Mountain Trails

Mountain Trails Foundation

We build, maintain and protect Park City, Utah's trails

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What One Looks for One Will Find

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A few weeks ago, my executive assistant, Ian (who, for the record, is one of the nicest, most level-headed guys around), uttered something shocking. As the words, “There have been times I headed out to the trails with a bad attitude” spilled from his mouth, I resisted the urge to plug my ears and babble to keep those words from burning my soul. How could the guy our team marvels at for being genetically wired for niceness and, further, a key employee at Mountain Trails, be susceptible to negativity on the trails? Thankfully, he redeemed the conversation, continuing with a more true-to-character, self-aware reflection, “and when I set out with a negative attitude, negative is exactly what I find.” You may have heard the term, confirmation bias? 

This exchange sketched two indelible truths upon my mind: first, Ian too is human, and second, what one looks for one will find. When focused on dog waste, ruts up the Nordic track or inconsiderate people, guess what materializes. Seeking friendly gestures, well-behaved dog owners and smiling faces, which if we’re being honest, represent 99% of the experiences had by tens of thousands of trail users every year, it’s easy to conjure – and spread – a great trail experience. Seek and ye shall find.  

Since that conversation with Ian, I’ve had several reflective moments, replaying his words, pondering the truth of it all, and admittedly, maybe once or twice, noting the twinge of my own poor attitude. 

Fortunately, attitude is the easiest thing to change – well, that is as compared to say, my inefficient V2 skate technique, or a road bike flat. With attitude, one simply applies a tiny bit of self-awareness and viola! the path to contentment appears. So, fellow trail users, if you’re persistently encountering negativity out on the trails – or life in general – maybe take Ian’s cue and check that internal dialogue. . . 

But beware, confirmation bias is a powerful psychological tendency and it travels on a two way path! 

See you out there,

Lora Smith, Executive Director

Everywhere I Go I See Trail Supporters

Confirmation bias: the tendency to process information by looking for, or interpreting, information that is consistent with one’s existing beliefs. This biased approach to decision making is largely unintentional and often results in ignoring inconsistent information.  Existing beliefs can include one’s expectations in a given situation and predictions about a particular outcome. People are especially likely to process information to support their own beliefs when the issue is highly important or self-relevant. (Casad, B. J. (2022, October 6) Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/confirmation-bias) 

MEET MORE OF THE TEAM

Meet the Team

We are passionate about the Park City Trail System.

Lora Smith

Lora@MountainTrails.org
Executive Director

Ian Hartley

ian@MountainTrails.org
Executive Assistant
435-655-5853

Ginger Wicks

Ginger@MountainTrails.org
Accounting

Rick Fournier

Rick@MountainTrails.org
Field Manager

2022 Trail Crew

NEW: Recurring Membership Donation Plans

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Stream your favorite trails and support our mission to build, maintain and protect trails in Park City.

Choose the frequency and amount that works for your household and your membership will never lapse. As a small organization, your donations are essential to our operations, we use your support to match grant funding, maintain equipment and support our amazing crew.

Signing up for recurring donations is easy and means that you are committed to the legacy of trails and invested in their future. Plans can be canceled or adjusted at any time and donations are tax-deductible. For questions on the program please contact ian@mountaintrails.org. to sign-up please chose the recurring donation option on our donation page HERE.

Wishing you all the best in 2023,

Ian Hartley

MEET MORE OF THE TEAM

Meet the Team

We are passionate about the Park City Trail System.

Lora Smith

Lora@MountainTrails.org
Executive Director

Ian Hartley

ian@MountainTrails.org
Executive Assistant
435-655-5853

Ginger Wicks

Ginger@MountainTrails.org
Accounting

Rick Fournier

Rick@MountainTrails.org
Field Manager

2022 Trail Crew

New Mountain Trails Foundation Bike Jerseys 

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We are excited to announce a new donor gift option, custom bike jerseys. These jerseys help the trails you love and are the result of an incredible amount of work from an amazing volunteer and member, Ellen Sherk.

Featuring a casual fit with 2-way stretch Fabrics, hidden rear pocket, sealed cuff, comfort collar and traditional stitch the Hyper Threads Short Sleeve Trail Jersey is the perfect riding companion

Jerseys are available for pre-order (only) with men and women’s size options from XXXL – XXS, orders will arrive in your mailbox by April 1st. 

PURCHASE HERE

MEET MORE OF THE TEAM

Meet the Team

We are passionate about the Park City Trail System.

