Author Archives: Jill Adler

What Skiers Do When The Snow Sucks


I’m going to give it to you straight: It doesn’t matter how much snow fell in the Wasatch 10 days ago. Those conditions are LONG GONE. Even Powderchasers hasn’t posted a report in over a week. The National Weather Service news for Little Cottonwood Canyon whines “temp trends will continue to climb markedly. High pressure will nose a little south/east through Sunday allowing an increasing/warming southwesterly flow aloft to develop…with temps spiking to between +5 and +7 C at 700mb Sunday afternoon.” NO BUENO. The snow sucks.

If we’re lucky we may see a slight bit of snow Tuesday – Friday but forecasters aren’t feeling confident and it could just turn into rain/mist. And so it’s more like summer in the mountains. Ski days are limited to east and south facing slopes after 10, moving to sunny everything else in the afternoon, done by 2 or 3 before everything turns to mush. It’s no wonder I’m seeing cyclists and rockclimbers everywhere. People are finding alternative ways to love March and the last week of winter.

I found myself doing the same. My friend Mark called and asked if I wanted to climb. I felt conflicted for all of about three minutes. I could sit around moping and wishing for winter or I could get outside and play a different way. Plus, my dog was getting fat and lazy. He needed out as well.

The weather was stellar- bluebird skies, warm sun and not a drop of snow or mud on the trail up to the Hard Wall in American Fork Canyon. I wore my new Kari Traa base layer as an outer layer and packed a puffy just in case the sun had me fooled. Nope, I could have worn a T-shirt.

It felt awkward climbing in March. Normally, I’m struggling on 5.9s around May. But after today, I find myself looking forward to climbing season. Shame on me. I promise to get out to Alta on Sunday but in the meantime, a stop into Momentum Climbing Gym may just be on the agenda for Saturday.

The Easter Bunny’s Coming To The Mountains. Eat The Ears First

 

It’s a no brainer. Someone hands you a cute chocolate bunny and the first thing you munch down on? The ears. According to a survey conducted just in time for Easter by the Chocolate Manufacturers Association (CMA) and National Confectioners Association (NCA), not only are chocolate bunnies the number one “must have” item in an Easter basket but they are to be consumed ears first.

“Apparently, this is the most appropriate way to enjoy a chocolate bunny,” said Larry Graham, president of CMA and NCA. Graham admits he’s no different. One thousand adults were surveyed and 76 percent said they start with the ears while only five percent head for the feet. I usually bite the butt but I’m in the minority (four percent).bunnies

When you’re done with the bunny you will most likely have a handful of jelly beans to contend with. More than 90 million chocolate bunnies and 16 billion jelly beans find their ways into our bellies.  But skiers, on the other hand are destined to consume more jelly beans than bunnies on Easter. There’s just no room for Bugs in those plastic eggs EB tosses out on the slopes.

Grab a basket and see for yourself on April 5-

Park City Mountain Resort

The Easter Bunny supervises a special egg hunt for kids under 6 in the Kid’s Korral at 9 a.m. sharp. Older children have an Easter Egg Hunt on the First Time face and adults can comb the mountain in search of the Golden Egg (containing a season pass) in the all-mountain hunt. EB scatters more than a hundred eggs for early risers to find. some have candy, others have fun prizes like alpine coaster tickets.

Deer Valley

The Easter Bunny visits Deer Valley’s Snow Park Lodge from 9 to 11 a.m.

Alta

Make sure you have the kids in front of Alta Java at Albion Lodge at 11 am. sharp to meet the Easter Bunny and find some of his hidden treasures buried in the snow. They will have three groups: 4 & under / 5-8 years / 9-12 years.

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Brighton

Dress like the Easter Bunny this Sunday and ski for free!! The Easter egg hunt in and around the Milly Chalet begins at 8 a.m. and will keep all ages entertained. Make sure to bring your boots, because you never know where the Easter Bunny hid his eggs! Grab some pancakes at the Milly Chalet. There will also be hard boiled eggs to dye and decorate.

Snowbird

Snowbird’s Easter begins with the annual Sunrise Service on Hidden Peak followed by a Pancake Breakfast Buffet at the Rendezvous or the Aerie Easter Brunch. Kids 6 and under are free.

The egg hunt starts in Chickadee Bowl at 9 a.m. for children up to 11. The three age divisions are: 4 & under, 5-7 and 8-11.

