{"id":8417,"date":"2018-07-06T14:47:54","date_gmt":"2018-07-06T20:47:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.powder7.com\/ski-blog\/?p=8417"},"modified":"2020-09-11T14:29:29","modified_gmt":"2020-09-11T20:29:29","slug":"summer-activities-in-utah","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.powder7.com\/ski-blog\/summer-activities-in-utah\/","title":{"rendered":"Skier Survival Guide: The Best Summer Activities in Utah"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Lily Krass<\/p>\n

Vibrant wildflowers, long days, and sunny skies stir up an unmistakable hum of summer stoke for most\u2013shall we say \u201cnormal\u201d?\u2013people.<\/strong>\u00a0 But for winter enthusiasts, confronting a scorching hot Utah summer can\u00a0be intimidating.\u00a0 We\u2019re right there with you.\u00a0 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.<\/p>\n

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Check out\u00a0eight of the best summer activities in Utah’s Wasatch Range:<\/h4>\n

Scramble Up Mount Superior<\/b><\/h4>\n

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\u2019s iconic southeast face boasts steep Wasatch skiing at its finest.\u00a0 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\u2019ll enjoy miles of views in all directions, looking down to Big Cottonwood on your right and Little Cottonwood on your left.<\/span><\/p>\n

The South Ridge is a more tech-y option and makes for a thrilling alpine scramble. The climbing isn\u2019t 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. <\/span><\/p>\n

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The daunting scramble up Mount Superior’s southeast face is not for the faint of heart. | PHOTO: Lily Krass<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Ride the Wasatch Crest Trail<\/b><\/h4>\n

Known as the crown jewel of the Wasatch, the Crest Trail should be on every mountain biker\u2019s 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

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.\u00a0 Dropping almost 3,000 feet, it\u2019s a whirlwind of a descent.\u00a0 But even if you take the shuttle, you\u2019re still in for over 1,000 feet of pedaling.<\/span><\/p>\n

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. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0<\/span>Big Rack<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Fox \u2018n Rox<\/span><\/a>\u00a0shuttles run daily from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. and cost about $12 a head.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Enjoy a Concert at Red Butte Garden<\/b><\/h4>\n

You can\u2019t spell summer without outdoor concerts. Okay, technically you can, but why would you? Salt Lake City\u2019s 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 <\/span>Red Butte Garden<\/span><\/a> for an outdoor show. <\/span><\/p>\n

The Outdoor Concert Series has a handful of shows each week in the summer.\u00a0 It boasts headliners like Michael Franti, Death Cab for Cutie, and Gary Clark Jr. <\/span><\/p>\n

The BYOB policy makes Red Butte a local favorite.\u00a0 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Ride Deer Valley Bike Park<\/b><\/h4>\n

If you have a thirst for adrenaline that only speedy descents can quench, <\/span>Deer Valley<\/span><\/a>\u2019s bike park will scratch your itch for high-octane fun.\u00a0 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

Local tip: Buy a Twilight Pass on Wednesday evenings for just $25 and enjoy four hours of riding from 4-8pm.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\"Summer
This singletrack outside Park City is\u00a0one of the best\u00a0summer activities in Utah’s Wasatch Range.\u00a0 | PHOTO: Lily Krass<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Run the Discrete Cirque Series Trail Race<\/b><\/h4>\n

Put your lungs to the test and tackle some serious elevation in one of the\u00a0<\/span>Discrete Cirque Series<\/a>\u00a0<\/span>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\u2019s a serious slog, but the atmosphere is contagious and it\u2019s a great way to enjoy some of your favorite resorts in the summer.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cirque Series 2018 Stops:<\/b><\/p>\n