Vamoose Utah February 2020

VOL.6 NO.2 • FEBRUARY 2020

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STATE STREET GEMS P. 24

CHINESE FOOD FEASTS P. 36

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MEET THE SPECIAL MEN AND WOMEN WHO MAKE UTAH GREAT

MOMO MAKING P. 44

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A Utah Family Business Offering media solutions for your digital, print and event endeavours.

The mining community of Copperfield was set in world famous Bingham Canyon, high in the Oquirrh Mountains. In 1906, the Saltas family joined those Copperfield residents in the steep hillside, shanty area, called Greek Camp.

Copperfield was home to thousands of melting pot immigrants including Greeks, Japanese, Mexicans, Germans, Swedes, Brits and many other ethnicities all bound to common American values of family, faith, education, hard work and community. They shared many good times, often tempered by the frequent bad times derived of dangerous mining work.

Copperfield is now gone, scraped away by mining.

But the Copperfield spirit remains alive in everything we do, from newspapers and magazines to events and digital services. We work hard for each other and for the large communities of readers—online and in print—who value honesty and stories told well.

We will keep telling stories—your stories—as long as people keep reading. And wouldn’t it be a shame if they didn’t read? We don’t think that will happen, so meanwhile, turn a page, or many pages, in one of Copperfield Publishing’s growing catalog of Utah award-winning publications. We are all the community of Utah. Enjoy.  John Saltas Founder

2 | Vamoose Utah • February 2020

Is Hiring

AN ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Responsibilities include: Selling print and digital advertising to local and some regional businesses.

Email your resume to sales@cityweekly.net

February 2020 • Vamoose Utah | 3

INSIDE 8 LOVE ON THE ROCKS

18 PUCK ’ER UP

BY MEGAN WAGSTAFF

BY JARED BLACKLEY

Rekindle your romance with these Valentine’s weekend getaways

14 DIGS WE DUG

Six Lakes Resort is an ice fishing retreat on the south slope of the Uinta Mountains

22 YELLOW SNOW

When life hands you snow, add some lemon to it

BY ARI LEVAUX

Dig in to a favorite ice slab and gain some elevation

BY CLAIRE MCARTHUR

26 LEARN TO CURL

Who knew that pushing a stone down a sheet of ice could be such a blast?

BY NATALIE BEHRING

GREG RAKOZY ON UNSPLASH

BY JARED BLACKLEY

You don’t know what you’re missing until you see the Utah Grizzlies play live on the ice

24 VERTICAL JOY

4 | Vamoose Utah • February 2020

Mon- Sat 8-6:45 Sunday 10-5 9275 S 1300 W 801-562-5496 glovernursery.com

580 E 300 S SLC 801-363-0565 www.theartfloral.com

February 2020 • Vamoose Utah | 5

VOL.6 NO.2 • FEBRUARY 2020

CONTRIBUTORS

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STAFF

PUBLISHER ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

EDITORIAL

EDITOR PROOFREADERS CONTRIBUTORS

PRODUCTION ART DIRECTOR GRAPHIC ARTIST

BUSINESS/OFFICE

ASSOCIATE BUSINESS MANAGER OFFICE ADMINISTRATORS TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

CIRCULATION

CIRCULATION MANAGER

SALES

DIRECTOR OF SALES AND EVENTS DIGITAL OPERATIONS MANAGER SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES RETAIL ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Pete Saltas Mikey Saltas

Jerre Wroble Lance Gudmundsen, Kass Wood Natalie Behring, Jared Blackley, Eric Granato, Ari LeVaux, Claire McArthur, Megan Wagstaff

Natalie Behring is a photographer who loves the power of words. Having recently relocated to Utah with her border collie, she is an intrepid explorer of dirt roads and mountain paths. Behring believes in switching off her high beams when traffic is approaching and hopes that you do, too.

Sofia Cifuentes Chelsea Neider, Jennifer Terry

Paula Saltas David Adamson, Samantha Herzog Bryan Mannos

Eric Granato

Trina Baghoomian Anna Papadakis Doug Kruithof, Kathy Mueller Kelly Boyce, Michelle Engstrand

Ari LeVaux writes Flash in the Pan, a syndicated weekly food column that appears in more than 100 newspapers nationally. He lives in Missoula, Montana, where he hunts, skis, hunts on skis and skis while hunting among other pursuits.

FOUNDER

JOHN SALTAS On the cover: Ice climbing photo courtesy of Utah Office of Tourism Distributed free of charge throughout the Wasatch Front while supplies last.

Additional copies of Vamoose Utah are available at the Vamoose offices: 175 W. 200 South, Ste. 100, Salt Lake City, UT 84101 801-716-1777 VamooseUtah.com

Editorial contact: Editor@vamooseutah.com Advertising contact: Sales@vamooseutah.com COPPERFIELD PUBLISHING, INC • COPYRIGHT 2020 • ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

@vamooseutah

6 | Vamoose Utah • February 2020

@vamooseutah

@vamooseutah

Claire McArthur spends most of her day thinking about food. If she’s not out in the mountains looking for edible plants with her dog and camera, she’s probably in the kitchen making jam or pickling something. Find her on Instagram at @claire__ mcarthur.

The Ice Castles at Homestead Resort

ce gets a bad rap, some of it well deserved. There’s that slipping and sliding thing, for starters. You know, where you wipe out and break something important, like my tooth. Then there’s black ice, a treacherous road coating causing your car to perform a 360 in the middle of the interstate or blatantly disregard a stop sign. How about icicles the size of a filing cabinet threatening to dislodge on unsuspecting passersby? I could go on.

Yes, it’s dangerous, but frozen water is also one of winter’s most fascinating sights. Ice formation can be as fragile and delicate as a snowflake or as hard as concrete. It’s affected by myriad variables, including humidity, temperature and wind speed. A change in any one of these can create dramatically different results. Tiny air bubbles trapped in ice scatter light to give it opaqueness. The absence of air presents ice with the stunning clarity of solid crystal.

