View Full Version : Southern Utah
Viking
06-30-2013, 10:20 AM
We spent the weekend at our place in Entrada just outside St. George.
We haven't been able to get back here as often as we'd like but this weekend reminded me about how spectacular southern Utah is.
The heat...having grown up in >100 degree + near 100% humidity in north Texas during the summers, I actually enjoy the desert heat. >110 degrees is uncomfortable but 95-110 is just fine for me.
The kids love this place, too. Great time.
Solon
12-09-2013, 11:02 PM
We spent the weekend at our place in Entrada just outside St. George.
We haven't been able to get back here as often as we'd like but this weekend reminded me about how spectacular southern Utah is.
The heat...having grown up in >100 degree + near 100% humidity in north Texas during the summers, I actually enjoy the desert heat. >110 degrees is uncomfortable but 95-110 is just fine for me.
The kids love this place, too. Great time.
I'll second this. I grew up in Salt Lake, but I wouldn't want to live there again. Southern Utah still has a lot of open country where you can lose a cell signal, plus it has better weather than Salt Lake and prettier scenery. The only thing that's tough is it's a longish drive to a real airport (sorry, St. George airport. you don't count)
My only regret is that it took me until middle-age to discover Southern Utah. Better late than never, I guess.
My top-5 places to visit in Southern Utah (west side):
1. Zion NP
1a. Zion NP - Kolob Canyons
1b. JiC's house
2. Cedar Breaks/Brian Head
3. Red Cliffs Desert Preserve
4. Fort Pearce Wash
5. Navajo Sandstone range west of the road to Gunlock.
Jarid in Cedar
12-10-2013, 01:31 AM
I'll second this. I grew up in Salt Lake, but I wouldn't want to live there again. Southern Utah still has a lot of open country where you can lose a cell signal, plus it has better weather than Salt Lake and prettier scenery. The only thing that's tough is it's a longish drive to a real airport (sorry, St. George airport. you don't count)
My only regret is that it took me until middle-age to discover Southern Utah. Better late than never, I guess.
My top-5 places to visit in Southern Utah (west side):
1. Zion NP
1a. Zion NP - Kolob Canyons
1b. JiC's house
2. Cedar Breaks/Brian Head
3. Red Cliffs Desert Preserve
4. Fort Pearce Wash
5. Navajo Sandstone range west of the road to Gunlock.
Flattered to make the list. I would add Bryce Canyon and capitol reef. Not as popular as Zion, but just as beautiful.
Applejack
12-10-2013, 08:37 AM
I'll second this. I grew up in Salt Lake, but I wouldn't want to live there again. Southern Utah still has a lot of open country where you can lose a cell signal, plus it has better weather than Salt Lake and prettier scenery. The only thing that's tough is it's a longish drive to a real airport (sorry, St. George airport. you don't count)
My only regret is that it took me until middle-age to discover Southern Utah. Better late than never, I guess.
My top-5 places to visit in Southern Utah (west side):
1. Zion NP
1a. Zion NP - Kolob Canyons
1b. JiC's house
2. Cedar Breaks/Brian Head
3. Red Cliffs Desert Preserve
4. Fort Pearce Wash
5. Navajo Sandstone range west of the road to Gunlock.
I've never lived in Southern Utah, but my parents keep threatening to retire there. I'd love it because, honestly, when I visit SLC and there aren't Ute games going on, I don't know what to do with myself. I usually find an excuse to drive to Southern Utah with my dad. I love the canyons.
Solon
12-10-2013, 07:09 PM
Flattered to make the list. I would add Bryce Canyon and capitol reef. Not as popular as Zion, but just as beautiful.
Yeah, I was trying to stay south. I agree that Bryce is fantastic. I don't know Capitol Reef very well.
I'm about to change my mind if I wake up to another sub-zero temperature morning. WTF?
Jarid in Cedar
12-10-2013, 11:09 PM
Yeah, I was trying to stay south. I agree that Bryce is fantastic. I don't know Capitol Reef very well.
