MORGAN — Wasatch Peaks Ranch is under construction in Morgan County, but the 11,500-acre private ski, golf and high-end housing resort is bemoaned by some residents who say it will scar the area’s pastoral character.
This was not my first ride to the Grand Gulch Mine. I wrote an article about a trail from St. George to this place two years ago. (In Search of the Grand Gulch Mine, Standard-Examiner Jan. 18, 2018). We trailered 65 miles on dirt roads to a staging area near Poverty Mountain. We then rode to…
OGDEN — It’s always a sure sign of the coming spring: Ogden Seed Exchange’s annual Seed Swap.
As we approach the 2020 ATV/UTV riding season, I think it is important to review some basic rules of safety. Many riders don’t venture out in the winter months so riding skills lie dormant for the winter and tend to become dull.
OGDEN — This semester, Weber State’s Ott Planetarium wants to help community members benefit from the area’s dark night skies — something not every community has.
CACHE COUNTY — Those looking for winter outdoor activities have one last chance to take a wagon ride through hundreds of elk this weekend.
Thinking about this week’s article, the scenes from my 28 years of ATV adventures come back to me. Encounters with wild life on the trail seem to stand out.
FARMINGTON — Bald eagles congregate in Utah during February, and this Saturday, residents of Northern Utah have the chance to see them close to home.
If you enjoy outdoor expeditions during winter but don’t like hunting animals, you have an alternative — hunting the antlers shed by big game.
ANTELOPE ISLAND — The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources released 25 Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep on Antelope Island Wednesday afternoon, hoping to establish a new herd.
Two articles on a woman’s point of view on riding ATVs appeared in this space in the Standard Examiner on April 19 and August 9, 2018. Since then, I have heard from more women who wanted to weigh in on the subject. I have also observed much, the thought of which, makes me smile. Not all of t…
OGDEN — A recognizable nonprofit organization operating in Weber County for a quarter of a century is changing its name.
LOGAN — A northern Utah event straight out of the Old West is attracting more people with its mountain-man appeal, organizers said.
BEAR LAKE — If these dark winter mornings are making it hard to fully wake up, a plunge into the cold waters of Bear Lake might jump start the process.
Traditionally, ATVs and UTVs equipped with four-wheel drive have two gear ranges — high and low. Using those two ranges properly will extend your enjoyable riding days.
EDEN — Steep, winding, dangerous Powder Mountain Highway will be improved somewhat this summer as part of an $8 million Utah Department of Transportation project.
With the number of ATV jamborees increasing in Utah, I could only include those scheduled for the first half of the year in last week’s article. I maintain that jamborees are a great way to learn about places to ride and to explore the unique features that each of the counties in Utah have t…
The Great Salt Lake has something in common with the planet Mars and the Arctic.
FARMINGTON — Young visitors can let it go (to some degree) at the Little Gym in Farmington this weekend.
2007 is the year I wrote my first article reviewing ATV jamborees to be held during the year. That year Utah hosted six events. Last year that number had grown to thirteen and the number keeps going up.
DAVIS COUNTY — For an especially good view of the decade’s first full moon Friday, head to Antelope Island.
After writing an article titled, “New law affects the Utah ATV community” last month, I got a call from my friend, Gary, asking why I didn’t say anything about how the laws in the surrounding states impact Utah riders. I didn’t have a good enough answer for him so I patiently listened while …
The first day of December marked 15 years since I wrote my first ATV Adventures column for the Standard-Examiner. The fact that my email address is always included at the end of each article has not been lost on those who read the column. I thought it might be of some interest to report some…
OGDEN — Violently destroying objects could get you fired or arrested in other settings, but at Smash-It Utah, obliteration is a social norm.
Reciprocity is a big word used when referring to reciprocal agreements. Utah has had agreements with 13 other states for some 20 years to honor the ATV registration in those states, allowing their residents riding privileges on Utah trails. In return, Utah riders were free to ride trails in …
It was one of those Indian summer days in November. The temperature was in the fifties, the sun was shining, and it was a perfect day for the last ride of the year. What could go wrong?
WASHINGTON TERRACE — Jean Dixon smashes her fists into the punching bag, exhorted by coach Rob Matthews to deliver rapid combinations.