Such ice inspires artistry. As a former Alaskan, I was captivated by the Fairbanks Ice Alaska competition (IceAlaska.org). The dense, pure ice harvested from local ponds is so clear, it’s dubbed “Arctic diamond” or “blue diamond” and has long been a draw to ice sculptors from around the globe. With 75 teams participating, the ice-sculpting competition is now one of the world’s largest, with sculptures on display from Feb. 23 to March 31. In addition to viewing the massive works of art, visitors can enjoy a Kids Park with ice slides, an ice maze, an ice rink and more.

But if a February visit to the frigid North is not in the cards for you, fear not, Utah has its own celebration of ice with the stunning Ice Castles at Homestead Resort (700 Homestead Drive, Midway, 866-435-2850, IceCastles.com/utah). This award-winning frozen attraction is built entirely by hand over two months, using hundreds of thousands of icicles arranged by professional ice artists. Here, you’ll see brightly illuminated sculptures, ice thrones, wishing wells, caverns, tunnels, slides and fountains.

Each day, 5,000 to 12,000 icicles are “grown” and then added by hand to existing ice formations—then drenched with water. LED lights frozen inside the ice twinkle to music. The blend of icicles, temperature, wind and water create a complex pattern of ice formations. The attraction is totally weather-dependent, and tickets are sold on the website through Feb. 8.

Beyond that, they take it week by week. It’s best to check their website or Facebook page to be sure the attraction remains open.

So, get on out there and experience ice while you can. Not only as art but as a platform from which to plunk in a line to catch lake fish. You can read all about that in this issue of Vamoose Utah. Ice is also thrilling to skate upon (or watch others do so), whether you’re at a fun public rink, an Olympic oval or a hockey game, all of which we’ve highlighted in this issue. The more intrepid will climb a frozen waterfall, about which you can learn the basics in Claire McArthur’s “Vertical Joy.” Above all, don the snowsuits and winter boots. All to insure you have a very “ice” day out there. Don’t forget to take Vamoose along for the glide.

—Jerre Wroble

JACOB CAMPBELL ON UNSPLASH

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

February 2020 • Vamoose Utah | 7

L VE on the

ROCKS Rekindle your romance with these Valentine’s weekend getaways

BY MEGAN WAGSTAFF

A

ny couple could find themselves on thin ice without regularly throwing another proverbial log on the fire. Here are three weekend dates sure to melt any paramour’s frozen heart. From foodie-inspired nights in Park City to an artsy getaway in the capital city or an outdoorsy romp in Ogden, which amorous foray will you choose this Valentine’s?

8 | Vamoose Utah • February 2020

PARK CITY FOR FOODIES Bites and Nibbles

Bring Me a Higher Love

Head up Parley’s Canyon on Thursday to start your romantic weekend off with Gourmand Food Tours.

Hosts Chris and Rachel are both Park City locals and share interesting tidbits of culinary and historical information during the three-hour walk along Main Street that includes multiple stops for small bites and desserts at various restaurants. Alcohol may be purchased separately.

Group tours depart at 4 p.m.; private tours are available if you prefer a more intimate setting.

Gourmand Tours 435-513-1500 GourmandTours.com

With the abundance of dining options in Park City, you can always try to book a cozy B&B for Valentine’s weekend via vacation rental sites. Many are less than $200/night and are a stone’s throw from appetizing aprés, dinner or brunch offerings. But if you’re in the mood for adventure with a capital A, consider the Towerhouse, a 15-minute drive from Park City in the Pine Meadows Ranch community. Offering commanding views of Deer Valley, Park City and Canyons ski resorts, Towerhouse is off Interstate 80, 3 miles up a semi-improved road (which means, in winter, you’ll need an all-wheel-drive or 4x4 vehicle with snow tires to climb the steep snowpacked grades). At $169/night, it comes with the benefit of a kitchen should you choose to whip up a romantic candlelit meal for two.

Towerhouse Via vacation rental sites (Homeaway, VRBO, AirBnB)

WEEKEND WARRIOR Sleighed It! Nothing says romance quite like a cozy sleigh ride, and Park City offers them in spades. But if it’s dinner you’re after, then why not hitch your wagon to the Snowed Inn dining experience. Departing from the base of Park City Mountain Resort, your horse-drawn carriage whisks you up the mountain to a rustic cabin where Western fare like chili con carne, Utah trout and prime rib are served, all next to a roaring fire. Goodbye, winter chill.

Snowed Inn Sleigh Co. Park City Mountain Resort 435-647-3310 SnowedInnSleigh.com

Must Love Ice Skating Friday morning, most tourists will opt to hit the slopes, but if skiing or snowboarding aren’t your style, work up an appetite while practicing your pairs skating at the Resort Center Ice Skating Rink, the only outdoor rink in town. Located at the base of Park City Mountain Resort, it’s open daily and offers rentals, fire pits and warm beverages.

Resort Center Ice Skating Rink 1415 Lowell Ave., Park City 435-615-8165 ParkCityIceRink.com

Valentine Wine

FREEPIK

VAN HORN PHOTOGRAPHY / COURTESY OF PARK CITY ICE RINK

Sightseeing is always better with booze, so head to The Brass Tag at Deer Valley on Saturdays at 3 p.m. for the Mines & Wines Tour offered by the Fox School of Wine.

This two-hour activity highlights mines and historic locales around town, some of which you’ll experience by foot, others from the comfort of a luxurious limo-bus, all while enjoying six wines from around the world, including Châteauneuf-du-Pape and 20-year Tawny Port, as well as light nibbles.

