NORTH OGDEN — There’s something about the power towers in the foothills overlooking North Ogden and Pleasant View — young people keep climbing them to do some relaxing hammock swinging, albeit at the risk of fatal falls or electrocution.
Each year, my friend Eric Awerkamp of Arizona challenges me to find new trails for him to ride in Utah. Last year, I put together a five-day ride from Kanab to Kamas.
Situated in the heart of the Paiute ATV Trail System, Marysvale will host this year’s Paiute Trail Jamboree. Designed for UTVs, this jamboree is packed with events you won’t want to miss and it is free. There is no charge for registration, but you need to register to attend. You can ride wit…
The rumor on the street, actually the trail, is that 50-inch trail restrictions are going away. Bryan Carter, the natural resource specialist for the Fish Lake National Forest, helped me understand that, in fact, they are here to stay, at least on his district. The Paiute ATV Trail System is…
The 2021 Outlaw ATV Jamboree is in the history books now, but not before I got to sample some of the rides offered at this event. Leisha Coltharp of the Uintah County Travel and Tourism board has found the formula for a highly successful jamboree.
When I first got my new Polaris RZR XP 1000 Premium, I made it street-legal and installed an LED light bar. I am using the word “I” loosely. My grandson, Mark Blamires, helped me install those kits. OK, I sat close by and said things like, “Can I get you another Mountain Dew?” I just feel lu…
WEST HAVEN — One of West Haven’s largest parks has a new moniker, named for one of the city’s early leaders who pushed hard for development of green space as the city was first taking shape.
HUNTSVILLE — After a near drowning on Sunday at Pineview Reservoir and two apparent drowning deaths at the lake dating to mid-May, officials are bracing.
The Picture Rock Ride is one of the rides offered as a part of the Beaver County Trails ATV Jamboree. Having been riding desert trails all year waiting for the mountain trails to open, the Picture Rock Ride was my first mountain trail ride of the year.
HUNTSVILLE — Three people drowned in Utah reservoirs Sunday, including a man at Pineview trying to reach his son, who was on a floatation device.
U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, introduced a bill this week that would allow for the completion of Utah’s Bonneville Shoreline Trail.
Ogden has partnered with Pledge for the Wild, the first Utah city to join the national campaign, along with other mountain towns, to protect wild places and promote responsible tourism.
It seemed like a good idea at the start. Both of our machines were street-legal so why not drive to the trailhead? It was warmer the night before when we were making these plans.
OGDEN — In spite of operating during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Utah ski resorts welcomed more skiers during the winter of 2020-21 than any other season in the state’s history.
OGDEN — Visit Ogden, tasked with promoting travel in Weber County, is teaming with a coalition of mountain towns from across the country to promote responsible tourism.
The first Polaris RZR came on the market in 2007. It caught on because it was a side-by-side and yet it was designed to fit through a 50-inch gate. When other companies were pulling back, Polaris was asking more from their engineers. Since the 50-inch RZR came on the market, Polaris has been…
It was the first time I did something that was on my bucket list that I didn’t want to do. It was there in black and white, but I never thought I would really do it. It is the kind of thing that is preceded by, “Here, hold my beer and watch this.” In my case, it would be root beer, but still…
My new Polaris RZR XP 1000 Premium did not come with a roof. My Kawasaki Teryx 4 LE has one. After riding for three days in the Beaver County ATV Jamboree, I missed having a roof, especially when I stopped and cooked in the open sun.
HUNTSVILLE — Last summer as the COVID-19 pandemic intensified and worries about contracting the virus put a halt to public activities, many turned to the outdoors.
BOUNTIFUL — Construction started this week on a major extension of one of Northern Utah’s most popular trails.
After the two ATV adventures into the Mineral Mountains last year that I enjoyed during Beaver Adventure Days, Michelle Evans of the Beaver County Travel Council invited me back to take another look. I asked my friend, Bob Brady of Farmington, to come along and I had another ATV adventure in…
Having only heard about the San Francisco Mountains near Milford, I looked forward to doing some exploring there. I was especially interested in learning more about the charcoal kilns that still exist near the ghost town of Frisco.
The Utah Wildlife Board voted on Thursday to approve a decrease in the number of general season permits for the 2021 deer hunt in an effort to maintain healthy deer populations across the state.
Having been introduced to the new facilities and concessions now offered by Brad and Julie Benson at the Big Mountain Lodge in Ferron, it was time to see more of the splendor of the San Rafael Swell. We had a great ride the day before to the Copper Globe Mine (Standard-Examiner, April 8, 202…
After being canceled last year because of the pandemic, Rally on the Rocks is on for 2021. The dates are set for May 12-15 and while some rides are full, there are plenty of openings to fill and still time to register.
