Author Archives: Jill Adler

This Girl Can Campaign Wages War On Feminine Fear

There’s a huge discrepancy in the number of men and the number of women in sports. By about two million. After high school millions of women and girls stop exercising. Some studies say that’s because they’re afraid of judgement.

Sport England started the This Girl Can nationwide campaign to crush that fear and get women and girls moving, regardless of shape, size and ability.

Want to see the research? Go Where Women Are, includes up-to-date info exploring the relevant motivations, barriers and triggers to getting more women more active.

 

This Girl Can

The groundbreaking This Girl Can campaign is the first of its kind to feature women who sweat and jiggle. It seeks to tell the real story of women who play sports by using images that are the complete opposite of the idealized and stylized stuff we’re used to seeing.

The campaign doesn’t hold back in trying to encourage women to beat their barriers. “Sweating like a pig, feeling like a fox” and “I kick balls, deal with it” are among the hard-hitting lines used in the campaign to prompt a change in attitudes and help boost women’s confidence.

“Before we began this campaign, we looked very carefully at what women were saying about why they felt sport and exercise was not for them. Some of the issues, like time and cost, were familiar, but one of the strongest themes was a fear of judgement,” said Sport England CEO Jennie Price. “Worries about being judged for being the wrong size, not fit enough and not skilled enough came up time and again. Every single woman I have talked to about this campaign – and that is now hundreds – has identified with this, and it is that fear of not being ‘good enough’ in some way, and the fear that you are the only one who feels like that, that we want to address.”

 

Take a look:

 

For more about This Girl Can, go to www.thisgirlcan.co.uk where you can find out about the women in the campaign, get tips on how to get active and join the national debate. You can also use the hashtag #thisgirlcan to join the conversation on Twitter.

It’s Summer in the Mountains Until The First Flake Flies

Summer in the Mountains

Summer in the Mountains The snow’s coming. Less than 100 days. The colors are about to turn so it’s your last hurrah to jump in a mountain lake, hike high peaks with the pooch, cycle amid the wildflowers. Don’t think skiing just yet (except to purchase your season pass). Boarding, snowshoeing and sledding, they can wait. There’s still more toe torturing hikes, skin tearing mountainbiking, and even birdwatching to be had.

With Labor Day coming, the resorts are almost ready to cease summer operations but there’s still time.  Here’s the lowdown on activities still available before the winter-season priming begins:

Solitude has extended their summer operations through September 27. Get up Big Cottonwood for mountain biking, hiking, scenic chairlift rides, mountain scooters and disc golf. The Village Adventure Center is open daily through September 7, 2015, then open Friday, Saturday, Sunday only though September 27, 2015. Lift-served gentle singletrack, hiking and scenic rides are offered on the Sunrise chairlift on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through September 13, 2015. After you’ve worked up an appetite, grab pizza or ice cream at the Stone Haus or lunch, dinner and brunch at The Honeycomb Grill, Wednesday through Sunday Brunch.

SSHHH. Snowbasin Resort has some of the best mountain biking in the state for whimpy riders like me. While everyone’s out ripping Twist and Shout at Deer Valley you can take the weekend to play on 26 miles of (relatively) uncrowded single track that connect to 50 miles of additional Forest Service trails. There are also three designated hikers-only trails that lead to the crest of the ridge. Dogs are allowed on the gondola, but not in lodges or anywhere food is being served.  The trails are open through October 4 but the gondola only runs on weekends. Check out Needle Lodge for brunch or lunch, free guided tours, Frisbee Golf on a 9-hole course. Little ones will love the adventure playground, practice bike loop, spider bungee jump, and climbing wall. Strider push bikes are available for rent. There’s also the free outdoor Blues, Brews & BBQ concert series every Sunday with both national and regional artists. Snow cones and dream-worthy fresh fruit-muddled lemonades are served alongside your favorite BBQ items and local Utah craft beers.

One of my favorite things to do in the summer at Alta is brunch at the Alta Lodge then walk it off among the wildflowers in Albion Basin. Bring your climbing gear for excellent routes off the Cecret Lake Trail with gorgeous views of the Wasatch from the shady bolted routes.

