Author: Rachael Hodson

Summer Shenanigans in Logan Visiting Cache Valley is in some ways like coming home. Although I’ve never lived here, gone to school here, or spent more than a few days here, my roots are firmly planted in Logan’s rich soil. My ancestors helped settle the area, and as a child I heard stories from my grandfather about his antics growing up in Providence. Utah State University educated a lovely woman I call “mother,” and this is the place of my beginning on this earth. So over the years, Logan has drawn me in time and time again.

A Mom-and-Pop Resort Grows Up [pullquote]“The last bastion of ripping glory away from the tourist towns.”- Rip The World[/pullquote] Over a hundred years ago, a sheep herder from Grand Targhee, Wyoming began buying property around Eden, Utah for his livestock. As the years went by, he acquired a considerable amount of land, much of it being found high up in the picturesque mountains and valleys which surround the sleepy town. Little did he know that a few mere decades later, his son Dr. Alvin Cobabe would listen to two simple words, “build it,” and develop what would become one of…

I consider myself an expert at many things but river rafting I am not. I live a life that should have many river trips notched upon it, but somehow such adventures have slipped by me. Oddly enough, my husband and I were given a free trip for two as a wedding gift and we never cashed it in. A few months ago, I discovered the gift certificate when I was moving. I decided to see if Holiday River Expeditions would honor it….12 years later. With a shameless plug to write about the experience they did!

I first discovered the Uinta National Forest in my early twenties. Since then, the area’s isolated wildness has resonated with a place deep within my soul. One of the few mountain ranges in America that runs east to west, the High Uinta wilderness is home to more than 2,000 alpine lakes, lush meadows filled with wildflowers, and some of Utah’s most rugged peaks. Here you can discover yourself, and find refuge from the busyness of the daily grind. From day hikes and afternoon picnics to grueling backpack trips deep into the backcountry, the Uintas offer a diverse range of recreation…

Ski Resort Dining By Rachael Hodson and Jenny Willden Alta They did away with the curly fries at the Goldminer’s Daughter, but when you want something more than soup and burgers, the GD Slopeside Cafe at the base of Collins still delivers. Order with the cashier then sit down and wait for your number to be called. Locals dig the roasted pork or grilled chicken sandwich, fresh spinach or Caesar salad, and the soups. You can also start your day with a fresh hot breakfast and skip lunch altogether. alta.com

(Without Going Crazy) 11 Tips to Make It Easier Taking your kids skiing means one of two things, you’re either going to have a super fun day bonding with your child (not likely) or you’re going to lose your marbles in less than thirty. If you want to stay sane on the hill, take my advice, put the monsters, I mean precious little gems, in ski school!

Utah produces its fair share of pro skiers and boarders, so it’s no surprise that our little ones are stepping up their game in hopes of hanging with the big boys and girls. We thought it would be fun to feature a couple kiddos who you may have seen whizzing past you on the mountains recently. You know the ones…kids who make you do a double take, and then find yourself rushing after to ask how old they are. So here they are, Utah’s cutest and toughest, ready to steal the thunder!

It’s hard to sort through the never-ending technological options that greet us in every magazine, with every click of a mouse and in the onslaught of media which fuels our need for more, more, more. Athletes and outdoor enthusiasts, however, get their fuel and adrenaline from the rush of sport and the world that greets them beyond their computer screens.

Girls: Smith Holt Park Helmet Don’t be mistaken for one of the guys. Rip it up in this bright pink helmet. Your head will be protected as well as your bank account. Designed to wear with a thin beanie underneath, so don’t forget your skull cap. $60 smithoptics.com

Photos by Rebekah Stevens There is a reason I live at the bottom of Little Cottonwood Canyon. I can leisurely crawl out of bed 15 minutes before the lifts open and still make it to Alta before the lifties unfasten the rope to Collins. Yes, I know, lucky me, but truth be told January was a little bare, and the Wasatch had been withholding the famous flakes that make a local’s heart skip a beat. We’d had a couple storms, but nothing significant, and it got skied out before you could even begin to think about clicking into your rockers.…