Category Archives: Outdoor News

New Mountainbike Series Comes To Deer Valley

Deer Valley Resort is teaming up with SCOTT Sports for a new Twilight Ride Series. “SCOTT Sports has a long-standing history of being an industry leader in producing state-of-the-art bicycles and biking equipment,” said Steve Graff, Ski/Bike Patrol Manager of Deer Valley Resort. “We are excited to partner with them and bring their products to our extensive summer trail system.”

SCOTT Sports sponsored athletes will be joining in rides during the series. There are also exclusive contests for product giveaways.

This added series means extended lift hours (4 to 7 p.m.) over four Tuesdays; July 26, August 2, 16 and 23, 2016. Day-of ticket sales start at 4 p.m. for $17. Gold tickets purchased the morning of an event are good until 7 p.m.

All summer Deer Valley services at both Snow Park and Silver Lake will remain open with the Rental Shop offering bike rentals for $21 for junior bikes and $39 for adult bikes. Private biking lessons will also be available, if reserved in advance. Etc. at Snow Park and Signatures at Silver Lake will be open until 7 p.m., as will the Snack Shack which will serve its full menu.

For more information about Deer Valley Resort’s SCOTT Twilight Ride Series, head over to the resort’s website at deervalley.com.

SIA Relocates to Park City, Utah

SnowSports Industries America (SIA) announced today that they’re moving to Park City. The new Utah headquarters lands in one of North America’s snow sports capitals to be surrounded by likeminded organizations and businesses.

The final location selection was made by a unanimous vote at SIA’s May Board of Directors Meeting after the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) offered up a sweet post-performance Industrial Assistance Fund (IAF) grant where eligible companies may receive up to $500,000 and an incentive range of $1,000 to $3,000 per new job created in the state.

“This relocation is a necessary step to keep SIA at the core of our industry and is a strong indicator of the direction we are taking with the organization’s future,” said SIA President Nick Sargent. “This move allows us the ability to be closer to our members and other industry stakeholders, while leveraging the synergies found in a snow sports community to develop new programs and strategies for positive industry growth. In addition to these significant business benefits, having the opportunity to ski and ride the Greatest Snow On Earth is a nice perk.”

The non-profit trade association takes up residence starting in August, with a small segment of the organization’s employees relocating.

Outdoors Brands Welcome

SIA becomes another outdoors icon for the Beehive State along with Armada Skis, POC, Rossignol, Amer Sports (Salomon, Suunto, Atomic, Arcteryx, Wilson), Descente, Black Diamond Equipment, Kuhl Clothing, RAMP/4Front/Surface Skis, Goal Zero, Gregory Mountain Products, Petzel, Scott, SkullCandy, CampChef, Ogio, Backountry.com, and the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association in Park City.

SIA Relocates to Utah

SIA gets a bit closer to Colorado- the home of their annual SnowShow trade convention- by moving to Utah but come on, Folks. Wouldn’t it better to just relocate the whole shebang to Utah?!

The specific Park City office location is currently under review and will be announced in the coming weeks. 

Free Skiing Next Season With Epic SchoolKids- Deadline May 30!

Photo by Marc Piscotty

Skiing and riding in Park City just got a little cheaper for families. The Epic SchoolKids program from Vail Resorts debuted last season at Canyons and Park City to give kids K through 5th five days of free skiing. Well, the deal is back again but the deadline to register is just days away.  You have until May 30 to sign up.

The Epic Schoolkids don’t know how to ski?

No worries if you have never-evers in your brood. Vail has thrown in a free full-day beginner lesson and equipment rentals. “Fostering a love for skiing and snowboarding in kids is a top priority for Vail Resorts,” said Kirsten Lynch, chief marketing officer of Vail Resorts. “It is incredibly important that we continue to find ways to connect kids and families in our local communities and around the state with the mountains and the many benefits of snow sports.”

Eligible Epic SchoolKids simply need to have mom or dad complete the ESK Registration Form and Pass Application (No digital signatures accepted on Pass Application), submit them to epicschoolkidsutah@vailresorts.com along with a digital copy of the student report card/transcript/school ID from a Utah school or birth certificate, a photo of the student (no sunglasses, hats or others in the photo) and a scanned copy of the parent’s Utah state driver’s license.

Once the required documentation is submitted via email, your child’s pass will be mailed to him/her upon processing.

To learn more about the program, visit EpicSchoolKids.com.

Oh, and when you send in your application, make sure you add a note that you read about it here on Ski. Play. Live! Would love to get myself on their radar.  🙂

BTW, I was not paid to write this post. I know a great deal when I see one and wanted to share.

 

epickids

 

TopGolf Opens In Salt Lake

When is golf like bowling?

I’m not a golfer or a bowler for that matter but I do love knocking pins down once in a while. However, when people mention golf, or me joining them for golf, I’d rather stay home and wash dishes. TopGolf is a game changer. It’s like bowling for golfers. Imagine lanes, wait staff, beer, music, ball return machine, good food, and a computerized score keeper that turns a driving range session into a rowdy match amongst friends where you can play year round.


I was invited to a media sneakpeak of this new sports complex last night and I gotta say, with a price of $25-45/hr including clubs for up to six people it sure beats a night at Jupiter Bowl. Part driving range, part entertainment center, TopGolf is the 25th location for the Texas-based business. Two tiers of driving bays and hours from 9 a.m.- 11 p.m. (1 a.m. on the weekends) provide ample time for you to practice your skills or challenge your best buds.

The 240-yard outfield has dartboard-like targets in the ground the size of small ponds. The closer to the center or “bull’s-eye” you get and the farther out you hit your microchipped balls, the more points you receive. There are also pooltables, shuffleboard, full bar and flatscreens everywhere.The menu rivals any family friendly restaurant in the Valley and includes Dolewhips and house-made donut holes served with syringes of chocolate and Boston cream.


Suddenly, taking a golf swing is more than 20 minutes with a bucket of balls. You bet I’ll be back.

TopGolf officially opens May 20.

National Trails Day is Coming


You might need to check the weather forecast but hopefully by June the torrential rains will subside in Utah so we can play on National Trails Day. The American Hiking Society has dubbed June 4, 2016, the day when hundreds of thousands of individuals all across the country will converge at parks, forests, and trails to experience the great outdoors.

Each year for the past 24 years, American Hiking Society, along with local outdoors clubs, businesses, conservation organizations, and parks have invited the public to attend special trail events on National Trails Day.
Activities include hikes, bike rides, trail runs, horseback rides, paddle trips, and kid-specific activities while other events offer stewardship projects including trail maintenance, habitat restoration, and park cleanups.

There will be a few locations in Utah participating on June 4 but these ones use National Trails Day as an opportunity for service projects. If you don’t mind giving back by weeding or placing trail signs then start your day in the Cottonwoods or Wasatch Mountain State Park in Midway, Utah. Click here for details.

The events are free, family-friendly, and provide excellent introductions to anyone looking to honor our American trail systems. You can also use June 4 as a time to find other adventure seekers in your hood.

Parks, clubs, and other organizations can still register their June 4 events for free at AmericanHiking.org for inclusion in a publicly searchable database.  “Registering an event makes it easy for the public to find nearby activities matching their specific interests,” according to American Hiking Society President Gregory Miller.

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