Snowbird‘s summer activities are just as extreme as their winter ones. This place is not for wussies. The mountain biking is legitimately black-diamond level whether you ride off of Hidden Peak on Chips Run or take one of the seven miles of singletrack on the lower mountain. The more intermediate-level Big Moutain Trail is closed for construction. More ‘girlish’ proclivities will appreciate the Aerial Tram and Peruvian scenic rides to stunning views and close-up wildlife sightings atop Hidden Peak. Take a walk through the Peruvian tunnel to Mineral Basin and miles of hiking and wildflowers. Little ones can’t ride the Purvian lift but they won’t mind staying on the Plaza for the Alpine Slide, Mountain Coaster, Mountain Flyer seated zipline, and the new Vertical Drop which involves 9 feet of freefall followed by a gradual auto-belay down to the ground, Climbing Wall, Bungee Trampolines and Ropes Course. Children can pan for gemstones in the Wasatch Mining Co. sluice or fish in the Austin Pond (with paid license). Oktoberfest is Saturday and Sunday through October 12 where you can sip over 54 different types of beer including German imports not normally found  in Utah. There’s Lederhosen, yodelers, bratwurst with sauerkraut, face painting and music stages too.

Speaking of music, Deer Valley‘s 2015 summer concert series at the resort’s Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater closes out their season on September 6 with Aloe Blacc brought to you by the Park City Institute’s St. Regis Big Stars, Bright Nights Outdoor Concert Series. Mountain biking lasts a little longer. Summer mountain biking goes to weekends only after Labor Day and shuts down completely on September 20. After hours riding the nearly 70 miles of world-class lift-served single-track, make sure you toast the sunset on the deck of Royal Street Cafe with a blueberry mojito.

Lift-served mountain biking and hiking runs through October 18 at Park City Mountain Resort. The best access is from the Crescent Hi-Speed Quad which will get you to the top of Crescent Ridge in minutes. PayDay Lift will run when Crescent Lift doesn’t. The mountain is open daily for more than 70 miles of trails. For less strenuous but no less heart-pounding adventure you MUST ride Utah’s longest alpine coaster, one of the world’s longest alpine slides (and rowdiest if you take the concrete track instead of the fiberglass ones). The ZipRider Zip Line is a hoot too. Kid-friendly activities include the Spider Slide, Climbing Web, boulders and climbing wall in the Adventure Zone, and the Legacy Launcher trampolines. Little Miners Park’s merry-go-round, airplane ride and mini-train cater to the resort’s youngest guests. You can’t beat the apps and French onion soup at Legends Bar and Grill, located in the resort plaza or the live music on the patio at the Corner Store.

Summer in the MountainsCanyons Village at Park City aka Canyons Resort has the absolutely best biking for freestylers accessed by riding the gondola, then High Meadow and Short Cut chairlifts. The Bike Park includes two skills parks and four skill-level trails with rollers, berms, jumps, steep grades, drops and tight switchbacks. Bikers of all levels can skip the park and ride over 20 miles of cross-country trails throughout the resort. You’ll have until September 27.  For a hefty $50 you can take the best zipline ride in Utah between Lookout Peak and Red Pine Lodge spanning over 2,111 feet. Disc golf is a little cheaper (even free if you have your own discs and a season pass) and so is the fishing and pedal boats in the pond under the Orange Bubble Express. There’s one Saturday concert left for this season September 6 so pack your own picnic and brings the kiddos. They can play mini golf while you relax. The Wednesday afternoon Farmers Markets in the Cabriolet parking lot continues through October 28.

Sundance Resort has their annual Harvest Market September 26. Over 30 local artists and craftsmen as well as several will be selling everything from jewelry and pottery to wooden canoes and lotions. There’s also live Bluegrass/Americana music and an array of delicious Sundance foods all set against the splendorous backdrop of Mt. Timpanogos. On any other summer day you can bike or hike more than 25 miles of trails, get a soothing massage in The Spa at Sundance, or take a hands-on workshop in jewelry making, wheel-thrown potterywatercolor or oil painting, printmakingphotography and charcoal and pencil drawing in the art barn. At days’s end listen to unsung artists at the Friday night Bluebird Café Singer/Songwriter concert series.