I'm about to change my mind if I wake up to another sub-zero temperature morning. WTF?
Typically gets this cold for a 3-5 day stretch once a year. This is the earliest I have seen it happen, though. Hopefully that doesn't mean that we are going to get a double dip.
Solon
01-12-2014, 01:13 PM
I went skiing yesterday at Brian Head while my wife went rock-climbing near St. George.
Talk about a crazy juxtaposition of climate & outdoor rec.
LA Ute
01-12-2014, 01:33 PM
I'm curious about Kanab. What's life like there?
Viking
01-12-2014, 03:28 PM
I went skiing yesterday at Brian Head while my wife went rock-climbing near St. George.
Talk about a crazy juxtaposition of climate & outdoor rec.
That's awesome. I really want to spend much more time in So. Utah. I keep threatening my wife that I'm going to leave the biz and just golf, bike, and ski. She knows better.
chrisrenrut
01-12-2014, 05:45 PM
I'm curious about Kanab. What's life like there?
Very small town. Good location though. About 60 miles to Bryce, Zion, Grand Canyon (north rim), or Lake Powell. About 80 miles to either St George or Cedar City.
LA Ute
01-12-2014, 06:29 PM
Very small town. Good location though. About 60 miles to Bryce, Zion, Grand Canyon (north rim), or Lake Powell. About 80 miles to either St George or Cedar City.
Now and then I daydream about retiring to such a place. Maybe a little too quiet, though.
Solon
01-14-2014, 07:12 PM
I'm curious about Kanab. What's life like there?
It's gone hippy, to some extent, peopled by folks who want the New Age Zion NP experience but can't afford to live in Springdale. There are some weird ducks floating around Kanab. Sometimes it seems like regular po-dunk Utah town, and sometimes it seems like a different realm altogether. I like Kanab, but it's inconvenient for a pop-in visit.
That's awesome. I really want to spend much more time in So. Utah. I keep threatening my wife that I'm going to leave the biz and just golf, bike, and ski. She knows better.
You'll make it. I'm new enough that I'm still excited by all the possibilities. Many of my neighbors take them for granted.
NorthwestUteFan
01-14-2014, 08:43 PM
Interesting to hear about the personality changes in Kanab. It seems only a few years ago that it was a Podunk town where the Frostop was the cultural center of the universe, the wealthier families had THREE broken down pickup trucks on blocks in the yard, and LA Ute would be considered a raving Liberal.
U-Ute
01-30-2014, 10:31 AM
Interesting to hear about the personality changes in Kanab. It seems only a few years ago that it was a Podunk town where the Frostop was the cultural center of the universe, the wealthier families had THREE broken down pickup trucks on blocks in the yard, and LA Ute would be considered a raving Liberal.
Seriously. Wasn't Kanab the town that wanted the US out of the UN or something a while back? They sounded like the type of town that the Tea Party members look at and say "Are you crazy?"
Jarid in Cedar
01-30-2014, 10:36 AM
Seriously. Wasn't Kanab the town that wanted the US out of the UN or something a while back? They sounded like the type of town that the Tea Party members look at and say "Are you crazy?"
No. That was LaVerkin.
U-Ute
01-30-2014, 10:37 AM
No. That was LaVerkin.
My apologies to the fine folks of Kanab.
EDIT: LOL. That's right. The UN Free Zone (http://www.hcn.org/issues/209/10674).
Solon
01-30-2014, 01:52 PM
My apologies to the fine folks of Kanab.
EDIT: LOL. That's right. The UN Free Zone (http://www.hcn.org/issues/209/10674).
That's rich.
La Verkin also has the Thupten Choling Dharma Center, established by Geshe Thupten Dorjee.
http://tdorjee.com/
I've had lunch with Geshe-la, he's legit.
It's a bit of a headscratcher, though, to think of a prestigious Dharma Center in La Verkin.
Viking
06-02-2014, 01:05 PM
Spent some time in Park City and saw some old friends in SLC. Park City is just fantastic in the summer.
