Canyon Blog was afforded the wonderfully informative opportunity to accompany Sara Gibbs, Alta Community Enrichment director extraordinaire, on a journey into the world of Wasatch mushrooming. The first thing your correspondent learned is that it isn’t actually mushrooming, rather something she referred to as “munting,” which was apparently German in origin but escaped this writer’s ability to track down, so we’ll just have to take that on faith. Before “digging in” to mycology a few words on Sara and ACE. ACE is Alta’s version of an arts institute and focuses on bringing culture, art and education to the town and [...]

Canyon Blog spent an afternoon chatting with Alta safety director Dave Richards in his office. During the lull in skiing that’s struck the nation there was time to be shared. In a canyon populated by transplants, Dave’s the rare local born and bred, not just in Utah but the canyon itself. He grew up at Alta where his dad was a ski patroller for three decades and his mother an employee at The Rustler lodge. He was a pro skier for a time in his youth before working as a heli skiing guide until he eventually found himself skiing his [...]

Well, it’s happened. So much snow we had to shut the canyon and both Snowbird and Alta for two days. Snowbird has recorded a whopping 409” so far with Alta right behind (It’s still a mystery to your correspondent how the down canyon resort ends up with greater snowfall, but no matter) and skiable bases of over 12 feet. Forty-eight hours of snowfall delivered 34 inches of white. For the past two days those of us in the canyon haven’t moved, and that’s a literal interpretation. Safety officials, in conjunction with both resorts, maintained a strict interlodge for Thursday and [...]