Author: Jenny Willden

Run or snowshoe in this fun race on Saturday, January 14 in Park City. Meet at Prospector Square Lodging and Conference Center at 10:00 a.m. and run along the Rail Trail and snowy singletrack. Register at active.com. Enjoy snacks, awards and music after the race. sports-am.com

Photo Credit: Christian Smith Happy holidays from all of us at Outdoor Sports Guide! We hope your festivities are filled with good company, great food and fresh powder! I’ve been lucky enough to spend time boarding in the early season at Brighton Resort, and I hope this is the beginning of another epic season. Prepare for it with this issue, where you’ll get the scoop on staying safe in the backcountry, learn about the South American Beacon Project, which provides beacons to those in need, and check everyone off your list with our annual holiday gift guide. You may even…

Fall Travel Deals in Winter Park Towering peaks, vast forests and an explosion of fall colors, experience this and more on an affordable autumn getaway to Winter Park, Colorado. Located at 9,000 feet above sea level in the Fraser Valley, and nestled on the Continental Divide, this small town provides fresh-air getaways and endless outdoor recreation. And it’s all just 70 miles from Denver.

185.3 Miles of Pain and Glory It’s just past 3:00 a.m. I’m running alone on a dark, deserted highway, lit only by moonlight and the steady beam of my headlamp. I’m two miles in to the last of my three race legs—a 3.1-miler ending with a steep uphill. Since yesterday morning, I’ve run about 10 miles and slept only two hours. Yet I feel alert as my feet strike the pavement in a steady rhythm. A blaring horn shatters the quiet night as my team van cruises by and pulls over ahead of me on the road. They refill my…

Story and Photos By Sean Zimmerman – Wall The heat of the day slips away with the fading sunlight as my amigos and I sit back to enjoy some cool beverages. Cast before us are lofty peaks basking in the waning hues of alpine glow. A mellow breeze blows ripples across the nearby lake. As we revel in the majesty of the evening, our hearts are content and our minds at ease. Picturesque landscapes like this are not hard to find in Utah, and many can be easily reached within a few hours drive of Salt Lake City. From the…

Why Getting Outside Changes Everything Nearly 15 years ago I was diagnosed with cancer. Although shuffling in a hospital gown [with drip-line in-tow] replaced my trail running; hanging out in the shallow-end of the pool replaced open water swims; and mild yoga replaced hard strength training, I knew that outdoor recreation would be the foundation of my recovery and well-being. Fifteen years later, after an intense day in the office, I head to the mountains to “blow out the carbon.” The temperature is cool and blossoming wild flowers sparkle against the brilliant blue sky. After a few hours of hiking…

Kick off the Halloween season at this 5K and 1-mile walk on Saturday, October 15 at Liberty Park. All runners will register as either Undead or Human. The race begins at 5:30 p.m. for humans and two minutes later for the undead who will chase the humans down. Costumes are optional, but greatly encouraged! The race loops around the park twice, but the loop may change the second time around…so beware of zombies! A one-mile walk begins at 4:00 p.m. and is a shortened version of the 5K course. Both races will be a fun, and scary, way to celebrate…

Get off-road at this triathlon on Saturday, September 24 beginning at Pineview Reservoir’s Port Ramp Marina and ending at Snowbasin Resort. Full (1500M swim, 30K mountain bike, 10K trail run) and sport (750M swim, 19K mountain bike, 5K trail run) distances will be offered. Free kids’ bike race at 4:00 p.m. and kids’ sprint at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Discounts available for students and military personnel. After party at Harvest Moon Festival in Ogden. xterraplanet.com

Feel the grass under your feet at Utah’s first barefoot race in Sugarhouse Park on Saturday, October 8 at 9:00 a.m. This fundraiser supports a charity that takes Utah doctors and nurses to Ghana to perform surgery and provide health care there. Your $30 registration fee pays for your entry and sponsors a runner in Ghana to run in a 5K there in November. You’ll receive their race results and a photo of them. Bring old running shoes to donate to race participants in Africa. Contact volunteer Race Director, Tim Collings, at tim@redrockrelay.com for information. hartafrica.org

When it’s hot outside, nothing is better than soaking up the summer sun, but the downsides of sun worship, burning, peeling and even skin cancer, are enough to make you think twice before stepping out your door unprotected. But what protection is best? Most grocery store sunscreens are full of chemicals just as harmful as the sun’s rays, and covering head to toe in clothing and a wide-brimmed hat makes for an uncomfortable workout. Instead, reach for natural sunscreen so you can enjoy activity in the sun, without harming yourself or the planet.