One of the enjoyable experiences of walking the ridges and exploring the draws of Little Cottonwood Canyon are the small things. For your correspondent that includes the mysteries of those that grow in unlikely corners or those that are easily overlooked. Two of his favorites are variations of fungi that are eye catching but not always readily observable. To find them you have to slow down, look around, and peer at the ground. The first is the tiny fungus caloscypha fulgens but more popularly known by the friendlier snowbank orange peel fungus moniker. It’s clear where the nickname comes from as they often appear as miniature abandoned orange peels. This makes them relatively easy to spot. The best locations are under conifers and so it’s more likely you’ll discover them in the shadows. Canyon blog’s other favorite is a white mycelium that covers various ground detritus, usually fallen tree branches but sometimes exposed roots. Unlike many fungi it extends roots to grow and bring in nutrients. This can give it an unworldly appearance like something from a bad, or even good, sci-fi film. As you can see from this photo of a “captured” pinecone, the ability reach out and connect to a relatively distant food source can be spooky, in a Invasion of the body snatchers sort of way. What’s exceptionally cool, but little studied, about these types of fungi is their ability to transmit an electrical charge. Whether this is a means of communication or information transmission remains an enigma. Previously your blogger shared the fun of hunting porcini mushrooms to add to your culinary adventures (see October 5 th , 2021 Shroomin’ with ACE blog). Today’s blog is certainly not about consumption as neither one of these fungi are for humans or pets. No matter, the joy is in the discovery and observation. The natural world is an amazing place and there is no better spot from which to consider its mysteries than Little Cottonwood. But then, Canyon Blog admits to a biased perspective…

Your correspondent pens this piece in the aftermath of a top ten ski day here in Little Cottonwood. After a foot of fresh on top of seven more feet of fresh on top of a mountain with no people, January 17 th proved to be one of those days where despite how hungry you are you don’t dare stop to eat. Late morning when our valiant ski patrol dropped the rope for Catherine’s it was time to start making laps. Ten laps as it turns out. This is where Canyon Blog would normally insert a few great photos to induce jealousy on the part of the loyal readers of this space. Sadly, they were not to be. Why you ask? Because this writer wasn’t stopping to snap shots because it was just too damn good. And besides, as you’re well aware, photos don’t do justice to epic conditions. The best your correspondent can muster is a few shots on the final run to the house off Powder Ridge via Wildcat lift. Those and one shot of a significant ice beard buildup. Well, here’s one additional shot from Snowbird yesterday when they’d just opened Peruvian lift at around 2pm. Several days of closures had the Peruvian snow primed for tracking even if the wind scour faces were a little crusty. What’s the point of these bragging lines you may wonder. Simply this: The storm cycles are still aligned and the snow gods favoring our little canyon. So you better hop on that plane, get up canyon, and drop your bags in one of our deluxe properties because staying down canyon isn’t going to do you any good when the canyon closes for the next storm. Note on our previous photo challenge: The image on the concrete buttress is actually the last chairlift pole as you ascend the Collins lift.

CanyonBlog, Author at Canyon Services

Fun with Junior Bounous Part II (The Pika Perspective)
Fun with Junior Bounous Part II (The Pika Perspective)

Fun with Junior Bounous Part II (The Pika Perspective)

If you followed last month’s blog you’re now familiar with Junior. If you didn’t, you should read that first because, well, he’s just one of the most interesting ski legends there is and a piece of living history here in Little Cottonwood. Our story picks up where we left off, just below the summit of Hidden Peak and on the mineral side. Standing by the bench dedicated to Junior’s wife Maxine and facing west. There, along the wildflower hiking trail, sits the object of this month’s blog: pikas. If you’re not acquainted with these adorable mammals, be forewarned, they are [...]

CanyonBlog2024-08-18T23:49:37+00:00Local Flavor, Outdoors, Summer|

Fun with Junior Bounous Part I
Fun with Junior Bounous Part I

Fun with Junior Bounous Part I

Your correspondent recently had the opportunity to fulfill a longtime aspiration when he cornered skiing legend Junior Bounous. If you know who he is there is no need for explanation, but by all means read on because this first installment (of two) is full of fun facts about his life and times here in Little Cottonwood Canyon. Canyon Blog met him on a pleasant July morning at Snowbird’s plaza deck where we’d agreed to take the tram and explore the pika populations around hidden peak and talk about his life. Armed with hiking poles and water and snacks for both [...]

CanyonBlog2024-08-06T01:38:46+00:00Local Flavor, Outdoors|

Fun Fungi
Fun Fungi

Fun Fungi

One of the enjoyable experiences of walking the ridges and exploring the draws of Little Cottonwood Canyon are the small things. For your correspondent that includes the mysteries of those that grow in unlikely corners or those that are easily overlooked. Two of his favorites are variations of fungi that are eye catching but not always readily observable. To find them you have to slow down, look around, and peer at the ground. The first is the tiny fungus caloscypha fulgens but more popularly known by the friendlier snowbank orange peel fungus moniker. It’s clear where the nickname comes from [...]

