Outdoors
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Rep. Celeste Maloy and Sen. Mike Lee work to hand control of federal lands back to Utah
Gitanjali Poonia, Deseret News | Posted Dec. 7 - 4:24 p.m. | Save Story
Earlier this week, the U.S. House passed a bill — the Utah State Parks Adjustment Act — that could revert ownership of three parcels of federal land to Utah.
World's oldest-known wild bird lays egg in Hawaii at age 74
Hallie Golden, Associated Press | Posted Dec. 7 - 7:48 a.m. | Save Story
The oldest-known wild bird in the world has laid an egg at the ripe age of 74, her first in four years.
Nordic Valley developers envision year-round resort, say work could start in 2025
Tim Vandenack, KSL.com | Posted Dec. 6 - 12:00 p.m. | Save Story
Nordic Valley boosters envision a year-round resort as expansion plans gain steam. Ski village development work could start in 2025.
UTA to resume ski bus service, end long-standing Salt Lake City detours this weekend
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Dec. 5 - 5:25 p.m. | Save Story
UTA's December change day includes new ski bus service and service norms returning as major construction projects wrap up in Salt Lake City.
Vail Resorts, ski patrol union remain in a deadlock after latest contract talk
Collin Leonard, KSL.com | Posted Dec. 5 - 12:43 p.m. | Save Story
Vail Resorts and the patrol union remain in a deadlock over wages, as public pressure grows with a petition garnering over 2,200 signatures, and weeks of demonstrations by ski patrollers.
State seeks continuity, more oversight of brine extraction
Amy Joi O'Donoghue, Deseret News | Posted Dec. 4 - 8:42 p.m. | Save Story
The Utah State Legislature and the Board of Oil, Gas, and Mining is facing conflicts over brine extraction from the Great Salt Lake.
Arrest made in Utah petroglyph defacement case, feds say
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Updated Dec. 3 - 12:04 p.m. | Save Story
A woman was arrested in connection with a land vandalism case near the Utah-Arizona border, which left damage to a petroglyph panel believed to be thousands of years old.
7-year-old boy injured in skiing collision at Brian Head Resort, officials say
Jeff Richards, St. George News | Posted Dec. 2 - 6:19 p.m. | Save Story
A 7-year-old boy was transported to the hospital after being injured in a collision with another skier at Brian Head over the weekend, authorities said.
'A very important day': Feds to direct $50M toward Great Salt Lake preservation projects
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Updated Dec. 2 - 5:03 p.m. | Save Story
The Great Salt Lake is about to get a boost from the federal government, which is making what could be its biggest financial investment in the struggling lake.
Meteorological winter is here. What's in store for Utah this season?
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Dec. 2 - 3:04 p.m. | Save Story
Long-range forecasts offer no clear signal when it comes to Utah precipitation this winter, but that's par for the course with the conditions setting up over the Pacific Ocean.
GOP Utah lawmakers consider having more say over air quality rules
Bridger Beal-Cvetko, KSL.com | Posted Dec. 1 - 2:47 p.m. | Save Story
A top Republican lawmaker in Utah said he would like to see the Legislature have more power over air quality standards in the state.
This sport was the fastest-growing outdoor activity last year
Dennis Romboy, Deseret News | Posted Nov. 30 - 5:42 p.m. | Save Story
Outdoor recreation is a significant part of Utah's economy. One popular Utah sport was the fastest-growing outdoor recreation activity in 2023 nationwide.
Being part of this Idaho rescue team could 'change your life'
Logan Ramsey, EastIdahoNews.com | Posted Nov. 29 - 10:18 p.m. | Save Story
A search and rescue team in Idaho sees a need for a group that could respond to accidents in the backcountry year round, a team of people who could specialize in rescuing people.
Utah outdoor recreation industry hits record $9.5B
Dennis Romboy, Deseret News | Posted Nov. 29 - 11:38 a.m. | Save Story
Activities on the "Greatest Snow on Earth" continue to be the largest contributor to Utah's outdoor recreation economy, which hit an all-time high last year.
