Message from the Director
Here we are. It’s the second week in January and it feels as though winter is just barely getting started. With storms arriving this week, I can hear the collective sigh of relief as natural water systems replenish, the winter economy rebounds, and we’ll finally get full access to local trails for some good ol’ fashioned winter fun.
Up to this point in the winter, the only game in town has been in Bonanza Flat. Recognizing the public’s great desire for a winter playground, several organizations rallied their respective troops, money and effort to make Bonanza Flat accessible. Let’s applause the organizations and people – because it always takes great people – who have kept Bonanza Flat trails running so far this winter:
Park City Municipal, Trails & Open Space Department’s trail rangers, Hannah Halstead, Billy Kurek, Joe Sipe and Ethan Peterson, and their office compadres, Logan Jones and Heinrich Deters. Coordinating a shuttle company, lining up approvals, paperwork, etc., this group buckled down and figured out how to extend the Transit to Trails program until Round Valley is ready to groom.
Utah Open Lands for its support of the Transit to Trails program. Without UOL’s financial support through a generous, anonymous donor, and a grant from the Central Wasatch Commission, the shuttles to snow wouldn’t have been possible.
And finally, Mountain Trails Foundation’s very own grooming crew, Sean Ward, Alec Johnson, Matt Jones, Seth Angevine and Rick Fournier. Without their crack-of-dawn efforts, the trails at 9000’ would not exist. If you have been up to elevation before the sun rises, then you know what grit is – the grooming crew is about as gritty as they come.
As we move into what is hopefully a more robust stream of winter storms in the remaining few months of winter, I hope you’ll keep front of mind the privilege it is to have winter trails. They exist because a whole bunch of people think they are a good idea – and then get to work making them happen!
See you out there,
Lora Anthony, Executive Director