I was really impressed with downtown SL, including the new development area.
As a business entity, the mormon church is exceptional. This leads me to believe that it will evolve dramatically over the next decade.
We attended a family member's wedding (well, we sat outside…Mormonism is the only major religion worldwide which excludes family and friends from weddings on the basis of religious affiliation!).
I felt bad for all of those good mormons…how do they reconcile fact with faith? I couldn't do it. I think one can believe in the "spirit" or intent of Mormonism but not the reality. Maybe that's good enough. But literalists are simply, well, unintelligent or ignorant (probably the latter…simply don't want to know out of fear of what they might find).
Goldman's growth is something to behold and its impact on SLC will be a driving force of moderation in the valley, I bet. GS's success will bring others and I would imagine that in ten year's time, you non-sober utahns won't have to deal with the utter ridiculousness of the liquor laws.
One funny moment was when my brothers and I were in a bar near our hotel and the bar said they couldn't pour more than 1.5 fluid ounces of a specific alcohol but could mix up to 2.4 fl oz with other alcohols.
We immediately all recognized how very clearly the laws were written by people who have no idea what they are talking about…mixing drinks is a great way to get a lot more f'd up than simply sticking with a single type during an evening. And I guess there's some form of limitation on serving food in a bar after a certain hour?? Perfect…let's get people mixed alcohols and not allow them to absorb them with food!
Ahhh….Utahhhh….
scottie
06-08-2014, 02:41 AM
Spent some time in Park City and saw some old friends in SLC. Park City is just fantastic in the summer.
I was really impressed with downtown SL, including the new development area.
As a business entity, the mormon church is exceptional. This leads me to believe that it will evolve dramatically over the next decade.
We attended a family member's wedding (well, we sat outside…Mormonism is the only major religion worldwide which excludes family and friends from weddings on the basis of religious affiliation!).
I felt bad for all of those good mormons…how do they reconcile fact with faith? I couldn't do it. I think one can believe in the "spirit" or intent of Mormonism but not the reality. Maybe that's good enough. But literalists are simply, well, unintelligent or ignorant (probably the latter…simply don't want to know out of fear of what they might find).
Goldman's growth is something to behold and its impact on SLC will be a driving force of moderation in the valley, I bet. GS's success will bring others and I would imagine that in ten year's time, you non-sober utahns won't have to deal with the utter ridiculousness of the liquor laws.
One funny moment was when my brothers and I were in a bar near our hotel and the bar said they couldn't pour more than 1.5 fluid ounces of a specific alcohol but could mix up to 2.4 fl oz with other alcohols.
We immediately all recognized how very clearly the laws were written by people who have no idea what they are talking about…mixing drinks is a great way to get a lot more f'd up than simply sticking with a single type during an evening. And I guess there's some form of limitation on serving food in a bar after a certain hour?? Perfect…let's get people mixed alcohols and not allow them to absorb them with food!
Ahhh….Utahhhh….
Like.
Diehard Ute
06-08-2014, 08:45 AM
Spent some time in Park City and saw some old friends in SLC. Park City is just fantastic in the summer.
I was really impressed with downtown SL, including the new development area.
As a business entity, the mormon church is exceptional. This leads me to believe that it will evolve dramatically over the next decade.
We attended a family member's wedding (well, we sat outside…Mormonism is the only major religion worldwide which excludes family and friends from weddings on the basis of religious affiliation!).
I felt bad for all of those good mormons…how do they reconcile fact with faith? I couldn't do it. I think one can believe in the "spirit" or intent of Mormonism but not the reality. Maybe that's good enough. But literalists are simply, well, unintelligent or ignorant (probably the latter…simply don't want to know out of fear of what they might find).
Goldman's growth is something to behold and its impact on SLC will be a driving force of moderation in the valley, I bet. GS's success will bring others and I would imagine that in ten year's time, you non-sober utahns won't have to deal with the utter ridiculousness of the liquor laws.