Fox School of Wine 435-655-9463 Buy tickets at FoxSchoolOfWine.com

Your Love Keeps Lifting Me

Snowball fight at Deer Valley Resort

COURTESY OF DEER VALLEY RESORT

Dig into a mid-mountain morning meal at Deer Valley’s Silver Lake Restaurant, where you’ll find homemade granola, biscuit breakfast sandwiches and Irish oatmeal. If the idea of heli-skiing has you thinking you might lose your brunch, try it sans chopper at CMH’s Heli-Skiing Virtual Reality event on Saturday, Feb. 15, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., also at Deer Valley’s Silver Lake Lodge. You’ll soar above glacial peaks and experience epic powder runs while keeping your feet firmly planted on solid ground.

Silver Lake Lodge 7600 Royal St. 435-649-1000 DeerValley.com

February 2020 • Vamoose Utah | 9

Ballet West’s Giselle

DOWNTOWN FOR ARTISTS The Magic of a Snow Day

Urban Retreat

Skate Date

Kick off your Valentine’s weekend at Kingsbury Hall where Quebec, Canada’s Flip Fabrique stops on their North American tour and presents Blizzard on Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. Tickets are only $10 for this circus-act-meets-winter-wonderland performance featuring acrobatics, trampolines, aerial hoops, juggling and more, amid snowy dreamscapes and original music.

Flip Fabrique Kingsbury Hall 1395 E. Presidents Circle, SLC 801-581-1700 Tickets.utah.edu

Stay in style at Kimpton’s Hotel Monaco, a romantic dig known for its fashionable interior and proximity to all downtown hot spots. Each designer room features a complimentary yoga mat for your morning mantras and offers both morning coffee and tea service as well as an evening happy hour, 5-6 p.m., with wine and snacks. Check their website for current specials, like dining credits at Bambara restaurant and seasonal offerings in The Vault bar.

Hotel Monaco 15 W. 200 South, SLC 800-805-1801 Monaco-SaltLakeCity.com

Across the street from Hotel Monaco are the Gallivan Center and its popular ice rink. Adults can rent skates for only $9, kids and seniors for $8, and toddlers 3 and under are free. If weak ankles or fear of landing on your derrière deter you, you can always enjoy vibrant people watching (at no charge). Set your watch to Kazuo Matsubayashi’s “Asteroid Landed Softly” sundial, which, on sunny days, tells “natural time.”

Gallivan Center Ice Skating Rink 50 E. 200 South, SLC 801-535-6117 TheGallivanCenter.com

10 | Vamoose Utah • February 2020

WEEKEND WARRIOR Frosty Pints After the ballet, head around the corner to The Beerhive Pub and enjoy a pint on the ice rail, a unique addition to the bar consisting of a layer of ultra-chilled ice embedded into the granite on which your brew sits and stays frosty cold. With over 200 beers from around the world, even the pickiest of dates will find a fermented refreshment to please their palate.

The Beerhive Pub 128 S. Main, SLC 801-364-4268

The Art of Love For a Valentine’s evening full of romanticism (and renaissance, modern and contemporary), hop aboard Trax at the Gallivan Plaza station and head up to the Utah Museum of Fine Arts for The Valentine’s Evening at the Museum on Feb. 14. Both alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks and hors d’oeuvres accompany live music from the University of Utah Red Hots as you take in the museum’s latest collections. If you’re feeling the love, look for the statue of Aphrodite and Eros dating back to 200 A.D. The Valentine’s Evening at the Museum Utah Museum of Fine Arts 410 Campus Center Drive, SLC 801-581-7332 UMFA.utah.edu

COURTESY

Behold the cold: Beerhive Pub’s frost rail

Byobu

by Kano Tsunenobu Utah Museum of Fine Arts

COURTESY UMFA

Also, just steps away from Hotel Monaco, catch a performance of Ballet West’s Giselle (Feb. 2-15) about a peasant girl who falls in love with a nobleman. Alas, fate won’t allow their romance to blossom, and Giselle dies, becoming a ghost known as a Wilis.

Hopefully this ballet puts your own relationship problems into perspective! While there, take a moment to appreciate the building itself, fresh off a nearly $11-million renovation and restoration project completed in October 2019.

Ballet West’s Giselle The Capitol Theatre 50 W. 200 South, SLC 801-869-6900 BalletWest.org

PHOTO BY BEAU PEARSON

Chilling Me Softly

February 2020 • Vamoose Utah | 11

The Frozen North

ALASKAN INN AND SPA

ALASKAN INN AND SPA

ALASKAN INN AND SPA

Check into the rustic and romantic Alaskan Inn up Ogden Canyon for a weekend stay that also happens to be pet-friendly. Take your pick of an in-room Jacuzzi or outdoor hot tub. For extra help unwinding, book a couple’s massage at the spa before heading out to dinner. And if you decide to go big, ask about the Love Bird package.

Alaskan Inn and Spa 435 Ogden Canyon, Ogden 801-621-8600 AlaskanInn.com

Alaskan Inn and Spa

OGDEN FOR ADVENTURERS Some Like It Spicy Hot

Axe the Big Question Already

We Got Game

Make a reservation at Sonora Grill for a Valentine’s date that’s guaranteed to spice up your night. Start with a GQ margarita (voted the best in Utah) and tableside guacamole, or tableside queso fundido if you like it hot. Popular dishes include the chile rellenos and carnitas nortenas, but be sure to save room for dessert—the cheesecake chimichanga is next-level. Besides, you’ll burn off all those calories later, right? Cosas calientes!

Sonora Grill 2310 S. Kiesel Ave., Ogden 801-393-1999 TheSonoraGrill.com

After breakfast at the Alaskan Inn, don your snowshoes for a wintry hike up Waterfall Canyon. This short, 2.4-mile round-trip hike gets the blood pumping, and—for the really adventurous—you can climb the 200-foot waterfall at the end, assuming it’s frozen.

