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In Utah NATURE PLAYS FAVORITES
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by F R A N K R E D D Y
t’s been said by some that nature plays favorites — and for those in Utah who enjoy the wide range of outdoor recreational opportunities available here, it certainly seems a fitting maxim. Thanks to the variety of outdoor recreation destinations and the short proximity between them, visitors too can maximize their time, exploring in short order Utah’s natural splendor. Tom Adams, director of the Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation, said any given outdoor recreation enthusiast could fly into Utah early in the morning, speed down the slopes at a ski resort, drive
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out to the desert for an afternoon rock climb or mountain bike session and wrap up the day trout fishing a burbling stream as the sun sets over sparkling river waters. “You have such a wide diversity of landscapes and world-class recreation of all types from corner-to-corner of the state,” Adams said. “Utah is also a pretty phenomenal place when it comes to the outdoor industry, because logistically you can get product here fast and you can ship it out to retailers quite fast as well.” Added Adams: “Some of the biggest retailers in the country are within two days shipping from here, so you can ship large quantities to their distribution centers to disseminate around, and it’s quite effective. With logistics as well, it comes back to the geography here in Utah.”