Guest Blog by Jeff Kiesel

My name is Jeff Kiesel. Currently, I am a student at Westminster College. One of my assignments for my Professional Writing class was to seek out a non-profit organization to work with on a writing campaign. When I heard of the assignment, I was immediately hoping to work with an organization that dealt with my interests as a skier. After looking through a list of possible organizations, Save Our Canyons jumped out at me. I had seen the bumper sticker, and had a basic understanding of what they did, but was not fully aware of their work or influence in the Salt Lake community.

Growing up, my family moved all around New England, and my love for skiing and the mountains grew with each move. Our last location before I came out to Utah had us in the White Mountain National Forest. I thoroughly enjoyed being so close to the wilderness, both for mental relief and recreation. The main issue, however, was being in the middle of nowhere, living in the woods. It took quite a haul to get out of the forest and into a town, and the closest city was almost two hours away. When looking at colleges, Salt Lake City stood out to me. Being able to live in a city, but still have quick and easy access to beautiful landscapes and amazing skiing seemed too good to be true.

When I had first moved here I took the mountains for granted, not realizing the threats that lurked around, threatening the majesty of the Wasatch Mountains. They weren’t too apparent to me; I was just excited to be skiing real mountains. The first major issue I noticed was Alta’s proposed lift up the Flagstaff area. This was around the time that I had invested in avalanche gear, classes, and a touring set up. I thought the idea of putting a lift in this area was crazy, as it (and surrounding areas) is one of the easiest backcountry skiing/snowboarding zones to access, even without a touring set up.

Hearing of this plan triggered me to investigate a bit, which is how I first learned about Save Our Canyons. I learned through Save Our Canyons website (at http://saveourcanyons.org/current_issues/projects/altas_flagstaff_mountain) that there were more reasons to oppose this lift than just the traffic it would bring from Alta, resulting in less fresh turns of “the greatest snow on earth”. The watershed, for instance, could be in jeopardy. I had a limited understanding of the watershed and had no idea that heavy traffic and a development of this nature could have negative effects on it.

Since then, I have wanted to learn more about Save Our Canyons. I had assumed they dealt with issues very similar to this, keeping ski areas from expanding into the wilderness. This project gave me the chance to learn more about S.O.C, and I have come to realize they do much more than I thought. After reviewing the latest bill, the Wasatch Wilderness and Watershed Protection Act, I am excited to know there is an organization and politicians here that are so passionate about keeping these mountains beautiful, yet still allowing room for recreational activities like resort skiing. It’s amazing to be able to enjoy nature’s beauty whether I decide to ride a lift at a resort or skin into the backcountry.

In an age where technology and the expansion of cities seem to be everyone’s priorities, it’s refreshing to know that there are people who still enjoy the earth as it was created. We need to keep these natural areas, so that we can continue to enjoy them for the rest of our lives, but also so future generations can continue to take pleasure in the beauty, serenity, and fun these mountains have to offer.

A Personal Experience with SOC

Why hello there,

My name is Asher Koles and I recently wrapped up a semester long internship with SOC. I also recently graduated from the University of Utah with a BS in Environmental Studies. I am a SLC native, and have grown up at the foot of the Wasatch Mountains. I could go on about how much Utah means to me, but I wanted to talk about my personal experience with SOC.

This is not my first time getting involved with SOC; in fact I was the grassroots intern in the summer of 2007. My duties changed quite drastically between then and now regarding projects and focus.

I was originally introduced to SOC through the bumper stickers that are strewn throughout Subaru's in the Salt Lake Valley. I always wondered what SOC was about, but I was too busy enjoying the mountains and the desert to care.

In 2007 I received an email from a close friend informing me about possible real world experience with a environmentally based non-profit. Low and behold it was SOC. I quickly threw together a decent looking resume, a writing sample and sent it off to the executive director (ED) at that time. Not knowing really anything about SOC, or the issues, or what I was doing, I got a call for an interview. I went into the downtown office and tried to seem as enthusiastic as possible, hoping that maybe my lack of experience and knowledge could be overlooked, and my interest, independence and dedication could shine through. After the interview was over, I decided I had no chance. The ED at the time told me that others had applied and I was the youngest candidate for hire. I thought to myself, "why would they hire a young, inexperienced, snowboard bum?"

Two weeks later I get a call from the ED and she wants me to come into the office and have a second interview. At this point I'm pretty excited, and hoping to seal the deal. I go into the office and she tells me I got the job. I was thrilled, nervous, but mostly thrilled about a new experience and working for something that actually means something to me.

