Wish your dog could do that? If you have canine envy, then by all means, sit out this year’s Soldier Hollow Sheepdog Classic Championships.
But if you want to see all the action of brainiac pooches performing like snake charmers for thousands of appreciative fans then get up to Midway, Utah, this Labor Day Weekend.
The annual Sheepdog Classic, lures dog handlers from Canada to Ireland and throughout the U.S., to the rolling terrain of Utah where they put their herding dogs like Border Collies and Australian Shepherds to the test.
photo by Tom Kelly
What The Heck is a Sheepdog
Classic?
These highly skilled dogs will be working up to 400 yards away from their handlers on the hillsides of the former 2002 Olympic Nordic events venue. Only whistles and hand commands to tell them how to sort wild range Rocky Mountain ewes and bring them down along a preset course and through free-standing gates and into a small pen all in under 13 minutes.
Basically, a handler uses whistles and voice commands to coach his dog up the hill to herd the sheep through a 600-yard course, which includes a series of free-standing gates.
photo by Tom Kelly
Each sheep must clear every gate and then the dog separates out a set number of tagged sheep — typically five sheep donning red bandanas — and corral them into the ending pen. No nipping is allowed so no one need worry about animal cruelty unless you consider the peskiness of the wild sheep to give a dog the run around.
The top herding teams win gold, silver or bronze medals.
The Classic is the world’s largest sheepdog event, drawing more than 25,000 attendees including families that come for the food and vendor booths as well.
photo by Brett Neilson
There’s More To Do At The
Sheepdog Classic
But it’s not all sitting around. In addition to the spectator event, there’s a festival going on outside the fence. Vita Bone Dog Activities like Camp Chef cooking demos, and wild and exotic animal shows, hula hooping, bean bag toss games, the lost sheep game, face painting, balloon artists, coloring contest (with free ice cream for every entrant) and more will keep little ones entertained too.
The event runs through Monday. See the schedule and details here.
The trunk looked like an advertisement out of Backpacker Magazine- Kelty pack, Kuhl shorts, Hi-Tec hikers, Mountain Hardwear sleeping bag, TheNorthface tent, Black Diamond climbing gear, Ruffwear dog bowls, etc. The theory was that with the right gear I could survive and conquer even what turned out to be my ultimate tolerance test. Elephant’s Perch, aka The Road Trip From Hell.
The beautiful thing about Park City is that it’s less than a day’s drive to just about anywhere. Aspen? Six hours. Vegas? Six hours. Denver? Eight hours. Jackson Hole? Four hours. I’ve driven to San Diego, Calif. (12 hours), Hood River, Ore. (12 hours); even Cloudcroft, NM (18 hours). It’s a no-brainer to hit the open road. Throw your closet in the rear, load the dog and fill the tank. You really could do it alone. Problem is, I’d rather have company.
So the issue becomes, do you say, “Eff it; I’m out,” or post on social media that you’re offering a ride?
Finding A Climbing Partner For Elephant’s Perch
A trip that involves serious hours of drive time -and hang time -with unfamiliar company might create a new best friend or crush you into wishing you had stayed home to pay bills and do laundry.
The excursion began as an idea to climb Elephant’s Perch (aka Saddleback Peak) in the Sawtooth National Forest, Idaho. To digress, a now-defunct love fling introduced the plan. The Boy, a Sun Valley resident, convinced me that the easy six-hour drive would make the perfect romantic rendezvous for us. However, after discovering his status as a convicted felon, the thought of being alone in the wilderness with Brian created too much anxiety and I called the trip- with him- off.
But I was all dressed up with no place to go. Not to be outdone by the gun-toting bank robber, I decided, “To hell with him!” and found another able-bodied rock climber- with three days off work- to take his place. The plan was to hike to Saddleback Lakes in the Sawtooths and climb the 5.9 Mountaineer’s Route at Elephant’s Perch. That was the plan anyway.
Photo courtesy Mountain Project
The Sawtooth Range is home to some stellar sport and big wall climbing. There are nearly 20 trad routes ranging from 5.9-5.13 but no one was with earshot or sight on this particular trek. Mountaineer’s is mostly 5.5 and lower, with occasional sections up to 5.9. leader. It seemed doable.
Having graduated law school, I’m often asked what kind of law I’d practice if I weren’t a writer. I reply, “Murphy’s.” The weekend in Idaho grew to be a prime example of my specialty.
Climbing with Strangers is a Bad Idea
As my new buddy and I pulled onto I-80 a distinctly pungent odor assaulted my nostrils and I realized my passenger must have been so excited about the trip he forgot to wash. “Oh dear God!” I thought. “If it smells this bad now, what would happen in three days after strenuous hiking and climbing?” But how could I tell him about hygiene without hurting his feelings and ruining the weekend? Luckily (and unfortunately), I felt an oncoming cold, with its requisite stuffed nose, to save the day.
