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SARATOGA SPRINGS — Utah has not had much of a winter this year.
Just this week, northern Utah saw comfortable temperatures that either set records or came close to setting records.
While some people are enjoying the warmer weather, it’s a different story for organizers of winter recreation events.
One of those events is the Utah County Winterfest in Saratoga Springs. It will still take place Saturday morning, but organizers had to scale back some events.
For the past few years, hundreds of people would jump into the icy waters at Pelican Bay Marina. Organizers cut a hole in the 6-inch-thick ice and people would jump in.
“Yes, usually the marina is still iced over and there’s pretty good thickness for the ice, so people can go out and ice skate even,” Saratoga Springs spokesman Owen Jackson said.
But not this year. Right now, the Marina Park looks like it’s ready for the boating season.
Organizers have had to make a few adjustments. It was supposed to be a three-day event, with activities in several cities, including Lehi and Eagle Mountain, but a snowman building contest can’t happen without snow. The ice skating and broomball events were also canceled.
There will still be food and music Saturday, and the polar plunge “Freezin’ for a Reason,” instead of being in the lake, will be into an above-ground pool that's been set up on the shore.
"We were fortunate to have eBuilders and Burton Lumber donate the material and time to build the scaffolding and the slide to make it easier to get into the pool,” Jackson said. “We'll have water going down the slide to make it easier for people to slide in.”
Yes, usually the marina is still iced over and there's pretty good thickness for the ice, so people can go out and ice skate even.
–Owen Jackson, Saratoga Springs spokesman
So this is the year to find courage, and some special characters will come to the polar plunge.
“Ana and Elsa (from the movie 'Frozen') are coming. Unfortunately, we won’t have snow for them, but it will be fun either way,” Jackson said.
The event is a joint effort between the Saratoga Springs and Lehi police departments, and proceeds will go to Special Olympics Utah.
The wagon rides at the Hardware Ranch Wildlife Management area near Hyrum have also been affected by the warmer weather. The horse-drawn wagon ride through the middle of a herd of wild elk usually end in March, but muddy conditions and fewer elk are forcing managers to end wagon rides this weekend.
Hardware Ranch manager Brad Hunt said Thursday in a prepared statement that 220 elk were still in the meadow area where the wagon rides are held, "but elk are leaving the ranch every day. There isn't enough snow in the mountains that surround the ranch to encourage elk to stay at the ranch."
Monday is the last day to go on one of these wagon rides. For more information, go to the Hardware Ranch website or call the ranch at 435-753-6206.
Another event that is ending sooner than planned was the Wasatch Back Quad-Fishalon. The second annual ice fishing tournament at four state parks began Jan. 31 and was to end Feb. 21.
The remaining three events of the tournament, which were going to be held at Deer Creek State Park on Saturday, Rockport State Park on Feb. 14 and Jordanelle State Park on Feb. 21, were canceled due to warm temperatures and lack of ice.
Utah's ski areas are still open, though they haven't received much snow recently, and the cross-country trails at Mountain Dell are no longer being groomed until more snow arrives. So, for people in a summertime mood, the Boat Show and Watersports Expo runs through Sunday at the South Towne Exposition Center in Sandy.