Bring your ice picks and crampons. To get to the 29th Street Trailhead, take Highway 89 to 30th Street and head east. Take a left on Tyler Avenue, a right on 29th Street and a final right on Buchanan Avenue to the trailhead parking lot.

Waterfall Canyon Ogden

For a Sunday funday, plan to cheer on the Ogden Mustangs Junior A hockey team at The Ice Sheet in the Weber County Sports Complex, originally built to house the 2002 Olympic curling events. The team plays Sunday, Feb. 16, at 1:30 p.m. Tickets are only $10 and are available at the door, one hour before game time.

Ogden Mustangs Hockey Weber County Sports Complex 4390 Harrison Blvd., Ogden 661-431-3710 OgdenMustangs.com

12 | Vamoose Utah • February 2020

WEEKEND WARRIOR

Be Chill My Heart

AUSTEN DIAMOND

Need a post-hike treat for your sweet? There are lots of options to choose from in Ogden, but it doesn’t get much better than Farr Better Ice Cream, locally owned and operated since 1920. With a vast selection of ice cream, sorbet, gelato, sherbet and frozen yogurt, you can mixand-match scoops to your heart’s content.

Farr Better Ice Cream 274 21st St., Ogden 801-393-8629 FarrsIceCream.com

Ogden’s Egyptian Theater

CAROL M. HIGHSMITH

Sick Flicks Movies sometimes get a bad rap as date options, but when that movie consists of the best outdoor films from the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour, it’s an adventure-lovers’ dream date. Sponsored by the Snowbasin Sports Education Foundation, this three-day event features showings each night, 7-10 p.m., Feb. 14-16, at Peery’s Egyptian Theater, built in 1924.

Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour Peery’s Egyptian Theater 2415 Washington Blvd., Ogden 866-472-4627 EgyptianTheaterOgden.com February 2020 • Vamoose Utah | 13

SIX LAKES RESORT An ice fishing retreat on the south slope of the Uinta Mountains

BY JARED BLACKLEY PHOTOS COURTESY OF SIX LAKES RESORT

Y

ou typically don’t get a view of a fish being reeled in through the ice until the very end. The act is all about the feel—how strong the fish pulls and how much it fights. The process can be exhilarating. Getting the fish through the hole and holding it up, admiring its colors and size, can be bliss.

At the end of a day spent fishing on the ice, there may be nothing better than being able walk back to a warm cabin with Jacuzzi, and Six Lakes Resort and Fishery in eastern Utah offers this option.

Most of the lakes at the resort were originally built during the late 1970s and early 1980s by Ned Mitchell, who owned a construction company that built roads for oil companies in the region. The current owner, David Nelson, bought the property in 2004. He says Mitchell built the lakes as a way to keep his employees busy during the otherwise slow winter months. Mitchell had the lakes stocked with fish, but the property didn’t become a commercial fishery until after Nelson bought it from Mitchell’s heirs.

“We’ve done a lot of improvements to the property

14 | Vamoose Utah • February 2020

since we bought it,” says Nelson. “There are actually seven lakes now and all have big healthy fish in them, some as big as 8 pounds.”

Working with the Fisheries and Wildlife Research Unit at Utah State University, Nelson and his team designed the lakes to be the perfect habitat for fish. Each lake flows from one to another until the water reaches the Big Sand Wash Reservoir at the southeast corner of the property.

The idea is to maintain the natural water flow and oxygen levels that allow trout to thrive without having to be artificially fed. Each lake has different species of fish, and each species was chosen for the specific lake based on the habitat. Most have different varieties of trout, but Island Lake has blue gill, large-mouth bass and even the elusive, prehistoric-looking tiger muskie.

All fish caught must be released, and flies and lures need to have a single, barbless hook. Only artificial flies and lures are acceptable. (Resort guests, however, may keep one fish per angler and pay $5 per kept fish. Only fish between 11 and 16 inches may be kept. There are also rules for keeping a trophy fish over 16 inches.)

COURTESY SIX LAKES UTAH

DIGS WE DUG

COURTESY SIX LAKES UTAH

Professional ice-fishing guides can show you how comfortable and fun ice-fishing can be.

COURTESY SIX LAKES UTAH

COURTESY SIX LAKES UTAH

Six Lakes Resort features six man-made lakes filled with trophy fish

Mitchell built his second home on the property, a large cabin that now can be rented, which accommodates up to 20.

Nelson has since built an additional cabin with five bedrooms, 5 ½ bathrooms and a 10-person hot tub. There are also two campground areas, one of which has two “camper cabins,” each with a queen bed, bunk bed, kitchenette and restroom.

The other campground has three camper cabins.

In peak summer months, Nelson says the campground (which includes five tent sites and a covered pavilion with tables and benches around a fire pit) is rented out to large groups in its entirety.

However, in winter months, it’s possible to rent just one cabin at one of the campgrounds .

If you’re new to ice fishing or don’t have the proper gear, the resort offers a guided service that provides a warm tent, hot chocolate and a warm meal. Just make sure to book the guide in advance.

The entire resort can be rented for family reunions or corporate retreats or weddings. In addition to the kitchens in the cabins and at the campgrounds, the resort has a commercial kitchen that can handle meals for more than 100 people.

There is no on-site café or restaurant, and during winter months, food service in Altamont is limited. Pizarro’s (15773 W. 4000 North, Altamont, 435-4543090) is open daily 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. for burgers, shakes, sandwiches and pizza. But it’s best if you bring groceries to prepare your own meals.

The resort offers annual fishing memberships, as well as day-use passes if you don’t want to spend the night. But staying in a cabin within walking distance of the ice can be a real treat after reeling in some big, healthy fish.

To get there: Six Lakes is 140 miles east of Salt Lake City (about a 2 ½ hour drive).