One funny moment was when my brothers and I were in a bar near our hotel and the bar said they couldn't pour more than 1.5 fluid ounces of a specific alcohol but could mix up to 2.4 fl oz with other alcohols.
We immediately all recognized how very clearly the laws were written by people who have no idea what they are talking about…mixing drinks is a great way to get a lot more f'd up than simply sticking with a single type during an evening. And I guess there's some form of limitation on serving food in a bar after a certain hour?? Perfect…let's get people mixed alcohols and not allow them to absorb them with food!
Ahhh….Utahhhh….
There's no limit on food, the limit is all bars have to close at 0200, only on duty employees can remain after 0200 (alcohol cannot be served after 0100)
(And for the record, eating has little to do with changing the absorption rate if alcohol, but allowing people to stay would allow their system to process it out. The average adult metabolizes alcohol at approximately .015 BAC per hour. (So someone at .08 will take about 5 hours to be back to 0.00)
Yes Utah's laws are silly when it comes to alcohol. And fighting it is a big uphill battle given the entity that believes nothing should change. (The biggest change that needs to be made is allowing beer over 4% to be sold on tap instead of just bottles and cans...there's no logical reason for this law)
LA Ute
06-08-2014, 01:46 PM
There's no limit on food, the limit is all bars have to close at 0200, only on duty employees can remain after 0200 (alcohol cannot be served after 0100)
(And for the record, eating has little to do with changing the absorption rate if alcohol, but allowing people to stay would allow their system to process it out. The average adult metabolizes alcohol at approximately .015 BAC per hour. (So someone at .08 will take about 5 hours to be back to 0.00)
Yes Utah's laws are silly when it comes to alcohol. And fighting it is a big uphill battle given the entity that believes nothing should change. (The biggest change that needs to be made is allowing beer over 4% to be sold on tap instead of just bottles and cans...there's no logical reason for this law)
I am no student of Utah's liquor laws but they sure seem silly to me. Honestly, is there any articulated reason for them? Do the laws' defenders point to some empirical data supporting their position, for example, that in states with restrictive laws there are fewer alcohol-related traffic deaths? I am a babe in the woods on this topic. All I can say is that my family and I have lived in wicked Calfornia for 30+ years and have remained uncorrupted by the greater availability and general presence of alcoholic beverages.
Applejack
06-08-2014, 02:12 PM
I am no student of Utah's gay marriage laws but they sure seem silly to me. Honestly, is there any articulated reason for them? Do the laws' defenders point to some empirical data supporting their position, for example, that in states with restrictive laws there is less crumbling of traditional marriage? I am a babe in the woods on this topic. All I can say is that my family and I have lived in wicked DC for 30+ years and have remained uncorrupted by the greater availability and general presence of gay marriage.
[sorry, la, if I hadn't, someone else, perhaps someone meaner, would have]
LA Ute
06-08-2014, 04:02 PM
[sorry, la, if I hadn't, someone else, perhaps someone meaner, would have]
Don't think so. You are probably spending too much time on CougarStadium.
Diehard Ute
06-08-2014, 05:27 PM
I am no student of Utah's liquor laws but they sure seem silly to me. Honestly, is there any articulated reason for them? Do the laws' defenders point to some empirical data supporting their position, for example, that in states with restrictive laws there are fewer alcohol-related traffic deaths? I am a babe in the woods on this topic. All I can say is that my family and I have lived in wicked Calfornia for 30+ years and have remained uncorrupted by the greater availability and general presence of alcoholic beverages.
They claim our restrictive laws are what provide our low DUI rates and low underage drinking rates, but they can't back it up when pressed. But they don't have to.
The Zion Curtain. No evidence it does anything.
Heavy beer not on tap. No evidence (in fact, they force me to buy a 22oz bottle instead of a 16oz glass go figure)
It's driven by personal moral beliefs, and a lot of naivety and lack of understanding.