The summer of 2007 was great. I was introduced to the wilderness proposal, networking with community members and tabling. I developed new relationships with members and non-members throughout the valley, who cared about the Wasatch Mountains enough to support SOC. It opened my eyes to the down to earth, grassroots battle that organizations, communities and individuals are fighting to keep the Wasatch Mountains wild.

I always knew I loved the natural world, but I never knew the specific threats to its sustainability. SOC and its members opened my eyes to a new world of activism and organizations dedicated to preserving the health and wildness of places throughout Utah and the world.

After the internship ended in August of 2007, I declared my major: Environmental Studies. It was the closest thing possible to my interests at the time, and seemed to be the right fit for my new outlook on life. I kept in touch with the SOC staff, and volunteered at several events, while enjoying the Wasatch Mountains that much more.

As school was nearing its end I knew an internship was required to graduate. I decided that I would ask Carl and Havilah if I could once again come back and work under their wing. They agreed and a new process begun.

The internship started out with a few tabling opportunities, which are actually quite fun, and can be very beneficial for SOC, interested locals and students. As the semester went on, Carl, Havilah and I began to talk about reorganizing the media side of SOC. We decided on a couple different projects that I could do some research for and get the ball rolling on. How could we get SOC’s message and relay updates more efficiently to our members and concerned local’s? One way is through the integration of Google Earth within the SOC website, and the other is how to efficiently portray SOC’s issues and updates on everything from events, to the politics surrounding HR5009.

As the internship progressed, Carl and I ended up mapping out the wilderness boundaries in Google Earth. Hopefully soon we will have an interactive, up close and personal view of the boundaries proposed in HR5009, and some testimonials from local recreationists on their favorite trails. All of this digital media work is an attempt at engaging our audience and informing the public on what is happening in their backyard.

The semester is over, I have graduated from the University, and SOC is on the road to a comprehensive information system that will keep people in the loop. I am continuing work with SOC on the Google Earth project and anything else they need help with.

SOC has been a great way to channel my energy and guide my focus. The in office work and the work I have done independently has shown me that all it takes is an initial idea. My advice to anyone who is interested in activism and fighting for what they believe in is to volunteer, and get to know the agency and the issues. I still have a lot to learn, but I know that SOC has struck a wild hair within me, and this is not the end of my environmental activism.

Snow and Snowshoeing in the Wasatch.

I had the chance to get out and do some snowshoeing at the end of last week. Well, a lot of snowshoeing, actually. I went out Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. What can I say? As soon as I discovered snowshoeing as a form of winter recreation, I was hooked and as soon as the first snow of this season fell, I was out playing in it. Believe it or not, last year was the first time I'd ever even been on a pair of snowshoes. Now, I feel like I have a lot of catching up to do! I've already started a list of all the trails I plan to snowshoe this season.

I spent Thursday and Sunday on the Days Fork trail, accessed through The Spruces Campground in Big Cottonwood Canyon. Here are some photos taken of the Day's Fork area where I spent most of my time. Enjoy!

To the Wasatch, I am thankful.

As I was driving into work this morning, I passed by an apartment complex that was built about a year ago and for some reason, I thought, "What was there before?" I remember there was something in that space before, but what was it? When they began construction on the new complex, when they first cleared that space (and whatever was previously on it), I remember passing by it thinking "Oh they've torn down the - - - (???). I wonder what they're going to build there?" I drove by every now and again during the construction of the new building. Each week it got bigger and bigger and taller and taller (much bigger than the original building that was on that lot before) and I remember thinking, "Whatever it is they're building, it's huge!" At that time, I was comparing the new structure to the old one that I was use to seeing in that space and it seemed like such a gigantic building was going into a spot where once there was just a small home or office, library? Bookstore? Day care? Laundromat?  WHAT WAS THERE BEFORE?!? I have no idea. I still don't know. Anyway, I drove by one day and realized they were putting in  an apartment complex and over time, after driving by it regularly, it no longer seemed as out of place as it did before. It didn't seem so intrusive or big or, well, ugly. I just accepted it and accepted that it "belonged" there. Once I did that, I just forgot what was ever there in the first place.

So, what is the point to all of this? Well, it made me think about development. The city is always changing and it seems that there's always something old being replaced by something new (believe me, I know all too well how this works, seeing as the Save Our Canyons office is right in the middle of the new City Creek project in downtown Salt Lake). It made me think about development in a broader sense too though and because of my work, I began to think of it in terms of the Wasatch. Overall, I thought, I don't ever want to look at our foothills, canyons, or mountains, and have to think or remember "What was there before?" (I'm already going to have to explain to future generations what the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon looked like before the Tavaci development. Jen just posted a blog about this, actually, if you're interested in reading where that issue currently stands).