Head east on Interstate 80 until just past Park City and take exit 146 for U.S. 40.

Travel 96 miles southeast until you reach 12000 West. (The turnoff is in between Duchesne and Roosevelt, about 25 miles east of Duchesne.) Turn left and travel about 13 miles to the resort.

Six Lakes Utah 500 N. 12850 West Altamont 435-454-3737 SixLakesUtah.com February 2020 • Vamoose Utah | 15

While You’re There

To fish larger reservoirs in the area, there are several good options. Big Sand Wash Reservoir abuts the Six Lakes resort. It was created in 1965 by an earth-fill dam. While

the shoreline is 98% privately owned, the state owns a small segment at the boat ramp where public access is unrestricted. Besides the boat launch, public facilities are undeveloped.

COURTESY SIX LAKES UTAH

Six Lakes is home to rainbow, brown, brook and tiger trout species

Fishing abounds

You can catch walleye and small-mouth bass at Fred Hayes State Park at Starvation Reservoir (4 miles northwest of Duchesne on U.S. 40, 435-738-2326, StateParks.Utah. gov), only a half-hour’s drive from Six Lakes.

Just an hour away, at Strawberry Bay Marina (Strawberry Reservoir, 23 miles east from Heber on U.S. 40, 435548-2261, StrawberryBay.com), anglers target cutthroat and rainbow trout as well as kokanee salmon.

Note: A Utah fishing license isn’t required to fish at Six Lakes, but one is required at any public reservoir.

Shopping

The town of Roosevelt is 25 miles east of the resort with a Main Street begging to be explored. If you like kitsch and nostalgia, stop in at Marion’s Variety (29 N. Main, Roosevelt, 435-722-2143), an old-fashioned soda fountain/dime store (established 1933) with a row of stools at the counter.

16 | Vamoose Utah • February 2020

Enjoy barbecue burgers with chips, soup, pie, shakes and banana splits and other diner classics. Shop for trinkets, travel gear, toys and gifts while you wait on your order.

Other adventures

About an hour’s drive from Six Lakes (toward Salt Lake), just west of Strawberry Reservoir, the abundance of large meadows and rolling hills around Daniels Summit Lodge (17000 U.S. 40, Heber City, 800-519-9969, DanielsSummit. com) makes the area one of the best places in the state to snowmobile (you can rent snowmobiles from the lodge).

Nelson says a lot of the people who stay at Six Lakes take advantage of his other commercial property, the Pleasant Valley Hunting Preserve (3733 W. 10000 South, Myton, 435-646-3194, PVHunting.com). Just 20 minutes from Six Lakes, Pleasant Valley is the largest reserve of its kind in the state and allows for a hunting season that can extend through March.

CAMERON SAVAGE, RANGER AT THE PARK

CAMERON SAVAGE, RANGER AT THE PARK

Family fun: Ice fishing at Fred Hayes State Park at Starvation Reservoir

A SAMPLING OF 2020 ICE FISHING TOURNAMENTS Need a reason to drop your line down an ice hole this winter? Check out these ice fishing contests sponsored by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and Utah State Parks in February.

Rockport State Park Tagged Fishing Classic

This contest runs through Feb. 29 at Rockport State Park in Summit County. More than 100 fish in the reservoir are tagged, and anyone catching a tagged fish and turning it in before month’s end wins a prize. More details at StateParks.utah.gov/parks/rockport/events

Starvation Ice Derby

Held at Starvation Reservoir at Fred Hayes State Park on Saturday, Feb. 8. Participants will target trout and walleye, and prizes are awarded based on fish length. Registration is $15 to fish for one species or $20 to fish for both. More details at the Utah State Park website.

Fish Lake Perch Tournament

Hosted by DWR and other organizations, the annual Fish Lake Perch Tournament will be held Feb. 22 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Participants will target perch and can win prizes if they catch a tagged one. More details on the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Eventbrite page.

A valid Utah fishing license is required for anyone over 12 to fish in any of the events. Licenses can be purchased at locations throughout the state or online at WildlifeLicense.Utah. gov. Participants also should familiarize themselves with ice safety recommendations on the Utah State Parks website.

February 2020 • Vamoose Utah | 17

UTAH GRIZZLIES HOCKEY

You don’t know what you’re missing until you see the Utah Grizzlies play live on the ice

BY JARED BLACKLEY

U

tah has its beloved Jazz NBA franchise and college football that keep us all on the edge of our seats. But it’s surprising more sports fan aren’t just as obsessed about Salt Lake’s Grizzlies pro-hockey team. The live action at the Maverik Center in West Valley City is nothing short of exhilarating, plus we have a team that consistently makes Utah proud.

The game is fast-paced and physical. For three 20-minute periods, five players on each team careen across the ice rink with sticks, fighting for, slapping, passing, shooting and hopefully clearing the puck past the opponent’s goalie. Players can reach speeds upwards of 30 mph while frequently slamming into other players. A hard check can knock a player into the glass or to the ice. A clean slap shot can hurl the puck towards the goal at around 90 mph.

When the Grizzlies first moved from Colorado to Utah in 1996, they were the reigning champions of the International Hockey League (IHL). The team was dominant again that year, coasting through the playoffs and sweeping the finals to bring the Turner Cup trophy to Utah fans. The IHL went

18 | Vamoose Utah • February 2020

defunct in 2001 and, after a few years in the American Hockey League (AHL), the Grizzlies joined the ECHL, formerly known as the East Coast Hockey League and a step below the AHL. During their time in Utah, they have been one of the most consistent teams in the league, making the playoffs 18 times, including 11 of the last 12 years.

You can stream their games on ECHL.tv with a paid subscription. But that’s not the best way to watch a game, says Tyson Whiting, currently in his second season as the playby-play announcer for games broadcast on KSOP radio 104.3 FM and 1370 AM. The best way to see a hockey game, he stresses, is in person.