Best example, the Zion Curtain fight is supposedly to stop restaurants from looking like bars (don't ask, no one gets it) and thus keeping kids from drinking. But all the data shows kids drink at home or other kids homes, they don't go to a bar or restaurant to try alcohol.
I hold out hope that someday the silly things like heavy beer restrictions, the Zion curtain, population quotas etc will vanish. But that will likely require Utah's senate to become more representative of Utah, something it isn't now (the House has passed changes, the senate kills them)
Diehard Ute
06-09-2014, 03:53 PM
But Utah does have lower DUI, underage drinking, and alcohol mortality rates? So something good is going on, right? Causality is impossible to show, but why isn't this a "not broke, don't fix" thing? When something is working, isn't the burden of proof on those who would make the changes?
I feel like the law whininess is largely driven by businesses who feel like they could make a lot more money if they could advertise differently.
And that's driven by a population that consumes less.
Do you honestly believe a wall which hides someone pouring a beer has any effect whatsoever on DUI or underage drinking?
Does the vessel in which a beer is served from cause DUI's or underage drinking?
Does requiring someone to prove intent to dine stop DUI or underage drinking?
I fail to understand your argument about advertising. You already can advertise alcohol, that's not even something anyone argues about. And the state is the biggest profiteer from alcohol sales as they require roughly an 80% markup, plus the "sin" tax.
If things like DUI are really the concern, why not actually strengthen the laws on DUI? Utah likes to tout tough DUI laws, but in reality it is a class B misdemeanor which is one of the most difficult cases to win in court.
Perhaps your post is an example of the problem, many who make the laws also don't understand what truly has an actual effect on the issues of DUI etc.
Diehard Ute
06-09-2014, 04:40 PM
If a lack of clocks in a casino can have an subtle effect on gambling, or a shade of color in a grocery store can have a subtle effect on spending, then a wall in front of a bar can have subtle effect on drinking. Why not?
The wall is about advertising. Restaurants hate the wall because without it, patrons see the bar, think about the bar, and then approach the bar. I don't see it as a huge step towards safer streets, but I don't see a problem with it.
I think the answer to both is a definite perhaps. I don't really know.
The wall isn't about advertising. The drinks are published in a menu. The expressed reason for the wall, per the Utah state legislature, is to shield children (and those who find drinking to be a sin) from having to see a drink being mixed as that will stop temptation. It's the same, flawed, logic behind Utah's sex education theories. If we don't talk about it, it won't happen.
If you're truly naive enough to think a draft beer will cause more DUI or underage drinking than a bottle of beer, this discussion is pointless. As I have already mentioned, I can go to a restaurant and order a 22 ounce bottle of beer, which I have to drink there. But I cannot order that same beer on tap in a 16 ounce glass. That makes no sense.
The laws which need to be changed in Utah are things like these, laws that have no proven effect on the stated goals.
Laws such as requiring clubs to kick everyone out at 2 am are also silly. Have a last call, but don't force people to physically leave, let them hang out and drink water or soda and have some food for a couple hours. That will reduce the chance of someone driving drunk. As it stands now we're encouraging people to try and drive by forcing them out.
If you want some irony, check out the legislation that was proposed to change the age to buy tobacco to 21. It was shot down by the Utah legislature as government impinging on the ability of an adult to buy a legal product. Strange.
Solon
07-07-2016, 12:18 PM
Navajo Lake on top of Cedar Mountain is really full this year - if I were a fisherman I'm sure I would enjoy it even more.
1868
LA Ute
07-07-2016, 12:57 PM
Navajo Lake on top of Cedar Mountain is really full this year - if I were a fisherman I'm sure I would enjoy it even more.
1868
One of the more unknown spots in Utah, I'll wager. On a drive back to L.A. some years ago I had some extra time and so I drove up there to look around. Looked like good fishing.
Solon
07-11-2016, 02:20 PM
This is one of the nicer little hikes in the area, but has been completely overrun in the past few years as the internet made it famous.