Before we got to the mountains, an Idaho state trooper pulled me over for speeding. (“87 in a 65?” not true, Officer!) I let Joe drive the rest of the way because, as he boasted, “I never drive over the speed limit.” The bank robber probably couldn’t say the same.
Getting To Elephant’s Perch
To get to Elephant’s Perch we had to drive to Redfish Lake Lodge, one-hour north of Sun Valley, fork over $$ to ride a ferry across the Lake, hike three miles of mellow trail to the climb’s approach, and then a one-mile scramble straight UP to the base of the route.
I twisted my ankle, a mosquito bit my eyelid, my cold constricted every muscle in my body and Joe was upwind. I tried to whine only at the appropriate intervals.
The route Joe chose consisted of five moderate pitches (stages to get to the top) of crack climbing. I was still a novice climber and had never done more than three single sport routes in one day. I figured I could handle the challenge (please note the sarcasm). Besides, Joe hadn’t come all this way to turn around without “doing the Perch.”
Photo courtesy Mountain Project
Cold, tired, sore and sneezing, I looked up at this 1000-foot mammoth wall and a voice in my head whispered, “Let’s not and say we did.”
After zigzagging from crack to crack looking for the way up, Joe shouted down to me from 40 feet. I slowly made my way up to him to tell him I wasn’t going to climb. At this pace, there was no way to reach the peak before nightfall. And I was downwind from Joe again. It’s hard to climb when you refuse to breathe. We aborted the mission and barely reached the dock to catch the return ferry.
To Hell and Back
We drove home in silence, weary and defeated. I was annoyed that Joe wasn’t the great route finder he portended to be nor was he accustomed to soap and deodorant. My cold faded as Joe began to sneeze.
Like the red gas idiot light that blinks to remind you to fill the tank, the spoiled onions aroma tickled my nose to remind me of why I shouldn’t invite strangers on a roadtrip. I missed my cold. I was bummed the weekend didn’t go as planned. But sh+t happens. Yet another lesson that can’t be learned in law school.
It was like 100 degrees out, no shade, and my sister was visiting from California to beat the heat. Ha. Still, I was determined to show my citified Los Angeles sis a good Utah time- outdoor style. The river called and we answered, “Hello, River tubing.”
My mind’s eye flashed on the sign at the Taggart exit off I-84. “Park City Rafting”. The water was too low and too calm for rafting but tubing….now there’s an idea. We hopped back on the freeway and got off at Morgan. We had an appointment with Barefoot Tubing, PC Rafting’s sister company. It was noon, the sun high and guests were starting to trickle in. We signed our waivers, grabbed vests, sunscreen, hats and boarded the shuttle for the Henefer put-in.
I had heard of tubing on the Weber and it was on my bucket list. I had kayaked, er, swam it twice but maybe in a giant rubber ring things would be different.
They were. I easily navigated the rocks in the rock garden, the small class II rapids and the shrubbery at river’s edge. We floated flatwater and waves, under bridges, around rocks, and through tunnels.
When you sign up, you have a choice of the two-hour Henefer to Taggart section, the two-hour Taggart to Morgan stretch ($25/pp) or the four-hour Henefer to Morgan journey ($35). I could see four hours if we packed a picnic and a cooler but since this was a spontaneous adventure, two hours were perfect. Julie was a tad anxious. The most activity she gets is Yoga. But if my 9-year-old daughter was going, so was my 49-year-old sister.
Sage shared Ryan’s tube and the girls went solo. Though Julie got tossed from her tube a couple of times she continued on; never afraid for her life. There are several spots where she could get off the river and give up if fear set in. She seemed eager to push herself. The instructions are simple. Keep your feet flexed and ready to push off rocks if you get close, don’t try to stand in the water if you fall in (you could trap your ankle in the river rock), just maintain the same position you had in the tube, hold onto your tube, and swim to the river bank to get back into your tube.
The water cooled our sun stroked limbs and with each short splash, we got that rush that makes you squeal and smile. My sister laughed too. To Sage and me it was another outdoors day in Utah. To Julie, it was surreal. Her version of adventure is traffic on the 405. Hanging with my sis was like when you experience something through the eyes of an innocent baby; it reminded me why I love the mountains. We get spoiled with what we have here and often take it for granted. A special thanks to Barefoot and Julie for refreshing my attitude and body on a hot Utah summer day.
There’s a new three-day festival coming to Hood River next week and if you love playing in the outdoors and think you maybe, could, really wanna try making a living doing what you love, you just might want to head to Oregon for the inaugural Outfound Festival, June 9-11.
Event Organizer Antonio Aransaenz did exactly what he’s offering to attendees. The native New Yorker with a background in event planning decided he loved the outdoors so much, why not create a space for like-minded outdoorsy types to meet up, play and engage in their passion.