“You can feel the chill of the ice. If you stand close to the glass, you can feel the impact of a big hit. It’s a game that you just have to see for yourself in order to really embrace the sport.”

Whiting says there is just something different about seeing them play in the arena. “You can see the entire ice rink,” he says. “You can see the speed of the game.” In person, he says, “You experience the intangibles—the touch, the feel, the smell.”

UTAH GRIZZLIES HOCKEY

Grizzbee waves the flag as the Grizz celebrate a win

Starting at just $13, tickets for regular season Utah Grizzlies games are relatively inexpensive. On Feb. 22, the team hosts its annual Grizzlies Fight Cancer benefit and will wear special jerseys to be auctioned off after the game. All proceeds will be donated to support cancer patients and research.

Showing your Maverik card at home games on Mondays gives you two-for-one tickets. The next Maverik Monday home games are on Feb. 17 and 24.

America First Credit Union members can purchase tickets at Friday night home games staring at just $8. The next Friday night home games are March 13 and 27.

With their college IDs, college students can get $6 tickets for every home game.

The regular season runs through the first week of April when the playoffs begin. Whiting sees a lot of potential for this team to make a run deep into the playoffs this year. “There is a lot of team speed,” Whiting says.

Plus, he says, “They just have that sixth sense on the ice.

They know where the opponent is and when they can attack. It

seems to be a team with a high hockey IQ.” Above all, Whiting says, the team has chemistry.

“You get the sense that every player is as excited when a teammate scores as when they score,” he says.

They have the skills in the forward spots and on defense, too, he says, but above all, the team values character, which “takes over when it matters most.”

There are currently six former Grizzlies playing in the National Hockey League, but more than 200 players have left the Grizzlies to play in the NHL since the team first arrived in Utah. Two former players, Ray Whitney and Scott Niedermayer, have gone on to win the Stanley Cup, hockey’s most coveted prize. Surely, there will be more to follow. zMaverik Center 3200 S. Decker Lake Drive, West Valley City 801-988-8800 UtahGrizzlies.com

February 2020 • Vamoose Utah | 19

Eric Granato and a new hockey fan

Why are you such a fan of hockey?

I’m pretty sure the love is in my DNA. I started going to Salt Lake Golden Eagles in the ’80s back when I was in diapers.

Hockey is the only sport that can catch and keep my attention. It can be violent but gone are the days of bench-clearing brawls. You’ll see a punch here and there but not much more.

ERIC GRANATO

Where are the best seats at the Maverik Center for a hockey game?

Center ice about four to eight rows up behind the penalty boxes.

What’s with fans throwing frozen fish on the ice?

It’s a hockey tradition dating back to 1952. For the Utah Grizzlies, we feed the Grizz fish after the first goal of a playoff game.

Any other rituals?

Yes, there are all kinds, from tossing hats on the ice when someone gets a hat trick (three goals by same player) to taunting players in the penalty box. At Grizz games, we have our own institutions. My favorite is the superfan Leon, our unofficial cheerleader. He rarely misses a game and always gets the crowd going. He’s a local treasure.

DID YOU KNOW?

The 12,000-seat Maverick Center was built in 1997 for the 2002 Winter Games. It was one of Salt Lake’s two Olympic ice hockey venues, and it hosted the 2002 Winter Paralympics’ ice sledge hockey events. The venue is owned by West Valley City, which formed a partnership in 2010 with Maverik Inc., giving them naming rights.

20 | Vamoose Utah • February 2020

What’s your favorite snack at the Maverik Center?

It’s a hockey game, so something with no nutritional value that’s fried and topped with cheese. The MC has been really good with keeping local beer on tap—they’ve got Level Crossing this season.

Who are your favorite players this year and why?

This year it has to be No. 11 Taylor Richart and No. 23 Tim McGauley. Richart always seems to keep the peace when we need it and hits back when it’s called for. And 23 is my favorite number; McGauley hasn’t let me down yet.

Eric Granato is Copperfield Media’s circulation manager and a die-hard Grizzlies fan for 23 seasons.

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February 2020 • Vamoose Utah | 21

22 | Vamoose Utah • February 2020

Dig in to a favorite ice slab and gain some elevation

BY CLAIRE MCARTHUR

W

Bridal Veil Falls Utah County

hether you need a break from ski resorts or are searching for a new winter passion, northern Utah abounds with possibilities for year-round outdoor adventure.

And for Carl Dec, owner of guiding company Red River Adventure, that cold-weather calling has been ice climbing for the past two decades.

“I think that it’s super compelling for me because it’s always different. Even the same routes form differently every year, and then there’s routes that don’t form for years,” says Dec. “I enjoy the chase.”

He and his guides have been leading ice climbing trips around Salt Lake City, including Little Cottonwood and Provo canyons, for just as long. Most of their clients have never ice climbed before—or any other surface.

“There’s been a ton of interest in the sport,” says Dec. “People come to Salt Lake to ski, and if you’re here for a week, they may not want to ski every day, and they are looking for some sort of activity to try. Ice climbing has become one of those options for folks.”

Preparing ice-climbing newbies is intensive, starting first with understanding the basics of staying warm when you’re spending a day outside against a slab of ice. Dec and his team go over the importance of layers for regulating your temperature and how to use crampons when walking on flat surfaces versus inclines.

Dec says it’s vital for novices to find an experienced mentor or guide to help them become familiar with the tools, techniques and dangers of ice climbing.

“There’s more objective hazard in ice and snow falling from above. It’s much more like climbing in the mountains than single-pitch rock climbing tends to be,” says Dec. Similar to rock climbing, however, guides anchor a top rope, either from a permanent bolt in the rock or one attached using an ice screw. Climbers are fitted with helmets and harnessed in.