I hope the BLM does manage to acquire the land - as it is now, the townsfolk are hostile to anyone walking through town, there's a lot of impact and litter, and no oversight.
We complain about the crowds, but that's the price of economic "progress" - especially as the state's tourism office advertises the hell out of the area.
I would really like to see the place more accessible & more protected - I'm not sure those goals always overlap, but right now it's really in an unsustainable situation.
http://www.sltrib.com/news/4058672-155/tiny-utah-towns-stunning-canyon-draws
Sullyute
07-11-2016, 11:06 PM
I did that hike in early May. It was mid week and late evening and not another car in the parking lot. Absolutely beautiful hike! I highly recommend it.
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chrisrenrut
10-14-2016, 07:10 PM
Mountain biked some trails on Gooseberry Mesa today (east of Hurricane, south of Zion). i was planning to do this with my brother, but he shattered his patella in a motorcycle accident in September. So I went by myself. But I ended up having a lot of company, a trail running race was happening at the same time. I got to say good morning to a couple of hundred people as we scooted by each other on the trail (going opposite directions).
What an amazing area. Lots of technical sections of "slick rock", but slightly rougher composition from Moab sandstone. I had to dismount and walk up or down many sections, but also surprised myself by "cleaning" some pretty gnarly sections.
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
Sullyute
10-15-2016, 06:18 AM
Looks awesome!
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Solon
10-16-2016, 04:50 PM
Looks awesome!
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I've only mountain-biked that place once. It kicked my butt. kudos to you.
While I was eating lunch that day, I saw a guy dump his bike while trying to clear a crack/crevasse. The bike tumbled dozens (hundreds?) of feet to the bottom of the mesa (north-westish side). I was glad the guy was okay because it felt good to laugh at his stupid move. Come to find out, he was a guide for a bunch of foreign tourists. Luckily, there was a second guide.
Awesome pics. I loved living down there.
I need to find a way to spend 4 months a year in southern Utah, 4 in the NW and 4 in SLC.
UTEopia
10-18-2016, 02:06 PM
Just returned from a nice trip to Bryce Canyon. For whatever reason, we had not been there in about 15 years although we have visited Zion almost every year. As we approached Zion, it was clear that it was going to be packed so we just drove straight through. Had 3 great days of hiking and enjoying the beautiful scenery.
chrisrenrut
10-18-2016, 02:12 PM
Just returned from a nice trip to Bryce Canyon. For whatever reason, we had not been there in about 15 years although we have visited Zion almost every year. As we approached Zion, it was clear that it was going to be packed so we just drove straight through. Had 3 great days of hiking and enjoying the beautiful scenery.
I love Bryce, it's my favorite NP in Utah. I want to try and get down there during the winter. I bet it is a whole different experience.
Solon
10-20-2016, 08:36 AM
I love Bryce, it's my favorite NP in Utah. I want to try and get down there during the winter. I bet it is a whole different experience.
It is kind of trippy to see the place in snow.
I have only been a couple of times in the winter - Just as a detour while passing through.
It gets pretty cold in Bryce in the winter.
UTEopia
10-20-2016, 10:26 AM
I love Bryce, it's my favorite NP in Utah. I want to try and get down there during the winter. I bet it is a whole different experience.
We talked about doing that, but concluded that the descents and assents would be pretty tough in snow and ice.
U-Ute
10-25-2016, 08:42 PM
Just returned from a nice trip to Bryce Canyon. For whatever reason, we had not been there in about 15 years although we have visited Zion almost every year. As we approached Zion, it was clear that it was going to be packed so we just drove straight through. Had 3 great days of hiking and enjoying the beautiful scenery.
We used to have property in Boulder Utah. Highway 12 between Bryce and Torrey is one of the most amazing roads I've ever been on.
One of my fondest memories is when we went on top of the Hog's Back (that skinny, winding road above Calf Creek Falls) one night when it was clear and there was no moon. Being able to have a 360-degree-horizon-to-horizon-view of the stars was absolutely stunning.
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