Ready for an outdoors road trip? You are not alone! Many Ogden residents are looking to get outdoors right now for a post-lockdown road trip vacation getaway with plenty of social distancing. But before you plan that road trip to one of our federal lands in Utah, such as the national parks, …
On any given trip from Ogden to St. George, you have passed through Beaver. Having been on the road a while, it is a good place to take a break either for a Blizzard at the DQ or a bag of cheese curds at the Creamery.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and other wildlife agencies unveiled on Thursday a “revolutionary” method for decontaminating boats and removing invasive quagga mussels.
Each ATV trail system in Utah offers its own unique brand of opportunities to explore. From the splendor of the desert, the beauty of the shifting sands, the mysteries of mining districts and the grandeur of the lofty mountain trails, there are plenty of the reasons to get off the highway an…
BOUNTIFUL — While members of Utah’s Congressional Delegation push for federal legislation to enhance the Bonneville Shoreline Trail, Davis County is working on a measure of its own that involves a significant extension of the popular Northern Utah trail.
About 1,500 people call Ferron home, which is down from the 2010 census by about 9%. Founded in 1877 by three pioneer families, Ferron started as a farming community. Riding into town from the San Rafael Swell 144 years later, I noticed that it is still a farming community.
OGDEN — A previously stalled piece of federal legislation that would extend and improve the popular Bonneville Shoreline Trail has been reintroduced by two members of Utah’s Congressional Delegation.
OGDEN — Two hikers who became stranded in an icy cliff area of Beus Canyon on Tuesday were rescued by Weber County search teams and a state helicopter.
HUNTSVILLE — The feds have allocated some $600,000 to help with plans to upgrade Pineview Reservoir to contend with growing traffic at the U.S. Forest Service facility.
HUNTSVILLE — Due to increasing habitat destruction, crime and littering, overnight camping will be sharply restricted this spring and summer at the Middle Fork Wildlife Management Area.
OGDEN — An in-person version of Ogden’s marathon is still at least a year out, but the group that organizes the event has a full slate of live activities planned for 2021, inching closer to their pre-pandemic operation.
Sanpete County has announced that The Manti Mountain ATV-UTV Run is on for 2021. After being cancelled last year, two events have been planned this year to accommodate more riders. The first one is scheduled for July 13-14, followed by a fall ride September 17-18.
My wife suggested an adventure that did not include ATVs. After a moment of trying to imagine that, I wisely accepted her invitation to visit Death Valley.
It was the first ride of the year. There were plenty of reasons to go out on the trail — I had already missed some days of good riding weather, I was running out of things to write about and my grandson, Mark, bought a Polaris RZR so he was pushing Grandpa to go.
CROYDEN — It looks as though a new state park will be established in Morgan County.
The Utah State Legislature passed the Off-Highway Vehicle Act in 1971 which created the Division of Parks and Recreation’s Off-Highway Vehicle Program. Fifty years later, this OHV program remains strong and actively engaged in the OHV community.
OGDEN — Parks in Hooper, South Ogden and Ogden will be getting large injections of funding thanks to a special county sales tax earmarked for such projects.
It is exciting to see the ATV jamborees coming back online after being cancelled during the pandemic. This is my third article about jamborees being scheduled for 2021.
MORGAN — The Weber River between Henefer and Morgan is a growing magnet for kayakers, tubers and anglers, but as pressures increase, interested parties are wondering who will be calling the shots.
I wrote an article that appeared in the Standard-Examiner on Jan. 28 entitled, “What if someone else wants my ATV more than I do?” In that article, I related accounts of people losing ATVs and equipment to theft. That article ended with this statement, “Take stock of the things you can to do…
The third annual Beaver County Trails Jamboree did not happen. Because of the 2020 pandemic, a lot of things didn’t happen last year. In the case of Beaver County, however, the story didn’t stop there.
OGDEN — To cut the ribbon on a new Outdoor Adventure and Welcome Center, Weber State University President Brad Mortensen not only traveled from his office to the south side of campus — he rappelled approximately 65 feet.
As 2021 opened, one of the questions on the minds of many in the ATV community was if there would be any jamborees slated for the year. I am happy to report that there will be. Riding in Utah’s scenic backcountry is one of the safest activities in which a rider can participate. It is next to…
EDEN — A planned new chairlift and several new trails, part of a massive expansion at the Nordic Valley ski resort, are open to the public.
The byline of these articles for over 16 years has been “ATV Adventures.” The first article came out in December 2004. At that time, there was no popular side-by-side with a recreational purpose.
The interest in developing ATV trail systems is growing across Utah. People with ATVs want places to ride and counties want to provide them — and for good reason. The tourist dollars brought to a county with nearby trails are significant.
The Ogden-Weber Chamber of Commerce held its Annual Gala on Thursday, April 15, 2021, at Peery's Egyptian Theater.