I want to be able to always look to the east of the Salt Lake Valley and see those spaces as they are today. I want my children (who don't currently exist, but might someday), to see the same and their children too. I don't ever want to have to try to remember what wilderness looked like or imagine what our beautiful Wasatch once was before it was paved over and developed. Replacing an old building with a new one, inside a city, is one thing. Losing wilderness is an entirely different story. In reading an article written by Collin Daugherty on oil development within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, I came across the following paragraph, which holds just as true for the Wasatch as it does for any other wilderness:

"We may be able to split the atom, go to the moon, develop immunizations, and build metal structures that stretch into the sky but our ingenuity is helpless when it comes to producing wilderness. Wilderness cannot be created; once it’s gone, it’s gone forever. Second chances don’t exist when dealing with such fragile environments virgin to exploitative practices which irreparably compromise an environment’s serenity first and foremost. No invention of our civilization will ever change that. It’s that which we cannot create, therefore, which should be given the deepest consideration before making decisions which threaten the serenity of the Earth’s few remaining wildernesses."

The Wasatch Mountains as they exist today are priceless. They provide solitude, escape, beauty, a multitude of recreation opportunities, clean, pure water, and an abundance of plant and wildlife. All of the natural elements contained within are absolutely essential to the quality of life that I enjoy as a Salt Lake Valley resident. I can't count the number of times I have been in those canyons, stood completely still, listened to the sound of nature (or the sound of nothing at all), taken a deep breath, and felt a pure sense of gratitude and awe for the peace and quiet and beauty. I could go on and on, but the point of this is that I am so thankful for everything the Wasatch has to offer. I hope you are too.

A moose in Big Cottonwood Canyon.
Photo taken November 2010 by Havilah, Director of Operations for Save Our Canyons

The Staff Speaks on Staff Retreat

The Staff of Save Our Canyons talk about their latest Staff Retreat.

Havilah Speaks:

The word "retreat" according to the Merriam Webster dictionary can mean:

1: a place of privacy or safety
2: a period of group withdrawal for study or instruction under a director

Our Staff Retreat was a bit of both, combined with planning (: the act or process of making or carrying out plans; specifically : the establishment of goals, policies, and procedures), strategizing (: to devise a strategy), and snacking (: to eat a snack) - okay, a lot of snacking.

Each year, the staff of Save Our Canyons takes one to two days (usually in the month of October) to reflect on the previous twelve months and to look ahead to the next year. We take time to review our work in areas such as communication, outreach, fundraising, campaigns and issues work, and development. It’s not all note taking and brain cramps though. We allowed ourselves an afternoon in the Wasatch to kick off our retreat (this is the 1: a place of privacy or safety part of the definition of “retreat”). We do, after all, work to protect the beauty and wildness of the Wasatch canyons, mountains, and foothills, so it only made sense that we spend some time out of the office to reconnect with the beautiful, unique, and extraordinary Wasatch.

Day One - A hike to Silver Fork: Reconnecting with the Wasatch

The first day of Staff Retreat this year was a "Walk and Talk" session (more accurately, a "Hike and Talk") in the Silver Fork area of the Wasatch. We couldn't help but stop in awe every now and again and snap some photos of the amazing fall colors. I've posted some photos below. Take a look!

Day Two - Getting Down to Business

The second day of our Staff Retreat focused on the “2: a period of group withdrawal for study or instruction under a director” definition. We spent the second day of our retreat talking about what worked well the previous year and what didn't work quite as well, we reviewed the goals we had set the previous year and we plotted out the work we'd done to accomplish those goals, we reviewed our current campaigns and projects work, and we brainstorm ways to become more efficient. We discussed events, volunteer work, communication strategies, finances and fundraising, membership, and so much more. Every now and again, we would take a step back, take a deep breath, grab a snack (and yet another refill on coffee), and we would tilt our heads curiously at the gigantic white paperboard with all of our multi-colored notes on it. Then, we jumped right back in again.

Overall, we focused on discovering our strengths and weaknesses and putting a plan of action in place to capitalize on those strengths and improve on those weaknesses. Then, we tied it all back to our mission of “protecting the beauty and wildness of the Wasatch canyons, mountains, and foothills”. We feel good about the work we did over those two days and we’ve already implemented a few of the tools and ideas we discussed (this Blog, for instance - what do you think?).