Slide The City Makes SLC Slide Lake City


I gave up the Slip and Slide when I was 15. It was all the rage on a hot summer day; roll out that yellow sheet of plastic on the lawn, hope you didn’t lay it over a sprinkler, spray a bunch of water with the hose (leave it running) then go to town for a good two to three hours of tummy diving. But alas it was yet another thing we outgrew as adults. Think of the funny looks you’d get from neighbors.


Well, the folks at Slide The City have turned up their noses at convention and tapped into – pardon the pun- that nostalgia and childlike fun by turning a backyard pastime into an annual event for all ages. Last weekend wasn’t Slide The City but Slide Lake City in my book when the organization unfurled a giant, four-lane, inflatable piece of vinyl in downtown Salt Lake City.


Last year’s inaugural event drew crowds of curious onlookers and this year nearly 3000 men, women and kids in bathing suits and smiles got down and wet. Some citizenry were concerned about safety issues but the Health Department gave the green light to allow thrillseekers their moment(s) in the sun. All it took was a wristband and some sort off blowup tube and you were on your way.


Although the slide opened at 11 a.m. we waited for the heat of the day at 4 p.m. We hiked north up to the top of the three block stretch from North Temple. Sage couldn’t quit grinning with glee as she bounced her official STC tube on waist. Her red wristband gave her five tries and she planned to use every one of them. For a lazy kid, she didn’t even mind hiking back to the top after each slide. I could see how a golf cart shuttling people would come in handy next time. We expected a Lagoon-length crowd but there was no line. We quickly slopped on the sunscreen, then flopped on our tubes. The volunteers gave us a shove and sped quickly down the track only to slow up exponentially as the street flattened. No need to fear a crash at the bottom. We actually had to use flailing hands to push our way through the last 50 feet. By the fifth round, however, I knew what I had to do for optimal speed. Disengage from Sage. We had been connected thinking the weight would propel us but in the end, going solo was the ticket. Shoot for the lane that has the most water coming off of it, lay on your stomach and you keep your knees and feet up. Aside from the few knee scrapes, the fun meter was off the charts. I couldn’t stop smiling and whooping. I wasn’t the only one either. Last year’s event did so well, the company has been moving that slide around to more than 50 U.S. cities like a regular carny ride.


By the 5th run, however, we were done. That’s a lot of hiking that sneaks up on you. Despite her enthusiasm, Sage was done too- but already begging to return next year. I promised. What’s a mom to do?

If you want to do Slide the City, make sure you sign up on the mailing list so know when the loyalty pricing opens and can get the cheapest tickets. Day-off registration was $30 for a single ride!!  Oh and if you can’t wait until next year to try, there’s a Slide The City event in Orem on Sept. 5. Save $10 by registering online.

Utah Season Pass Sale; Get Them While They’re Hot

 

Talk about time sneaking up on you. Feels like just a few months ago we were debating whether the Mountain Collective should be the only pass you purchase. The first big deadline to buy a season pass before a hefty price increase, rolls in after Labor Day. If you’re thinking about pulling the trigger, do it sooner rather than later. No reason to lose any more of your hard extra money.

A lot will go into your decision to purchase a season pass but make sure you do the math. Figure out how many days you might ski this coming winter. Be realistic. Last year was one of the worst ever. Folks who normally skied 60+ days were only booting up 30-40. If you think you’ll average about 20-25, consider buying ticket books or something like the $150 Alta Gold Card that gets you half-off lift tickets and it’s got RFID so it’s straight to the lifts just like you would with a pass.

At Solitude, you can buy a 10-Pak ticket book for $500. Whatever days you don’t use roll over to next season. Be aware that there’s no more ‘cherry picking’ your days now that Deer Valley is running the joint. Solitude used to sell a multi-ride pass that was not only unique but effective. You could buy, say, 30 ‘rides’ and then ski only three runs a day and make it last for 10 days. Gone.