Aranasaenz likes to say his new baby Outfound is SXSW for the outdoors. Just like in filmmaking and music, “there are so many innovative and passionate people in the outdoor world, and with OUTFOUND we set out to create a festival that brings them all together. That just can’t happen at a traditional trade show or expo event,” said Aransaenz. “There’s a push in the outdoor industry for more authentic experiences and opportunities where people can really connect and hear the stories behind adventures and products.”
The Outfound Festival will encourage that dialogue while also offering a lot of playtime kiteboarding, climbing, kayaking, mountain biking, hiking, SUPing, and more. “It’s a hands-on experience where you are in this outdoor venue along the Columbia River Gorge. Brands can meet directly with consumers…network, have a myriad of activities at your fingertips whether it’s networking, outdoors or entertainment focused.”
If your idea of roughing it is a three-star hotel, Outfound Festival isn’t for you.
The Outfound Festival is the only event of its kind. From the looks of the schedule, it’s a bit more than a sports fest for athletes. There are games, a speaker series of outdoors professionals, music, movies, workshops like VanLife, Feeding The Hungry Hiker and Yoga and a pitch competition like Shark Tank for outdoor ideas. There will also be an Expo: an adventure sports consumer show where brands showcase and demo their latest products. All of these activities take place on a scenic, 30-acre waterfront playground where most will camp.
“The people who get the most out of [Outfound] will be those inspired to network and leave with new friends and relationships,” said Aranasaenz. “We hope to give you ideas of where to start in the outdoor industry.”
But Aranasaenz still wanted to keep the recreational festival experience. “That’s why we kept it open to everyone,” he said. There are already 500 people signed up for the event and the special half-off promotion could double or triple those numbers fast. “We have tons of space. We’d like to see it become a yearly thing for Hood River and possibly roll it out to other places. “It’s really all about the experience and having fun and meeting new people in a fun creative way,”
OUTFOUND Series sports and outdoor innovation festival in Hood River, Oregon, runs from June 9 to 11, 2017. The half-off sale ends Sunday.
There is much ado in the House of Mouse this summer and this Disney geek for one couldn’t be more excited. I’ve entered every online Disney contest I can find.
Summer of Heroes is Coming
Gone is the Tower of Terror; replaced by the new Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT! inside Disney California’s Adventure Park. The ride along with the new Super Heroes area opens May 27. Instead of following a celebrity couple, a child star, her nanny, and a hotel bellhop into a 1930s elevator, you’ll help Rocket bust his pals out of the Collector’s Fortress, then rise and fall in the gantry lift as it rocks music inspired by the film’s popular soundtrack. You’ll still get the randomized ride experience you had from the Tower but there will be all-new visual and audio effects.
The Super Hero vibe spreads beyond the Guardians through September 10 with these events:
Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Dance Off! – Star-Lord fires up his old-school boom box to get the party started.
Super Hero Encounters – Meet Groot, Captain America, and Spider-Man.
Avengers Training Initiative – Black Widow and Hawkeye assemble young recruits for a series of tests to see if they have what it takes to join the ranks of the Avengers.
Heroic Encounter: Black Widow – Black Widow will arrive on the scene several times throughout the day in an armored Avengers vehicle for her heroic encounter with park guests.
Grab a Piece (or Bite) of the Action – Special themed merchandise and food will be available throughout Hollywood Land.
Oh,The Parades
The summer at Disneyland park brings back classic favorites like the Disneyland Railroad and Rivers of America attractions, with the “Fantasmic!” nighttime spectacular returning later in the summer. The classic Main Street Electrical Parade will have a limited run at Disneyland park through June 18.
The Main Street Electrical Parade will roll through Disneyland until August 20. The Rivers of America and Fantasmic! are re-opening at Disneyland Park.
When To Go
If I could get away this month, I would. May (before Memorial Day) is the perfect time to play in the Magic Kingdom. I just might make it to California. Fingers crossed. A trip to Disney World and Universal is already in the works for November. I went to Disney World in October once and it was a hot, humid mess. It’s unfathomable how millions travel to Orlando in the heat of the summer. Who cares if that’s when school’s out. The crowds, humidity and heat make it the most absolutely dismal time to go. That said, if you plan to visit, here are some deals to be had.
Get One Free
Book a trip through Utah’s Get Away Today and get an extra day free at Disneyland. In other words, get a 5-day Disneyland Resort Park Hopper ticket for the price of a 4-day. With the kids out of school and longer park hours, your family will be able to take advantage of having more time at the parks.
Save over $160 per person over gate prices with the Southern California CityPASS. You’ll get a 3-day Disneyland Resort Park Hopper ticket, and 1-day admission to both LEGOLAND California and SeaWorld San Diego.
With the Disney/Universal Combo Ticket you’ll save even more on your Disneyland Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood tickets. Both Park Hopper and 1-Park per Day options are available for either two or three days. All combo tickets include a 1-day ticket to Universal Studios Hollywood. Experience everything the Disneyland Resort has to offer this summer and explore the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and more at Universal Studios Hollywood.
