is another way they show that they are not totally submissive. 

Do be careful when trying this as some dogs are dominate over you and you just don’t know it. They’ll snap at you when you put them down.  If you are afraid, you might have one of these dogs, give Jan a call at Live Oak Obedience.

SkiLink: Friend or Foe

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By Jill Adler

There are more than a few entities who would like to put the kibosh on SkiLink. Gauging from the packed church at last night’s forum in Park City, Utah, the proposed gondola between Canyons Resort and Solitude Mountain Resort will definitely not go quietly.

“Park City residents are here because they’re concerned about this being in their backyard,” said Sierra Club’s Tim Wagner. The discussion centered on whether to support a land swap between the feds and Talisker Corp. which owns Canyons. Congress would have to sell 30 acres of federal land in Big Cottonwood Canyon for SkiLink to run and backcountry enthusiasts fear that means Talisker would have some serious control over their playground.

Those ‘for’, like the idea of propelling Utah skiing to the forefront of the industry. They say it would light the fuse to connect the other Utah resorts and create a ski experience similar to those in Europe and unlike anything in this country. They add it would alleviate traffic and congestion in the canyons, and create 500 jobs.
Those ‘against’, say a gondola would crush the backcountry and set a “dangerous precedent.”

Solitude Mountain’s Dave DeSeelhorst says that’s not a realistic fear. There’s plenty of water available outside of this particular watershed space and the gondola could be built with minimal environmental impact.

There’s still time to weigh in. The possibility of construction is a long way off. First Congress has to approve the sale and then the local governments would need to meet to decide whether SkiLink is a viable and beneficial project before Canyons can make a groundbreaking move.

The panel discussion last night is the first of many public forums to come about SkiLink. We’ll keep you up on the drama as it unfolds.

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