Here are some figures to help with your decision; in ascending order. FYI, there are less expensive midweek options in addition to the ticket packages available at all of the resorts, so click on the individual areas for the full rundown:

 

Sundance

Prices rise Oct. 31, 2015

Adult Unlimited = $529

Junior Unlimited (ages 6-12) = $209

Students Unlimited (ages 13-18) = $259

College Unlimited = $439

Powder Mountain

Adult = $740

Young Adult (ages 7-21) = $300

Family Pass (2 Adults and 2 K-12 – each additional K-12 $100) = $1620

Snowbasin Resort

Prices rise September 7, 2015

Adult Premier (age 27-64) = $749
Adult Value Pass (age 27-64) = $549
Young Adult Premier (age 19-26) = $499
Teen Premier (age 13-18) = $299
Youth Premier (age 7-12) = $199
Child Value (ages 6 & under) = $10
The Value passes have holiday blackouts and do not come with the Powder Alliance benefit.

Park City Mountain/Canyons at Park City

Full Adult Epic = $769
Epic Pass Child = $399

Epic Local Pass Adult = $579  Epic Local Pass Teen = $459

Epic Local Pass Child = $299

Cheapest option for Utahns in school, and who only want to ski Park City-

Park City Youth Pass College = $399
Park City Youth Pass Teen = $309
Park City Youth Pass Child = $289

FYI- There are blackout dates on the Epic Local- Vail, Beaver Creek, Park City, Heavenly, Northstar, & Kirkwood restricted: 11/27/15-11/28/15, 12/26/15-12/31/15, 1/16/16, 2/13/16-2/14/16.

 

Brighton

Prices rise after 9/16/15

Brighton bucked a forever trend by actually REDUCING pass prices this season.

Adult (ages 24+) = $799

Young Adult (ages 17-23) = $499

Youth (ages 11-Grade 12) = $299
Kids 10 and under Free!

Solitude

Adult Season Pass = $849

Young Adult (Age 18-23) = $529

Junior (ages 13-17) = $319

Youth (ages 7-12) – $219

Big Cottonwood Pass (valid at both Brighton and Solitude)

Adult – $1,199

Young Adult (18-23) – $839

Junior (7-17) – $479

Kids 6 and under ski free

Alta*

Adult: $999 ($1,119 after 9/30/15)

Mid Week Pass (Monday-Friday): $799

Ages 18-25: $599 ($1,199 after 9/30/15)

Utah College Student / College Spouse: $599

Kids 7-12: $159; 13-17: $199

The best deal by far if you can wrangle a gang together is the Family Season Pass Package (2 Adults / 2 Children): $1,999 ($2,229 after 9/30.15)- you’re basically getting two free kids’ passes!

Snowbird*

Prices rise 9/10/15

Adult Passes Unlimited = $999 ($1,199); Chairs Only = $799 ($1,099)

Young Adult (Ages 18-25) Unlimited = $659 ($729); Chairs Only = $449 ($599)

College Student Passes Unlimited = $659 ($729); Chairs Only = $449 ($599)

Childs Pass (Ages 7-18) Unlimited = $349 ($438); Chairs Only = $279 ($369)

Kids under 6 = $25

Alta / Snowbird Passes (Skiers Only)

Adult Unlimited = $1,399 ($1,599)

Young Adult Unlimited = $1,148 ($1,348)

Senior Unlimited = $1,148 ($1,348)

Family 4-Pack (2 Adults + 2 K-12) with Unlimited Tram & Chairs = $1999 (after 9/10- $2,399); Chairs Only = $1599 ($1,999)

 

Deer Valley

Prices rise after 10/31/15

Adult (Ages 24-64) = $2085

Young Adult (Ages 18-23) = $1295

Teen (Ages 13-17) = $890

Child (Ages 5-12) = $535

DV passholders also get four tickets to Solitude, three tickets to Snowbird and three to Alta (skiers only)

 

*Those who purchase a Snowbird or Alta pass early also receive the Benefit of the Wasatch (3 tix to Alta or Snowbird, and 3 tix to Deer Valley) and the Mountain Collective for 50% off tickets at: Aspen|Snowmass, Jackson Hole, Mammoth, Lake Louise/Sunshine Village, Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows, Whistler Blackcomb, Sun Valley, Stowe, Taos, Thredbo. Alta passholders get an additional 50% off tickets at Homewood, Red Lodge, Wachusett Mountain, and Bridger Bowl.