“We talk about the basics of the equipment, climber communication, how to swing the ice tools and how to swing your feet to use the crampons properly,” explains Dec. “And then, from there, we will let people climb, see what we have, and we’ll talk more about efficiency and climbing movement based on that.”

Ice climbers wear crampons—metals spikes that protrude from the bottom and toe of the boot—which can be GREG RAKOZY

V E R T I C A L J O Y

strapped onto existing boots or you can wear a pair with built-in crampons. They allow climbers to grab footholds as they ascend the ice, all while being supported by a belayer controlling the rope from below.

Wielding an ice tool is another important aspect of ice climbing. The two-sided ice tool has a pick on one side and a chisel-like tool on the other. The pick is swung into the ice to use as a grip as you hoist yourself up, while the chisel is designed to chop holds in the ice.

“The thing about ice climbing that differs from rock climbing is there are holds just about everywhere,” says Dec. “If you move your feet and swing your tools efficiently and well, you can make grips and footholds, but it’s the same basic body position that you use in rock climbing.”

The ice climbing season in northern Utah usually kicks off around Thanksgiving and ends early March, but this year “it’s safe to say that we’re in the midst of the worst ice climbing season in two decades,” laments Dec. Many routes that are formed in November—either by frozen spring water or the melt-freeze cycle of snow— are not yet climbable in the new year.

Temperature, as one might imagine, is a huge con-

cern. When it’s too cold, the ice becomes brittle and is at risk to break. While it’s much easier to climb when it’s warmer and the ice is softer, it also poses a risk of dislodging.

“So, you’re looking for the sweet spot where it’s not too cold and not too warm. Fifteen degrees right up to freezing,” says Dec. Dec leads ice climbs all over northern Utah, from beginner ice climbs in Little Cottonwood Canyon to the five-pitch, 800foot Stairway to Heaven in Provo Canyon. There’s something for all skill levels.

For beginners, Dec recommends renting gear before taking the plunge and purchasing your own. REI, Black Diamond, and university outdoor recreation programs are great options for renting gear as you get a feel for the sport.

“Remember to take care of yourself and enjoy the day. Ice climbing doesn’t have to be cold and miserable. If it’s done well, you can spend a great day outside,” Dec says. “And above all, be safe. Check the avalanche reports before you climb.”

Red River Adventures 1140 S Main, Moab 435-259-4046 RedRiverAdventures.com

“

—Carl Dec

RED RIVER ADVENTURES

“

The thing about ice climbing that differs from rock climbing is there are holds just about everywhere.

February 2020 • Vamoose Utah | 23

BACKCOUNTRY

YELLOW SNOW When life hands you snow, add some lemon to it

BY ARI LEVAUX

W

ay back before the holidays, when winter first began sliding its icy fingers down our necks, we still had the holidays ahead. But once they were over, we had nothing to look forward to but snow—and that’s when the emotional work of winter really begins.

Enthusiasts of snow-based sports can slide down mountains, dressed in layers, while connoisseurs of rich and hearty meals can continue in their ways, justifying the diet as seasonal. But it’s the aforementioned snow that is the real seasonal treat. If you know how to prepare it, your winter will get a lot more interesting. Then, whenever life gives you snow, you can make yellow snow to enjoy.

Lemonade snow, that is. Along with other snowy treats, such as brown snow. Or red snow.

Sure, most people opt for a steaming cup of tea, or some other hot beverage, to balance the chill of winter. But to eat snow in winter is to face reality head on and consume it. You become part snow.

The snow where I live is so local you can’t throw a rock without hitting it, not that it cares if you do. All you need to do is walk outside and collect some. It’s like living on a farm, though perhaps insinuating snow to be food is a stretch, because it contains zero calories.

What snow provides is a context for calories to happen, sort of like the children’s story where the hero cooks a pot of water with a rock in it and calls it Stone Soup. The villagers want to partake in his soup, and the hero welcomes them, asking only that they bring something to add to the pot. Pret24 | Vamoose Utah • February 2020

ty soon, a delicious meal is ready that feeds a whole village.

Booze is in season, too, by the way. And a multitude of adult beverages are possible on snow. One could even do an adult version of the Stone Soup story, but with mixed-booze snow cones. Actually, scratch the adult stone cone idea. I did something like that in high school, with ice and the contents of my friend’s parent’s liquor cabinet, and it didn’t end well.

But you could invite your friends to visit, bringing with them their favorite juices and sweeteners and other flavorings for our snow—sweet and tangy flavors, and perhaps bitter and creamy as well.

Like snow and vodka, lemons are in season, as are limes, which I actually prefer, as well as oranges, pomegranate, grapefruit and more.

And we can’t forget the next holiday we have to look forward to. Indeed, chocolate is in season as well.

The trick with all of these recipes is to start with clean, fresh snow and keep it as structurally intact as possible. Begin with chilled cups to keep the snow cold. Quickly add the dry ingredients, stirring them in. Add liquids last, a splash at a time.

For yellow snow, sprinkle a teaspoon of sugar into a glass of loosely packed snow. Carefully mix it with a spoon. All of the snow does not need to be thoroughly mixed top-to-bottom. As long as the sugar is evenly mixed in the top third of the glass it will be OK. Then, squeeze a quarter of lemon or lime on top. Gin-

SOFIA CIFUENTES

Eating a snow cup requires some effort. You poke it and prod it, like stoking a fire.

—Ari LeVaux

gerly mix more sugar with the spoon and begin eating.

Eating a snow cup requires some effort. You poke it and prod it, like stoking a fire. A lemonade snow cup is a completely dazzling way of experiencing two basic flavors: acid and sugar. The flavor is brighter than in your typical lemonade. The acid of the lemon or lime is separated from the sugar by the snow, which insulates these opposing flavors from one another—akin to a battery. They finally are connected through your tongue, which tingles with flavored electricity.