We will spend this next year referring back to the notes we took and we will continue to reevaluate our methods and continue to improve upon them. You’d think after almost 39 years that Save Our Canyons would have one solid system in place, but the truth is, just as the threats and issues and campaigns are constantly changing, so are we and so are our methods. While we have an established history in place, we are a proactive organization and we are committed to remaining current and vigilant in our efforts. Here’s to one more great year as the only organization dedicated exclusively to the protection of the Wasatch!  

Closing Note: At the end of it all, we had the chance to reconnect with the Wasatch, reconnect with each other as staff and as friends, and reconnect to our mission and what it really means. 

 

 PHOTOS FROM OUR HIKE

 

Silver Fork Aspens. Photo by Carl Fisher, Executive Director of Save Our Canyons

 

Silver Fork Aspens. Photo by Carl Fisher, Executive Director of Save Our Canyons

 

 

 

Fallen Aspen Leaf. Photo by Carl Fisher, Executive Director of Save Our Canyons

 

Fall Colors. Photo by Havilah, Director of Operations for Save Our Canyons

Holding On. Photo by Havilah, Director of Operations for Save Our Canyons

 

 

My Co-Workers, My Friends. Photo by Havilah, Director of Operations for Save Our Canyons

Jen Speaks

 

Last week on Tuesday, the Save Our Canyons staff ventured into Big Cottonwood Canyon to wander up the Silver Fork drainage.  We decided a fall hike would be an amazing idea, a chance to soak in the last of this beautiful weather, an opportunity to "staff retreat".  

We hiked and talked with our cameras in hand.  All pausing to capture fall in its splendid color.  As we continued to walk up the drainage we occasionally stopped to rest and to hydrate.  After lunch we literally scrambled up Davenport Hill followed by a brief traverse on Emma's Ridge. Up on Emma’s Ridge we surveyed the surrounding peaks and ridges, noticing the ski resorts below.    After that we came down a slope that required you to hang onto certain tree limbs for dear life.  What followed was a steep decent down a deer trail.  Yup, that's right, a deer trail.  Let's just say there was some bush-wacking involved.  Thankfully, we made it down safely.  There were moments when I had my doubts.  However, our day was not just an adventure in Silver Fork.

The purpose of a our staff retreat is to reflect on our work, so during our hike we took some time to ponder the previous years work and discuss the year ahead.   We spent the day connecting with the place we work to protect and preserve, the Wasatch. Definitely an appropriate way to conduct staff retreat in my opinion.  Save Our Canyons is a great organization, fortunate enough to have such a dedicated staff.  I feel very grateful to work with Carl and Havilah, who feel more like friends than co-workers.  I couldn't think of any other team of individuals I would rather work with on a day to day basis.  We work hard for the Wasatch, and occasionally we play hard in the Wasatch. 

 

Carl Speaks

 

If actions speak louder than words, then we here at Save Our Canyons are yodelling from the high peaks of the Wasatch. Before the snow flew, the Save Our Canyons staff took advantage of the Indian Summer we were having to look at the splendor of the Wasatch. As people who are committed to “protecting the beauty and wildness of the Wasatch canyons, mountains and foothills,” it is on rare occasion that we find ourselves immersed in its grandeur. Rather, we find ourselves composing newsletters, updating our website, typing responses to Forest Service scoping notices, meeting with elected officials, attending planning meetings, collaborating with our governmental agencies and other interest groups, working with interns and volunteers, etc, etc.

This break from our dreary offices, surrounded by the incessant CRASH, BOOM, BANG of the downtown City Creek Project -- which we called “Staff Retreat” -- was long-overdue. It was time for us collectively, to reconnect with the Wasatch, but also, evaluate our progress as an organization. We couldn’t have picked a better place to do this. Silver Fork Canyon, recently protected from developments proposed by Solitude Mountain Resort, the easternmost boundary of the Wasatch Wilderness and Watershed Protection Act’s Twin Peaks Addition, adjacent to the Flagstaff Mountain expansion proposed by Alta Ski Resort, an area where SOC has recently acquired property, not to mention it has some of the most stunning views in the Wasatch. As we wandered up the trail, it really struck a chord deep inside of me, how someplace so heavily used, so close to so many homes and cabins, within spitting distance of Solitude Resort, is still accessible to the public. I think I can speak for the other two on staff, every time I venture out into the Wasatch, I am grateful to Save Our Canyons and couldn’t be more proud to be part of this family, this organization of friends and stewards, which has fought so hard for nearly 40 years to keep this area as it has been for generations.