Lora Smith

Lora@MountainTrails.org
Executive Director

Ian Hartley

ian@MountainTrails.org
Executive Assistant
435-655-5853

Ginger Wicks

Ginger@MountainTrails.org
Accounting

Rick Fournier

Rick@MountainTrails.org
Field Manager

2022 Trail Crew

Trails Report Early Winter ’22-’23

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To coin a Gumpism, Park City winters are like a box of chocolates… you never know what you’re going to get. Thus far, this early-season, we’ve managed to snag the salted caramel, with a solid, white-chocolate coating. Thanks to early November storms and cold temps, we were able to get the snowball rolling, grooming nearly 15 Km of high-alpine Nordic track in beautiful Bonanza Flat- the earliest start for our winter trails program, ever! Add to that, improved accessibility to Bonanza, thanks to our trail partners, Park City Municipal and Utah Open Lands, who fired up the winter version of the Transit to Trails program, shuttling snowshoers, skiers, fat-bikers, and four-legged friends up to Empire Pass.

The transition from summer ops to winter was a brief one this season, as we were just wrapping up trail projects in late October. Winter trails prep consists of installing literally hundreds of PVC/rebar and fiberglass markers on nearly 50 km of Nordic track and 25 miles of singletrack we maintain. We perform this ritual each fall in anticipation of a big, phat, winter, where losing the trail is a distinct possibility. Other pre-groom work includes trimming back the upper tree branches, clearing deadfall, and mowing the tall grasses and encroaching sage to ensure the best snow-surface possible.

This year’s MTF winter trails team will consist of first-year, summer trail crew members; Matt Jones and Sean Ward, along with Alec Johnson returning for his second winter. Derek DeHaas and super-hero, Todd Henneman, will round out the team, lending a hand as needed. We’re stoked to have these guys on-board for what’s shaping up to be a stellar winter.

What’s New?

Fat Heads rejoice! New, this season, we’ve added the farm-fresh Sparky trail at Clark Ranch to the mix, for 3.5 miles of groomed fatty-flow and snowshoe fun. With the Big Easy loop in Round Valley, now complete, we’ll also be grooming the entire 6-mile loop for your rolling and strolling (when firm) pleasure.

Nordic Skiing

We’ll continue grooming Bonanza through the weekend of December 18th and potentially later in the spring. And of course, we’ll be grooming all the usual suspects in Round Valley and Clark Ranch as well as the Rail Trail from Bonanza to Hwy 248. While we will not be able to groom the entire Land of Oz this year (a large chunk of it has been tilled) we should be able to milk 3-4km out of it. The Green Heart 5K, accessed from Willow Creek Park, will be in play again this year as well. We are incredibly fortunate to be able to access these agricultural easements for winter recreation but there is some give and take with that privilege.

Winter Trail Updates

As always, we’ll be posting daily grooming updates on our Facebook page and website. For a visual look at what cord and classic has been set, be sure to check out our interactive map.

Tune in to KPCW daily at 7:20am for the Mountain Trails, Wasatch Trails and Basin Rec regional winter trail report. 

Etiquette

Winter etiquette is all about R-E-S-P-E-C-T! Round Valley in the winter is an amazing, grand, socio-recreational experiment that has functioned incredibly well for nearly 15 years. Yes, we are seeing more use, and it’s not to say we don’t have the occasional bad player or two, but for the most part, everyone, be it a hiker, fat biker, dog walker or skate skier, all get along swimmingly, or is that skatingly? We at Mountain Trails have made a concerted effort to separate uses where possible, with trails like the Big Easy (fat bike), Hanscom’s Hollow and Land of Oz (ski only) and that has no doubt, improved the user experience for everyone.

Some general winter etiquette tips:

Fat Bikes– If you are creating a rut deeper than one inch, conditions are too soft. Try lowering your tire pressure (2-5psi) or turn around. #RutsSuck!

Foot Traffic– Please stay to the outside edge, opposite the classic lanes, on the wide-groomed Nordic track and avoid blocking the trail. Don’t run or hike on the singletrack if you are leaving a footprint deeper than 1-inch. Especially just after a storm. Consider taking the snowshoes out for a tromp instead.

Skiers- Contrary to summer bike etiquette, skate skiers trending in the uphill direction must yield to the downhill skiers. Round Valley is NOT a Nordic center. Please slow down at busy intersections and when passing other trail users, pass with patience. 