Snowbasin

Bring the children up to Snowbasin Resort for an Easter Egg Hunt and to see the Easter Bunny before enjoying a delicious Easter Brunch. Kids under 6 scramble at 10 a.m. Those 7-12 can get their eggs at 11. The Easter Brunch is from 10:30 am – 4:30 pm. Reservations required.

 

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Ogden Snowboarder Dies In Utah Avalanche

The Wasatch slopes have claimed their first Utah avalanche victim of 2014/15.  A snowboarder was swept away yesterday after he and his buddy triggered a slide in Hells Canyon near Snowbasin Resort, accessed from the Mt Allen Tram gates.

Twenty-one-year old Blake Ford was found by Snowbasin’s ski patrol rescue dog an hour after the 1800-foot avalanche. He was apparently pushed through a narrow gully and buried under three feet of snow. Both men headed out of bounds without backcountry gear or beacons, into an area that has been known to claim lives. Not a smart move. Ever.

Utah mountains saw seven human-triggered slides yesterday alone as eager backcountry skiers skinned out on this bluebird powder day. However, the two feet of fresh powder on top of our thin snowpack has created some scary, slab avalanche conditions.

The beehive state averages about four avi-related fatalities a year and experts are begging folks to stay on lower-angle terrain for the next few days when they go out of bounds to avoid reaching that average.

Weather forecasters are predicting balmy temps in the 50s this weekend and next week with no winter weather in sight. Of course, that can change in an instant. Just take the time to check in with the Utah Avalanche Forecast Center hotline before choosing your route.

It’s Ski Hat Season

Winter means ski hat season but darn if helmets have put a crimp in resort style. Maybe we shouldn’t sport acrylic (or wool or fleece) on the slopes but that doesn’t mean those fluffy ear coverings can’t radiate your steeze après and beyond.

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At this year’s SIA ski industry show in Denver, Colo., hats were front and center. Every soft-goods manufacturer had their own lid offerings.

There are the usual suspects- TurtleFur, Screamer, Smartwool- but I take pride in ‘discovering’ the little guys. First it was Nobis, then Pistil, and now Chaos. Chaos has blown up the last couple of years thanks to some well-placed branding and marketing. And super cute styles; especially from their World Beat collection. The inexpensive, fleece-lined acrylic knit hats in fun, muted colors are ideal for day or night in Park City or any other resort.

But with only one head, how can a girl possibly wear them all?


ski hat

Build Your Blog Conference Draws Hundreds

This Build Your Blog conference has got my mind in a whirl. So many ideas, so many plans of action, so many questions. But where BlogHer14 confused and dismayed me, BYBC has set me on a distinguishable path. What do I do? First thing is to move off the free wordpress.com and find a paid hosting service (said this before but now I will do it); then start building my Pinterest boards, Facebook profiles, Instagram followers, etc. Apparently blogging is 20 percent content and 80 percent social media. Those who network like Rocky will make it. It’s time to step into the ring.

Brands embrace bloggers more than any other form of media and they look for ways to get products into our hands. I want to ask why: Why, after 20 years of journalistic integrity, is a blogger courted more arduously than a writer? Just because someone gives me something for free doesn’t mean they own me. Never has. Other bloggers I’ve spoken with say the same thing about their opinions. So why is blogging considered so differently?

I’m told that brands know bloggers have a personal connection with their audience that far surpasses anything you get with a print publication or a general interest website. People rarely pick up a magazine to read one particular author. They want to see photos and stories about their favorite subjects but it’s very one-sided. You really never know those in the editorial column. Blogging, on the other hand, is interactive. You get to know me and if you don’t like me you don’t even have to turn a page, you just don’t ‘click’. But those who do like what I have to say will read on, and know that if I like something, they will too. It’s akin to seeing a killer top on a friend; you want to know immediately where she got it. Whereas there isn’t that kind of excitement reading about it in a paper. The author writes in the voice and tone of the publication. The blogger uses her own voice.

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The hardest thing I have to deal with at this event is having that confidence in my voice. But my God, I see 12-year-olds sitting next to me in these lectures. KIDS are getting in on the action. The woman next to me does a family travel blog but she’s not very nice; could she be intimidated too? The two people behind me; one writes a fitness blog and the other will write a lifestyle blog shortly once she figures out the business end of it all. They’re more my speed – very open, super friendly and eager to connect and learn. I look forward to reading their blogs and they boost my confidence. There will definitely be many, many more bloggers to meet at this conference even though it’s only two days long. But two days is enough. Any more and my mind might explode.

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