It’s a busy summer here in Little Cottonwood. Congestion as we enter Oktoberfest and as fall prepares to find its way into the mountains. Just this week Canyon Blog had a difficult time finding a good parking spot. No, it’s not Highway 210 or the ski resorts that are the cause of concern. Spending a day meandering through upper Gad Valley it seems that your correspondent couldn’t find a good shady spot to stop and read his book that wasn’t already occupied. By moose. On this particular August day three bulls, three cows and at least one calf seem to have staked out all the good places to perch and read. Perhaps they had the same idea, it’s hard to say with moose. They can be a bit enigmatic. That is, right up to the point when they become very clear about their intentions, but more on that in a moment. The thing about moose is the dog days of summer are particularly acute for them because they overheat easily. Afternoons are meant for resting in the shade and napping. You might do this more yourself if you weighed 800 pounds and always wore black. Perhaps that’s what promotes moose reading selections. Then again, Canyon Blog’s never actually observed a moose in the act of reading. They may simply delight in preventing bipedal readers from finding good spots. Though on this occasion Canyon Blog spied (from a safe distance) what looked like Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass next to the biggest bull of the group. In the off chance you do unexpectedly encounter Little Cottonwood’s largest resident at an uncomfortable distance remember these tips: Don’t run away. Talk to them. Try something like, “Nice first addition you got there.” Back away slowly, and in the direction from which you came. If a moose charges you find the biggest obstacle you can and get behind it or keep it between you and Bullwinkle. If you can’t get away, curl into a ball and protect your head. Typically, moose will stomp on you for a bit and then move off. Regarding our bull’s reading selection: Was it a first addition? Recent reprint? Alas, the mystery shall never be resolved for the simple fact that what is known is this: don’t approach a moose when he’s napping. Or reading a book.

Little Cottonwood Canyon and its resorts attract people from many places and for many reasons. The latter tend to be big and full of purpose. Your blogger, no stranger to the fun and satisfaction of a great speed wing line or powder run on a country club day, would agree. Much of the time. But wandering the slopes of Alta and Snowbird in the summer contains a certain kind of magic that can only be found in the tiny and in the moment by pausing. This Independence Day was one of those wanderings. Around mineral basin Canyon Blog repeatedly stopped to smell the flowers (and fungi). Not the flowers appearing in this column from time to time like columbine or bluebell or porcini mushrooms. Rather, those small and often overlooked blooms and petals that are so important to the many varieties of pollinators that also wander the slopes. So, included here, in no particular order, and without scientific taxonomy, are a few of your correspondent’s favorite overlooked flora and fauna. Alright, dandelions deserve mention. Not only are they plentiful and imbued with a brilliant color, but who hasn’t blown a wish on dandelion seeds? They’re also edible. But for Canyon Blog, their special place originates from Ray Bradbury’s wonderful and surreal wanderings of 12-year-old Douglas Spaulding’s summer of 1928 in Dandelion Wine . Enough of that. Rounding out our sampling is a lone ladybug, busy keeping the flowers free of hazards. Followed by a mountain butterfly sunning her wings. Okay, and maybe one shot of Canyon Blog’s 4 th of July ski line in Baldy’s Bowl… Wherever you find yourself this holiday may you enjoy good friends and family. And don’t forget to stop and smell the overlooked flowers in your yard, especially those dandelions.

The season isn’t officially over just yet, but one season finale tradition has come and gone. Every year on the last day of April a group of friends from The View, one of Alta’s few community buildings, throw a party. April 30 th , a usually predictable good weather window, looked to be stormy this year with snow blowing in the morning and winds whistling around the mountain. But the festival gods smiled down and by lunchtime it began to subside and the sun arrived in time for setup. Heidi and Mark, two View residents, are at the center of each year’s party. The tradition began a couple decades ago in the dark days before cell phones and social centered media communication. They sat outside in the sun drinking wine and generally enjoying themselves when they were joined by a couple other folks. Snow, ski, repeat, and “Boom” the next year some more residents and friends joined in. Skiers, never people to let a good time opportunity go to waste (witness Alta ski resort’s annual Frank classic). The event has grown into having a band, food trucks, and Mark’s semi famous and secret recipe “Markgaritas”. With the weather threatening, neighbor Jim offered up his garage to protect the band from possible inclement weather and electrocution. Your correspondent knew it was going to be a good gig when the local musicians launched their set with the Grateful Dead’s Shakedown Street. What’s this have to do with you loyal reader of this space? Well, it’s too late to join everyone this year, though Snowbird intends to keep spinning the bull wheels on the tram, Little Cloud and Mineral Express through Memorial Day. But next year you can join us all on the street for food, friendship, past powder reminiscence, and music. Canyon Blog would love to share the name of the band but can’t seem to recall it. Must have been the Markgaritas.