For chocolate or mocha snow, start by mixing a teaspoon each of sugar and cocoa powder into a cup of snow. Add a drop of vanilla, and a tablespoon or more of heavy cream.

Gently mix in the cream.

If chocolate snow is the goal, start eating. For a mocha snow, add a splash of cold or room-temperature coffee.

If you end up adding too much coffee and the snow starts melting, add more snow and stir it back to a snowy consistency. It’s just short of rocket science.

But before we get too focused on Valentine’s Day, there is still the matter of Groundhog Day. So, I’ll leave you with a recipe for gin-and-pomegranate snow or vodka-cranberry snow. You can, of course, create a kids’ version.

Start by chilling some clean, dry glasses in the freezer.

When frozen, pack them with snow and return to the freezer. When ready to serve, toss a teaspoon sugar into a glass and thoroughly mix it in with the snow in the upper reaches of the glass. Then begin working in squirts of lime and splashes of pomegranate juice and gin (or booze of your choice). Work it around, adjusting as necessary with sweet and sour, booze and snow, until it’s just right. Then bundle up and get comfy.

Stir. Sip. Prod. Add snow. Wait for the groundhog to come out of his hole. Depending on where you live, that might take a while, assuming there are even groundhogs ready to emerge on Feb. 2. If you need to take a break, pop it in the freezer.

Rinse and repeat until all of the snow is gone.

February 2020 • Vamoose Utah | 25

Who knew that pushing a stone down a sheet of ice could be such a blast?

BY NATALIE BEHRING

26 | Vamoose Utah • February 2020

Curling instructor Tori Fica, center, shows students how to push and release the stone

NATALIE BEHRING

W

hen traveling with a group, it can be a challenge to find activities everyone wants to do. It’s like picking a movie that everyone agrees to watch.

Well, good news: Your search is over. The next time you wonder what to do with your family or a group of friends—even with a date—head over to the Utah Olympic Oval in Kearns and take a curling class. Curling may not be sexy, and its tournaments don’t get a lot of air time, but neither do shuffleboard or bowling—two wellloved pastimes you only have to play once to understand their appeal.

You should know that it has its own vocabulary. The giant hockey-puck thing with a handle is called a stone.

If you’ve only ever watched curling on TV, you might not realize it’s a hunk of polished granite, not unlike the countertops in a remodeled kitchen, weighing at least 38 pounds. The ice, upon which the game is played, is called the sheet.

A “broom” is used to sweep the ice in front of the moving stone. The sweeping motion causes friction, which raises the ice’s temperature and creates a thin layer of melt-water, making the sheet slippery. As the stone travels over the water, it can make a slight spinning motion in the shape of a curl—hence the name of the sport.

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February 2020 • Vamoose Utah | 27

Curling instructor Tori Fica gathers her Friday night students in a circle. In a booming voice that belies her slender athletic frame, she yells out the rules. Two teams of four each send eight stones down the sheet (16 total between the two teams) with the goal of driving the stone to the either end of the sheet, toward circular targets within the ice they call a button. Points are awarded to the team with the most stones closest to the button.

The team to deliver the last rock is said to “have the Hammer” because of its epic advantage to knock the daylights out of the opposing team’s best-placed stones.

Allison Webel had tried curling a few times with her husband, so when someone in her ski group suggested a curling class, she was happy to join in. She and her friends have been doing ski trips for the past 11 years, and they decided to mix it up this year with a different winter sport. “It’s a great group activity for the winter,” she says. “It definitely helps you embrace the season.”

Casting a stone is an elaborate affair. The most dramatic bowlers look modest next to a curler. The caster looks out on the sheet with raptor-like intensity. In a pose reminiscent of a low lunge in yoga, the curler grips the 40-pound stone by the 28 | Vamoose Utah • February 2020

NATALIE BEHRING

Sweepers brush the ice surface furiously in front of the stone to help it move farther and faster

handle and glides forward over the ice, with one leg extended behind and continues gliding for several meters before letting go of the handle and sending it in the direction they want it to go. This maneuver is difficult, requiring balance and coaching.

Beginners use a small plastic crutch to maintain equilibrium, like training wheels.

Then sweepers take over with brooms that they move furiously in front of the stones to help them move farther and faster.

The Crowder family also took part in the class. Mom Alisyn said she discovered it on Google and that all seven family members were trying it for the first time. “This is really fun,” she said. “It’s much harder than it looks—keeping your balance, getting the stone to spin the correct way, keeping it straight, getting it to where you think you are aiming. And the sweeping is tiring!”

The game is polite—no trash-talking your opponents. Fica tells her students before a game starts, the tradition is to shake hands with your opponents and say, “Good curling!”

The two-hour class offered fall through spring will set you

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back $18 per person. For more serious curlers, there is a Learners League and regular curling leagues for players of all experience levels. You’ll find more information at UtahOlympicLegacy.org/sport/ learn-to-curl.

After you’ve caught on to the basics, you’re eligible to attend a monthly Friday night event called Cosmic Curling. The next two will be held Feb. 21 and March 27 from 10 p.m. to midnight. The game is played under black lights and stones are lit in neon colors. Arrive early as there is a 48-person maximum allowed on the ice.

A polite sport: The tradition is to shake hands with your opponents and say, “Good curling!”

NATALIE BEHRING

Utah Olympic Oval 5662 Cougar Lane, Kearns 801-968-6825 UtahOlympicLegacy.org

KEN LUND

The Utah Olympic Oval in Kearns

30 | Vamoose Utah • February 2020

LAST

LOOK Ice climbers at Bridal Veil Falls, south end of Provo Canyon Photo by Billy Gast

February 2020 • Vamoose Utah | 31

32 | Vamoose Utah • February 2020