CanyonBlog2024-07-21T17:14:42+00:00Local Flavor, Outdoors|

Happenings at Snowbird
Happenings at Snowbird

Happenings at Snowbird

Well, the chairs may have stopped spinning, but the season isn’t over. Though to be fair, your correspondent is one of only a handful of holdouts still making turns. To that end, here are a few shots from his daily boot pack up Dalton’s Draw. The remnants of the season are not the topic of this month’s installment, however. Canyon Blog stopped by to chat with Dave Fields, Snowbird general manager, to get the latest on the mountain since it’s clear they have plans. First is the replacement for the Mid Gad restaurant. “We’re really excited about the new dining [...]

CanyonBlog2024-06-10T00:26:21+00:00Local Events, Local Flavor, Outdoors, Summer|

Surfin’ the Wave at Snowbird
Surfin’ the Wave at Snowbird

Surfin’ the Wave at Snowbird

One of the great things about spring skiing in Little Cottonwood is the light, smells, and space that pervades the senses. Because the temps are up, even though the snow is still flying, people find creative ways to enjoy the mountain. The typical example are the snakes that appear at Alta and Snowbird, usually in Ballroom and Shireen (just off the Road to Provo cat track). However, your correspondent’s favorite playground terrain is the ridge that separates Shireen from Mark Malu Fork where the exhibitionists of spring tend to gather to demonstrate their aerial skills and basically have a great [...]

CanyonBlog2024-04-05T01:24:24+00:00Local Flavor, Outdoors|

Wrestlemania Revisited
Wrestlemania Revisited

Wrestlemania Revisited

March 7th saw the return of the 6th annual Alta Women’s world championship arm wrestling competition. It was some time since your correspondent attended the event and there were a couple gaps with Covid, but this year’s competition saw the crowds and wrestlers return in force. Alta Community Enrichment, helmed by the ever energetic and capable Lil Sara, hosted the competition at Our Lady of the Snows as always. To ensure a compliant crowd Alta local chalet resident Coe (pronounced Co -E) prowled the ring armed with billy club and cuffs. Canyon Blog tracked down last year’s champion; Sandra D [...]

CanyonBlog2024-03-13T01:38:57+00:00Local Events, Local Flavor|

Secret Weapon Morning Buns
Secret Weapon Morning Buns

Secret Weapon Morning Buns

This month your correspondent has elected to share some confidential ski performance information guaranteed to exponentially improve your skiing or boarding regardless of your skill level or conditions on the mountain. Just what could accomplish improvement on such a scale without fail you wonder? The answer is contained in two simple life altering words: morning buns. And just what are these? Canyon Blog wasn’t exactly sure, other than that whenever they’re on offer at Baked and Brewed in Snowbird Plaza he doesn’t pass up the opportunity to secure one. So, in order to answer the question, he sought out Jessica [...]

CanyonBlog2024-02-09T01:36:01+00:00Local Flavor|

OMSG
OMSG

OMSG

Your correspondent pens this piece in the aftermath of a top ten ski day here in Little Cottonwood. After a foot of fresh on top of seven more feet of fresh on top of a mountain with no people, January 17th proved to be one of those days where despite how hungry you are you don’t dare stop to eat. Late morning when our valiant ski patrol dropped the rope for Catherine’s it was time to start making laps. Ten laps as it turns out. This is where Canyon Blog would normally insert a few great photos to induce jealousy [...]

CanyonBlog2024-01-19T20:30:30+00:00Outdoors, Winter|

Hidden Peak’s hidden purpose
Hidden Peak’s hidden purpose

Hidden Peak’s hidden purpose

Riding the tram at Snowbird and pouring out onto the summit with your skis in hand and powder turns in mind it’s easy to miss just what’s around us. When you next step through those new doors take a moment and look up before you clear the gates. There, between the tram wheels you’ll see a number of instruments and antennae on top on the west side. To help make sense of some of those items Canyon Blog tracked down Dr. Maria Garcia from the University of Utah’s Atmospherics Sciences Dept. Turns out that there’s some serious science goin’ on [...]

CanyonBlog2023-12-14T02:13:36+00:00Local Flavor, Outdoors|

An Interview with Miner Dick Fleue
An Interview with Miner Dick Fleue

An Interview with Miner Dick Fleue

Canyon Blog sat down with a Little Cottonwood Canyon icon this month to learn a bit about the canyon’s history. Many don’t understand that for the first century of its occupation by the largely European stock who entered Utah in the 19th century LCC was primarily a mining endeavor. Dick Fleue is the last surviving miner to have actively worked in some legendary workings in the canyon including the Flagstaff, Columbus Rexall, Columbus Consolidated, and Wasatch Drain Tunnel. For a time in the late 1950s and early 60s as a teenager and twenty something he explored many others including some [...]

CanyonBlog2023-11-25T19:04:37+00:00Interviews, Local Flavor|

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