Top Summertime Things to Do In Park City

Photos by Ryan Freitas

It’s hot; it’s August and you’re more than just a visitor to this vacation town of Park City, Utah. But can you really say you’re a “local”? Have you hiked or biked the Mid-Mountain Trail? Have you attended the Park Silly Sunday Market or boogied on the New Park Plaza during the Thursday night free concerts? Have you eaten breakfast at the Main Street Deli? Have you uncorked a bottle of fine wine while toasting the sunset and the Utah Symphony outside at Deer Valley Resort? Until you express yourself in all things resort-like, we reserve the right to judge.

So as the summer wanes, here’s your bucket list of things you might want to try before the snow flies and before it’s too late to be just another tourist.

TOP FIVE THINGS TO DO ON A SUMMER’S DAY IN PC

Rock Climb in the Uintas

Hit White Pine Touring; grab a guidebook or, better yet, grab a guide/instructor and head to where the air is cool, clean and quiet; and where there’s a lake for the pooch to splash in. About 45 minutes east through Kamas on the Mirror Lake Highway, you’ll find the Ruth Lake pullout. Hike northwest for less than a mile until a wall, and people scaling it, comes into view. The lake itself is further along the trail but for climbers you can’t pick a better spot when it’s blazing in the valley. Snowbird instructor Mark Nakada and his friends mined the area a decade ago and the word’s gotten out. Great rock, over 100 routes of all levels and the ability to bring your four-footed friends make this and the Stone Garden (further east) a climber’s paradise.


Paddle the Mighty Weber

Weber River by inner tube or sit-on-top kayak is brought to you by Barefoot Tubing. You can also show up on Wednesday evenings for the weekly Utah Whitewater Club float. The Club usually has spare gear and room in rafts. Either way, don’t miss out on your shot at the only river worth paddling within an hour of Park City. Head out I-80 toward Cheyenne then go west on I-84 towards Ogden. The Henefer to Taggert section is about a class II+ – full of mild rapids and boulders to navigate, and nestled in the beautiful, wooded Ogden Canyon.

Mountain Bike “Canyons At Park City

After you dine on the deck of the Redpine Lodge (for one of the most scenic lunches in Park City), learn to ride like a pro with Canyons’ bike clinics. Sign up for a group or private clinics for the bike park and their trails, as well as custom mountain bike tours. They have more than 20 miles of cross-country trails, an expert bike park and a new beginner skills progression park. BTW, you can also ride at Deer Valley Resort (50 miles of trails) and Park City Mountain.


Slide the Slopes

The Alpine Slide at Park City Mountain Resort is a guaranteed thrill ride. But it ain’t the safety conscious Disneyland  (or even Lagoon) version. This summertime toboggan-on-wheels can be hazardous to your health if you forget the brakes so sign a waiver and ride at your own risk. Many a hardy athlete has launched off the track. After the aches, bruises and road rash subside, you’ll be anxiously drooling for your next visit. Looking for something safer? Try the Alpine Coaster. The gravity fed track carries you down to the base at speeds up to 30 mph. Hint: double up. The heavier the car, the faster you go.


Fly High at the Utah Oly Park

Adventure Courses at the Utah Olympic Park will bust through your test limits, and build skills that will carry on into the winter whether you weave through the ropes course, navigate a bobsled (on wheels), ride the world’s steepest zipline, or take a half-day freestyle clinic to learn to jump (into a pool). You can also just sit and watch others go nuts. The facility, the Alf Engen Ski Museum and international athletes training take place daily. (435) 658-4200

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