It’s once again time for your correspondent to come out from behind his nom de plume as Canyon Blog and become his secret identity as author Dan Schilling. In the spirit of my other profession as book author I’m happy to share that I have coauthored the memoir of the last living miner to have worked in Alta’s silver mines. Very different from my other books. It’s appropriately titled The Last Miner and is available in bookstores or online on March 31 st . It’s the story of Dick Fluehe’s adventures as a young man working in Alta’s mines in the 1950s and the colorful men he worked alongside and learned from. It’s the mining equivalent of floating the Mississippi River with Mark Twain as your guide. If you value Alta and Snowbird and their rich history this book is for you. It’s also funny as hell. That said, if you’re a reader of my dispatches you likely visit our little canyon regularly, so I want to share two opportunities to meet Dick, listen to his fascinating tales and get a signed copy of The Last Miner next month. April 1 st at the venerable King’s English Bookshop at 1565 S 1500 E in Salt Lake City from 6:30-8:30pm Dick will speak, answer questions, and sign books. April 11 th at Snowbird Center’s Cottonwood Room (just below the plaza) from 12:00-2:00pm he’ll also speak and sign books. I will be there as well and speaking for both Dick and myself hope you can find your way to seize the opportunity to meet living history in person. If not, well, buy many copies for your friends and we can call it quits. I’ve included a few photos as enticements including this shot of the authors at the top of Snowbird. You can also learn more by visiting my author page at https://www.danschilling.com/ See you next month when I return to being Canyon Blog and give the last dispatch of the regular ski season. Meantime, thanks for following and happy reading!

One of the great experiences of being in Little Cottonwood Canyon is the opportunity to stop. Not for a bite or beer between runs. And not après ski, per say. What your correspondent is referring to is the opportunity to merely be in the canyon and feel its presence. That only really happens once you aren’t focusing on some task at hand like loading a chair or gearing up. In the evenings and mornings there’s a silence in the canyon. Sure, there may be four thousand skiers split between Alta and Snowbird between 10 and 2, but outside that window the canyon either empties out or the humans are all indoors. One of Canyon Blog’s favorite things is to walk about and take things in. That includes things you can experience by omission, such as noise. Put another way, its absence. It’s peacefully quiet here during those times. To have this experience requires that you not be focused on the madness of the crowds or traffic. And to turn off your computer and put down that ever demanding device that runs your life: the modern smart phone. So come for the skiing or riding certainly. But leave with something else, the experience of stopping time for just a bit and, to quote Paul Simon, enjoy “the sound of silence.”

CanyonBlog, Author at Canyon Services

The Joys of Fall Hiking
The Joys of Fall Hiking

The Joys of Fall Hiking

That Canyon Blog spends most of his time in Little Cottonwood Canyon is no secret. On any given day you will find him somewhere on the slopes, except for the long stints at his computer, which has a mind of its own and can be a merciless driver of rambling passages. This is also no secret to readers of this space. Back to the day’s task however are some reflections on hiking in the canyon, especially in Alta and Snowbird. Clearly December through May are not hiking months, everyone trading out hiking boots for more restrictive footwear with attachments like [...]

CanyonBlog2025-10-08T23:41:43+00:00Fall, Outdoors|

Mid Gad Dining has Arrived!
Mid Gad Dining has Arrived!

Mid Gad Dining has Arrived!

Canyon Blog took the opportunity to coerce three of Snowbird’s finest to provide a tour of the new Mid Gad restaurant as the finishing touches fall into place. It’s amazing what a little backsheesh can do. Jake Treadwell, mountain ops director, and two of your correspondent’s favorite mountain ops leaders, Johanna and Mel, took time out of their day for your benefit. Alright, perhaps for the Canyon Blog’s benefit. The first thing you’ll notice this winter when you come sliding up is the wide open and radiant heated deck. That’s right folks, enjoy that frosty beer (more on that in [...]

CanyonBlog2025-09-28T23:19:06+00:00Announcements, Local Flavor, News, Snowbird Utah, Winter|

The Moose are Loose
The Moose are Loose

The Moose are Loose

It’s a busy summer here in Little Cottonwood. Congestion as we enter Oktoberfest and as fall prepares to find its way into the mountains. Just this week Canyon Blog had a difficult time finding a good parking spot. No, it’s not Highway 210 or the ski resorts that are the cause of concern. Spending a day meandering through upper Gad Valley it seems that your correspondent couldn’t find a good shady spot to stop and read his book that wasn’t already occupied. By moose. On this particular August day three bulls, three cows and at least one calf seem to [...]