SNOWBASIN — Many in Northern Utah, around the state and even around the world, are familiar with Snowbasin, an iconic landscape that is a former Olympic site.
When Polaris introduced the Sportsman Ace line in 2014, only two models were offered — the 325 and the 570. It was a totally new idea in ATV design. Instead of riding on the machine, the rider rides inside the ATV.
CACHE COUNTY — The Elk Festival offers a variety of ways to keep your kids busy this Saturday.
HUNTSVILLE — Forget about pumpkin patches, apple picking and trees turning colors.
BRIGHAM CITY — The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is hosting another round of meetings across the state to gather public feedback on several wildlife management issues.
Thanksgiving is here along with the madness of the holiday shopping season. ATV friends can be tricky to buy for because of their particular tastes. Here are some gift ideas that would please any rider:
Powder is falling from the sky and the mountains are turning white, which means skiing season is almost here — and with it comes avalanche season.
A community fishing pond in Wasatch Mountain State Park near Midway has been overrun by goldfish.
Four-seat UTVs are the most popular machines on the market, not just for their ability to carry passengers, but for the available space in which to put gear. When not needed, the two rear seats make it easy for two people to ride into the back country with everything needed for the trip.
Learning to plan a ride to fit the riders has been a challenge. Having ridden with families with young children, people who have never ridden before, and guys who you have trouble keeping up with, it is important to know what will make everyone happy by the end of the ride.
Riding with a GPS and the reasons I like to ride with one were expressed in an article I wrote last July. I ride with a Garmin Montana 600. It is outdated, but it does everything I need it to do.
WEST VALLEY CITY — The thousands of Utahns who cut down their own Christmas trees every year can get an early start on the project by purchasing their permits in November.
LOGAN — When Matthew Havertz set out to make a documentary about the legend of a Bear Lake Monster, he didn’t know there was a member of his family who saw something strange in Bear Lake back in 1977.
We had arrived at Coyote Hollow in the area of Bryce Canyon after riding 90 miles from Kanab. Our little band of 14 had reservations at a variety of motels so we split up and planned to meet back at the hollow for the ride back in the morning.
A group of teens slide on a makeshift rail feature on freshly made artificial snow for some pre season fun on Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, at the bottom of Snowbasin. The resort has turned on their snowmaking machines and opening day is scheduled for Nov. 27.
Take 300 cowboys and cowgirls, add another 300 horses, then throw in roughly 775 head of thundering bison, and what have you got?
In planning for an ATV ride next summer from Kanab to Bear Lake, we needed to plan an exact route. We have planned five days to do it and shooting from the hip would leave us somewhere between nowhere and where we want to be. Knowing the rest of the route from Bryce Canyon to Bear Lake, we n…
The light geese general hunting season will open Friday.
My friend Keaton Gerrard, his dad, Cory, and I all drive Polaris Ace 325 ATVs. Now we call ourselves The Tres Aces. The Ace, simply put, is an ATV with a single seat, roll cage, a steering wheel and a gas pedal. They are a lot of fun to drive, especially when there are three of us.
As an ATV rider, finding a trail I haven’t ridden before is like finding ATV treasure. I have been on the Mantua Trails and have enjoyed many trips to Inspiration Point. From there, the views of Ogden Valley are remarkable, especially at night.
EDEN — A new sentinel overlooks the top of James Peak, honoring local ski legend Ben Geiger and the mountainous terrain that inspired him and keeps on inspiring others.
Having written a lot about the Paiute ATV Trail System this year, I thought that an overview of the system and what it means to Utah might be of interest. While the greatest impact relates to the four counties in which the trail system resides, other trail systems have been or are in develop…
When I purchased my first ATV in 1993, I was excited to be a part of a community of people who chose this way to see Utah. My new ATV was in the 300cc class; the biggest machine at the time was a Yamaha Big Bear with a 400cc engine.
In my 27 years of riding experience, I have learned a few things about trails and the people who ride them that might be of interest. A recent article published in the Standard Examiner about some problems with ATVs in the area around Eden got me thinking.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources released 25 bighorn sheep on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020, on Antelope Island. The sheep were transported from Montana to establish a new herd on the Island after a 2018 respiratory virus wiped out the preexisting herd of about 150 sheep. DNR hopes to rele…
