Utah is the mecca for premier year-round recreation. As you drive from national park to national park and from ski resort to ski resort all within 1 hr from each other, you get a sense that Utah is a special place. Not only does Utah have an abundance of world-renowned outdoor opportunities, it also has first-class dining and numerous museums and art galleries. A favorite spot for nature photos is Powder Mountain. It is a ski resort outside of Eden Utah. It’s quieter than other ski resorts and I like the serenity while I’m photographing.
When visiting Powder Mountain Utah, a storm just passed through and I wanted to capture the calmness after a storm. The air was still, there was fresh snow on the ground, and the trees and mountains looked like they were dusted with layers of powdered sugar. The mountains were calling my name. I put on a pair of snowshoes and of course my camera and started on my adventure. I wasn’t sure where I was going I just wanted to be a part of nature. There wasn’t much of a trail I was just felt the direction I was going would lead me to something incredible. After some trekking through the light fluffy fresh snow, I came across a group of trees that were standing so delicately almost speaking to me. They looked so peaceful, I felt them gazing at me. I enjoyed the moment that was so silent I just wanted to breathe in the fresh air and enjoy the trees and nature all around me. This was a great journey.
Snowbasin Utah is another favorite spot for taking nature photos as well as other recreational activities. Snowbasin is a ski resort in Huntsville Utah minutes away from Powder Mountain and Wolf Mountain. The mountain is open for year round recreation and adventure. Snowbasin has a beautiful lodge and offers mountaintop dining with spectacular views. Snowbasin has a lot to offer year round and especially the beauty of the fall colors. The entire hillsides are covered with trees covered with yellows and reds. I have taken some vibrant fall foliage photos at Snowbasin. Mountain bike rides have been pretty epic on the mountain as well as some fabulous powder ski days.
When we visited Snowbasin in the summertime we had an interesting experience. We were on a single track enjoying the gentle grade and beautiful scenery and we started to smell a strong unfamiliar odor. We couldn’t quite figure it out. As we rode around a corner we saw hundreds of sheep grazing in the fields. The trail we were on wasn’t passable because the sheep were blocking the trail. It took some time to wait for the sheep to cross before we could continue our ride. Once the sheep passed, the sheep dogs became aware of us and chased us on our bikes for about 3 miles, luckily it was downhill. They chased us all the way down the mountain and must have turned around just before the parking lot. We survived.
Most of my Utah fall foliage photos were taken from Deer Valley. The hills were shimmering with every color of the rainbow calling my name to come photograph them. I was a kid in a candy store. Deer Valley is located in Park City with its upscale ski resort offering first class luxury amenities. Park City is known as one of the best tourist hot spots in the U.S. They have many retailers, restaurants, bars, forests, and community organizations, not to mention incredible mountain bike trails. Park City Ski Resort and Canyons together make up the largest ski area in the U.S. As fabulous as Park City is Deer Valley takes it up a notch or two for fancy amenities. Deer Valley is an alpine ski resort. Snowboarding isn’t allowed on the mountain. Ticket sales are limited. The slopes are groomed to perfection with 300” of light fluffy snow. Skiing in Deer Valley is absolutely incredible.
A bison’s paradise – Antelope Island is located within Great Salt Lake covering 42 square miles. The bison were brought onto the island over 100 years ago. They have done incredibly well for successful breeding and conservation purposes. As we drove over the bridge the picturesque landscape was calling my name. We stopped the car I hopped out with my camera gear. I was so focused on my photographs I didn’t pay attention to the hundreds of mosquitoes swarming me. My wife was waiting in the car. When I walked towards the car the mosquitoes followed me. My wife swells up terribly with mosquitoes so we were trying to keep the mosquitoes out of the car. The mosquitoes were chasing the car. I’m still outside. We were trying to figure out how she can pick me up without filling the car with huge mosquitoes. So she tried backing the car up hundreds of feet and then driving very fast stopping quickly and I hop in and go. The mosquitoes flew at least 30 miles an hour. It took some tries but I finally got back in the car without any hitchhikers. I have never seen anything like it. We finally got over the bridge and began exploring. The area was surprisingly beautiful with its native grasslands spotted with bison and antelope.
Some of my favorite Utah Photos:
“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.”
– John Muir