CanyonBlog2025-08-18T03:00:23+00:00Local Flavor, Outdoors|

Small Things
Small Things

Small Things

Little Cottonwood Canyon and its resorts attract people from many places and for many reasons. The latter tend to be big and full of purpose. Your blogger, no stranger to the fun and satisfaction of a great speed wing line or powder run on a country club day, would agree. Much of the time. But wandering the slopes of Alta and Snowbird in the summer contains a certain kind of magic that can only be found in the tiny and in the moment by pausing. This Independence Day was one of those wanderings. Around mineral basin Canyon Blog repeatedly stopped [...]

CanyonBlog2025-07-04T23:53:15+00:00Outdoors, Summer|

Block Party
Block Party

Block Party

The season isn’t officially over just yet, but one season finale tradition has come and gone. Every year on the last day of April a group of friends from The View, one of Alta’s few community buildings, throw a party. April 30th, a usually predictable good weather window, looked to be stormy this year with snow blowing in the morning and winds whistling around the mountain. But the festival gods smiled down and by lunchtime it began to subside and the sun arrived in time for setup. Heidi and Mark, two View residents, are at the center of each year’s [...]

CanyonBlog2025-05-06T03:19:56+00:00Local Events, Local Flavor|

Spring with Snowbird’s Snow Safety Director
Spring with Snowbird’s Snow Safety Director

Spring with Snowbird’s Snow Safety Director

Your correspondent spent a brilliant powder day this week with Snowbird’s snow safety director Kami to get the latest on spring safety on another 500+ inch year. As spring takes over the slopes of Little Cottonwood, just where do the avalanche dangers lie? Well, outside the bomb throwing and route running they do in the mornings in addition to the RACs (remote avalanche control towers) there are a number of factors to pay attention to. “Mostly we’re looking at pinwheel rollers that you find on sun facing slopes,” said Kami with years of avalanche study and mitigation behind him. “Cliff [...]

CanyonBlog2025-04-06T20:38:02+00:00Outdoors, Uncategorized, Winter|

The Last Miner
The Last Miner

The Last Miner

It’s once again time for your correspondent to come out from behind his nom de plume as Canyon Blog and become his secret identity as author Dan Schilling. In the spirit of my other profession as book author I’m happy to share that I have coauthored the memoir of the last living miner to have worked in Alta’s silver mines. Very different from my other books. It’s appropriately titled The Last Miner and is available in bookstores or online on March 31st. It’s the story of Dick Fluehe’s adventures as a young man working in Alta’s mines in the 1950s [...]

CanyonBlog2025-03-22T20:01:31+00:00Announcements, Local Flavor|

All dogs may get into heaven, but only a select few get into Snowbird
All dogs may get into heaven, but only a select few get into Snowbird

All dogs may get into heaven, but only a select few get into Snowbird

Canyon Blog spent a cold afternoon with Snowbird’s most recent addition to the ranks of certified avalanche dogs, Tony. Okay, and his handler, Paul S. Tony turns two in April and has already attained his Level B certification, the first step for any avi dog, and soon to be Level A, fully qualified to respond anywhere in the state of Utah. A black lab, he’s the heir apparent to Frankie, Snowbird’s long-standing champion black lab and soon to retire to the good life. Paul has served on ski patrol for eight years, having survived the world of finance and ditching [...]

CanyonBlog2025-02-10T00:33:13+00:00Outdoors, Winter|

Silence and Snow
Silence and Snow

Silence and Snow

One of the great experiences of being in Little Cottonwood Canyon is the opportunity to stop. Not for a bite or beer between runs. And not après ski, per say. What your correspondent is referring to is the opportunity to merely be in the canyon and feel its presence. That only really happens once you aren’t focusing on some task at hand like loading a chair or gearing up. In the evenings and mornings there’s a silence in the canyon. Sure, there may be four thousand skiers split between Alta and Snowbird between 10 and 2, but outside that window [...]

CanyonBlog2025-01-18T02:08:34+00:00Outdoors, Winter|

May the light shine through (with a sprinkling of flakes)
May the light shine through (with a sprinkling of flakes)

May the light shine through (with a sprinkling of flakes)

Well, your correspondent’s investigative journalistic responsibilities include unpolished headlines. So, here’s this month’s: The snow is thin. There’s no denying it. All is not lost, however. Where one opportunity evaporates, another appears. This holiday season’s snowpack means the mountains are empty. Both Alta and Snowbird are spinning most of their lifts so the terrain is there. Alta finally opened Supreme, leaving Mineral Basin as the only closed chair fed slopes in the canyon. What that means is no waiting. Parking reservations are in effect at Alta daily (till 1pm) but Snowbird has spaces every day. Fear not, the Shuttle system [...]

CanyonBlog2024-12-22T00:39:31+00:00Outdoors, Winter|

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