Aviation Beacon on Mount Wire

First hike of spring: Mount Wire via The Living Room, Salt Lake City

I’m not in Florida anymore. Standing atop a retired beacon tower at the summit of Mount Wire, my view spanned from the Wasatch Range across Salt Lake City west to the Oquirrh Mountains. Then the realization hit me, this is my new home. Our hike up started at a trailhead located on the east side of the University of Utah …

Zombie Pak

Seven new outdoor products that have my attention

Outdoor recreation manufacturers converged on Salt Lake City recently for the Outdoor Retailer Winter Market (ORWM). They brought their newest and best products, some never seen on store shelves, to entice retail-store buyers. They also brought killer swag, costumes, elaborate booths, food, and a number of epic after-hours parties. The Active Explorer crew attended to get a look at the …

Turning on Green Class at Brighton

Learning to ski: Three days of fun at Brighton’s Snow Sports School

I do not participate in any sport with ambulances at the bottom of the hill. ~Erma Bombeck This quote pretty much sums up why I avoided learning to ski until well into my 40s. Eventually I ran out of stupid things to do to my body, and I needed something to do in the winter, so it was time to …

The Rose Estb - Interior

Coffee Craving: The Rose Estb in Salt Lake City

Frosty morning air made me walk a little faster toward The Rose Estb (I’m following their lead by abbreviating Establishment), a coffee spot I’d been hearing about for months. I was so chilled and under-caffeinated I started imagining the flavor of what I hoped would be a primo cup of java from a block away. The Rose Estb is located …