I won’t bore you with the details of the events of these two days but to sum it up, we had great fun, extraordinary company, and worked until we our voices were hoarse and could barely keep our eyes open. The take home message: we need to do a better job of incorporating everyone into this family and our organization. We hope you’ll come join in the fun, the frustration, to protect the Wasatch so it can be here for others to enjoy as we all have been so lucky to. We hope you’ll take us up on the offer. 

 

Diehl’s Back to the Drawing Board, and a New Sensitive Lands Overlay Zone.

This week marked one-year since Terry Diehl presented a development concept for Tavaci to the Cottonwood Heights City Council. Cottonwood Heights wanted to accommodate the Tavaci site with a new zoning ordinance called the Canyon Resort Residential Zone. In the end a Citizen Advisory Committee provided a recommendation to Cottonwood Heights that the CRR Zone was not an appropriate zone for the Tavaci site and that was the end of the CRR Zone. It was a temporary drawback for Terry Diehl.

Since then we have been waiting for Diehl’s next proposal and monitoring Cottonwood Heights as they move forward with revising their Sensitive Lands Overlay Zone. I guess it came as no surprise when I spoke with a city official after a recent City Council meeting and was informed that Terry Diehl would be bringing another proposal to the table. This time developer initiated. However, Tavaci won’t be able to pursue his new concept until the new Sensitive Lands Overlay Zone is adopted.

It will be interesting to see what has come out of the Sensitive Lands Overlay Zone process. Will this ordinance be more comprehensive than the current zone, will it be stronger that Salt Lake County’s Foothills and Canyons Overlay Zone? What kind of limitations will it provide for developing into sensitive lands? Cottonwood Heights seems to be putting a positive spin on the revised zone, claiming it will be so much more. We should know more about the new ordinance in the coming week.

One year later and Terry Diehl is still looking for an “out.” An opportunity to devise a way to develop his property in a manner inconsistent with the Cottonwood Heights General Plan. So it looks like we will have our work cut out for us again.

Click here to read archived articles and information about the Tavaci development on our website.

Hike to Red Pine Lake

I wanted to share a few photos that I took on a recent (10/03/10) hike to Red Pine Lake, located in the Lone Peak Wilderness Area of Little Cottonwood Canyon. I found some really helpful information and directions for the hike here.

I started my hike at 10:00am on October 3rd (a late start, I know, but what can I say? It was a Sunday so I let myself sleep in a little). The weather in the city that day was unusually high for October in Salt Lake at 85 degrees, but the temperatures on the trail were comfortable. The sun was shining and there were only a few clouds in the sky. Most of the trail was shaded too, so that helped quite a bit. The weather, mixed with the fantastic fall colors made this one of the better hikes I had been on this year (and I have been on quite a few).

The trail is very well maintained and starts out fairly easy. It's a good thing too, because my attention wasn't on my feet, but on the amazing scenery and fall colors. The aspen were a brilliant yellow gold, complimented by the crisp green of surrounding pine. I couldn't help but stop every few hundred yards to snap another photo - also, I just bought a new camera so I was eager to test it out. I finally decided that if I didn't put the camera away, I'd never make it to the lake, so I packed it away and began making some progress in actually moving toward my destination.

After a short distance, the trail splits between White Pine and Red Pine. I took the right-hand route to Red Pine Lake. From here, you begin to gain elevation. There were two sections that were fairly steep, but they didn't last too long. There are plenty of places to stop along the way if needed to catch your breath, get a drink, and enjoy the views. The hike to the lake is approximately 3.5 miles. You cross a few streams here and there and near the top you have to climb a little bit over some exposed boulders and rocks. Once you get to Red Pine Lake, you can continue on to Upper Red Pine Lake or for those that are really adventurous, you can even take this route to continue on to Pfeifferhorn. I hadn't set out for such an adventure though, so I decided instead to stop at the lake and eat my lunch. The weather was perfect, the lake was calm, and my lunch was particularly good, because I felt like I had earned it. After taking about thirty minutes to enjoy the lake and my lunch, I headed back. By the time I reached the parking lot, the hike had taken me three hours total. Overall, this was a great trail and a great hike. As an avid hiker, I am never happy to see summer end, but this hike eased my min about the changing of the seasons and now, I can even look forward to winter because I have added this trail to my list of places I'd like to snowshoe.

This was one of the steep sections.

More aspen trees.

The view from where I stopped for lunch.

Here's a video of Red Pine Lake. It was an amazing place to sit quietly and picnic on a Sunday afternoon.