By Lily Krass
Vibrant wildflowers, long days, and sunny skies stir up an unmistakable hum of summer stoke for most–shall we say “normal”?–people. But for winter enthusiasts, confronting a scorching hot Utah summer can be intimidating. We’re right there with you. Instead of flipping through pictures from your February trip along the Powder Highway or scanning the internet for cheap flights to Japan in January, try distracting yourself with a few of our favorite summer activities that the Wasatch has to offer.
Check out eight of the best summer activities in Utah’s Wasatch Range:
Scramble Up Mount Superior
In the winter, Mount Superior catches the eye of almost any skier driving up Little Cottonwood Canyon. Shooting almost 3,000 feet straight up from the road, Superior’s iconic southeast face boasts steep Wasatch skiing at its finest. When the sleeping giant sheds its winter coat come summertime, it reveals a menacing face filled with loose, jagged rock. The hiking trail winds up Cardiff Pass, hugging the ridgeline to the top of Superior with a couple hundred feet of scrambling at the end. At the top you’ll enjoy miles of views in all directions, looking down to Big Cottonwood on your right and Little Cottonwood on your left.
The South Ridge is a more tech-y option and makes for a thrilling alpine scramble. The climbing isn’t difficult–mostly 3rd and 4th class scrambling with a couple of easy class 5 sections–but the exposure will surely get your heart pumping. Once you reach the top, the most common route is to descend to the east via the Cardiff Pass hiking route.
Ride the Wasatch Crest Trail
Known as the crown jewel of the Wasatch, the Crest Trail should be on every mountain biker’s bucket list. The ride starts at the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon from Guardsman Pass. It features smooth flowing descents, ridge-top spines, wildflowers, and spectacular views.
Save for those with lungs and legs of steel, most opt to ride the Crest Trail as a shuttle. The classic ride is 13 miles from the top of Guardsman to the Big Water Trailhead in Mill Creek Canyon. Dropping almost 3,000 feet, it’s a whirlwind of a descent. But even if you take the shuttle, you’re still in for over 1,000 feet of pedaling.
Once you pop out in Mill Creek Canyon, you can add another six miles on the Pipeline Trail or ride the road down all the way down to the Mill Creek Park and Ride. Even expert riders are thwarted by Puke Hill, a steep climb to the high point at almost 10,000 feet.
The Big Rack and Fox ‘n Rox shuttles run daily from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. and cost about $12 a head.
Enjoy a Concert at Red Butte Garden
You can’t spell summer without outdoor concerts. Okay, technically you can, but why would you? Salt Lake City’s music scene has skyrocketed in the last few years, with nightly shows at a variety of venues in town. After a full day of adventuring in the mountains, grab a blanket, a lawn chair, and a cooler full of cold snacks and head to Red Butte Garden for an outdoor show.
The Outdoor Concert Series has a handful of shows each week in the summer. It boasts headliners like Michael Franti, Death Cab for Cutie, and Gary Clark Jr.
The BYOB policy makes Red Butte a local favorite. Sip on your favorite libations instead of nine-dollar Coors Lights and stadium pretzels. The large grass field is the perfect place to kick off your Chacos, spread out a picnic blanket, and finally put those plastic wine glasses to good use.
Ride Deer Valley Bike Park
If you have a thirst for adrenaline that only speedy descents can quench, Deer Valley’s bike park will scratch your itch for high-octane fun. Three chairlifts deliver riders to 3,000 vertical feet of flow trails, jump lines, and technical single-track that will challenge beginners and experts alike.
Local tip: Buy a Twilight Pass on Wednesday evenings for just $25 and enjoy four hours of riding from 4-8pm.
Run the Discrete Cirque Series Trail Race
Put your lungs to the test and tackle some serious elevation in one of the Discrete Cirque Series mountain running races. The series stops at six different ski resorts (with three in the Wasatch), and the rules are simple: make it up and down the mountain as fast as you can. Rally up the same slopes you ski down in the winter. It’s a serious slog, but the atmosphere is contagious and it’s a great way to enjoy some of your favorite resorts in the summer.
Cirque Series 2018 Stops:
- Brighton: June 30
- Alta: July 14
- Alyeska: August 5
- Sun Valley: August 11
- A-Basin: August 18
- Snowbird: September 8
Drink Beer at Fisher Brewing Co.
There’s no beating around the bush–Utah isn’t exactly notorious for great beer. In a state laden with strict alcohol laws, brewers typically take up residence in more laid back territories in neighboring states like Colorado. Yet Fisher Brewing Company is a refreshing and unique atmosphere in the Granary District downtown.
Fisher Brewing Co. originally opened in 1884 along Utah’s Jordan River. In February 2017, Albert’s great-great grandson re-opened the family business. Now locals fill the taproom, backyard and patio almost every night in the summer.
Up to 15 different beers on tap fill the chalkboard each night. Outside, a nightly rotation of local food trucks sling creative fare for hungry sippers.
Trail Run to White Pine Lake
White Pine Lake is a 10.5-mile out-and-back trail with just over 2,500 feet of elevation gain. It offers spectacular views of Little Cottonwood Canyon and a bright blue alpine lake to reward you at the end. The White Pine Trailhead is about 15 minutes outside of Salt Lake, approximately five miles up Little Cottonwood. This trail is a great option on hot days because it has plenty of tree coverage and the high elevations stay quite a bit cooler than the valley.
Search for Snow on Mount Timpanogos
If you’ve worked your way down this list and still can’t get skiing off the brain, desperate souls can find a few morsels of snow on Mount Timpanogos. Even in the blaring summer heat, small strips of winter remnants linger on the Timp snowfield. It’s no walk in the park–you’ll slog over 3,500 feet with skis on your back just to reach the base of the snowfield. But, the scenery is spectacular and a dozen midsummer turns can be enough to restore sanity to downtrodden winter addicts.