Dogs – Maintain control of, and keep your pups within sight, at all times. Pick up after them (including tossing sticks/sage off-trail) and do not leave poop bags lying on the trail. There are 14 trash cans spread out throughout Round Valley, please use them!

Support The Crew and Winter Grooming

MEET MORE OF THE TEAM

Meet the Team

We are passionate about the Park City Trail System.

Lora Smith

Lora@MountainTrails.org
Executive Director

Ian Hartley

ian@MountainTrails.org
Executive Assistant
435-655-5853

Ginger Wicks

Ginger@MountainTrails.org
Accounting

Rick Fournier

Rick@MountainTrails.org
Field Manager

2022 Trail Crew

THANK YOU for your Live PC Give PC donations!

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Thank you for contributing to our largest fundraiser!

Today, over 400 continuous miles of non-motorized trails now exist in Park City that connect you to mountain meadows, sagebrush covered hills, aspen groves, coniferous forests, and viewsheds that are unparalleled. 

If you like to hike, bike, and ski in Park City, please show your love for open space and trails this Live PC Give PC. We hope that when you give to Mountain Trails Foundation on November 4th, you will also give to Summit Land Conservancy: Because trails and land go hand in hand!

It doesn’t matter how much you give during Live PC Give PC, it matters THAT you give. All it takes is $5 to join the fun November 4th (or before!), and help us save the trails and lands that make Park City special!

DONATE NOW

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Livepcgivepc.org is a one-day virtual event that encourages all of Summit County, Utah to contribute to benefit our nonprofit organizations through a single online giving platform. It is uniquely Park City. The campaign is primarily coordinated by The Park City Foundation (PCF), Summit County’s community foundation, in partnership will area nonprofit organizations.

Live PC Give PC is now open for donations and go through November 4th, 2022.

MEET MORE OF THE TEAM

Meet the Team

We are passionate about the Park City Trail System.

Lora Smith

Lora@MountainTrails.org
Executive Director

Ian Hartley

ian@MountainTrails.org
Executive Assistant
435-655-5853

Ginger Wicks

Ginger@MountainTrails.org
Accounting

Rick Fournier

Rick@MountainTrails.org
Field Manager

2022 Trail Crew

Ambassador Spotlight: Nick Calas

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We often laud our amazing community and point to our shared grassroots success in providing one of the best trail networks in the world. I hope you will join me in recognizing one individual who has offered his time in support for almost every volunteer event we’ve hosted, Nick Calas.

Nick moved to town before Mountain Trails Foundation existed, at a time when a dollar would buy you five beers during happy hour at the Alamo. Starting as a parking lot attendant at Park City Ski area, he worked his way up to “the best job on the mountain” working on the race crew when Park City hosted its first world cup in ’84-’85. Living in the Centennial building at the top of Main, he and his roommate split the $400 monthly rent – although he admits that utilities cost almost as much as rent and that the stained-glass windows didn’t provide much insulation.

Nick bought his first “real” mountain bike, a non-descript black frame from New Park Cyclery. It was a used bike previously owned by the proprietor, Tom Noaker. He worked with the “Underground Trail Company” to cut some of the first mountain bike trails in town, such as Masonic and Trappers Gate. They would leave tools on trails so everyone could take a turn cutting and digging.

Working for Park City Municipal for 32 years, Nick did everything from re-setting pins at the bowling alley (where O’Shucks is now) to managing various sports teams, tournaments and maintaining facilities at the MARC (formerly the Racquet Club).

Nick is always looking forward to the next trail adventure and is eagerly awaiting singletrack riding in Bonanza Flat. So far as sage advice, he asks that everyone wears a helmet when riding, “You don’t want to get a concussion and people don’t realize what can happen… it could happen between your house and the grocery store, PLEASE WEAR A HELMET!”

Like so many of our members and volunteers, Nick has a great Park City story and continues to invest himself in making a Park City (and its trails!) a better place for all of us. We hope that you will enjoy creating your own Park City history and take the time to reflect on those people, like Nick, who make this place special.

Be like Nick – Support Trail Maintenance!

MEET MORE OF THE TEAM

Meet the Team

We are passionate about the Park City Trail System.

Lora Smith

Lora@MountainTrails.org
Executive Director

Ian Hartley

ian@MountainTrails.org
Executive Assistant
435-655-5853

Ginger Wicks

Ginger@MountainTrails.org
Accounting

Rick Fournier

Rick@MountainTrails.org
Field Manager

2022 Trail Crew