Utah Hockey Club, Ski Utah team up to promote winter sports
Dennis Romboy, Deseret News | Posted Nov. 28 - 3:02 p.m. | Save Story
Ski Utah and the Utah Hockey Club are teaming up this season as a way to showcase winter sports in the state, and the partnership has some benefits for kids.
How Utah's turkey population rebounded this year
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Nov. 27 - 5:05 p.m. | Save Story
Utah reported an increase in its wild turkey population over the past year.
'This was a good storm': How much snow, rain Utah got before Thanksgiving
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Nov. 27 - 3:03 p.m. | Save Story
Many parts of Utah received strong snow totals from what was the largest storm of the season, so far.
Popular trails, portion of road reopen at Capitol Reef amid ongoing construction
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Nov. 27 - 12:56 p.m. | Save Story
A few popular trails and a section of a major road within Capitol Reef National Park reopened this week, but more temporary closures are expected in early 2025
UDOT says its sticker program is working; 11,000 given out so far
Alexander Campbell and Shelby Lofton, KSL-TV | Posted Nov. 27 - 6:18 a.m. | Save Story
In the Cottonwood Canyons just south of Salt Lake City, an increasing number of drivers now have something in common: a sticker on their windshields.
These Utah ski resorts set to open Thanksgiving weekend
Dennis Romboy, Deseret News | Posted Nov. 26 - 10:31 p.m. | Save Story
Snowbird was dusted with a couple of inches of snow overnight and more is expected as the Little Cottonwood Canyon prepares to open on Thanksgiving Day.
Bureau of Reclamation outlines potential Colorado River guidelines alternatives
Emma Pitts, Deseret News | Posted Nov. 26 - 10:06 p.m. | Save Story
The Bureau of Reclamations has released potential alternative guidelines to replace the current Colorado River management plans that expire post-2026.
'I am filled with pride and gratitude': Utah's wildlife director to retire
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Nov. 26 - 6:27 p.m. | Save Story
Utah's top wildlife official is stepping down.
$3M grant may boost knowledge about water flowing into the Great Salt Lake
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Nov. 25 - 9:05 p.m. | Save Story
A partnership between federal and state agencies is expected to close an important Great Salt Lake data gap.
Warnings, advisories issued in Utah ahead of pre-Thanksgiving winter storm
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Updated Nov. 25 - 6:59 p.m. | Save Story
A storm arriving Monday night could deliver well over a foot of snow in Utah's mountains over the next few days and could potentially disrupt Thanksgiving holiday travel.
Feds offer $1K reward after petroglyphs defaced in southern Utah
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Nov. 25 - 1:34 p.m. | Save Story
Federal land managers are now offering a $1,000 reward as authorities investigate an incident that left ancient petroglyphs near the Utah-Arizona border defaced over the weekend.
Rosie the wild turkey makes her annual appearance
Sam Herrera, KSL-TV | Posted Nov. 24 - 6:12 p.m. | Save Story
The Rose Park and Fairpark neighborhood's unofficial wild turkey mascot has made its annual appearance this year as the temperature drops.
Forget sharks and bears — it's deer that you should worry about hurting you
Forrest Brown, CNN | Posted Nov. 24 - 1:52 p.m. | Save Story
It turns out deer-vehicle collisions are a problem across much of the United States — looks like we should be much more wary of "Bambi" than of "Jaws."
Weber County grants Nordic Valley developers taxing authority to aid in expansion plans
Tim Vandenack, KSL.com | Posted Nov. 24 - 10:01 a.m. | Save Story
Weber County officials have approved creation of three new taxing entities meant to aid Nordic Valley ski resort developers with their expansion plans.
Vail Resorts 'unwilling' to meet ski patrol union demands after monthslong negotiations, reps say
Collin Leonard, KSL.com | Posted Nov. 23 - 3:04 p.m. | Save Story
Negotiations for the renewal of a ski patrol worker contract which expired at the end of April has reached a standstill prompting a large demonstration Saturday in Park City.
Advisory issued as Utah taps into atmospheric river moisture this weekend
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Nov. 22 - 8:38 p.m. | Save Story
Utah isn't forecast to receive as much rain and snow as the Pacific Coast has received this week, but the first of two storms has prompted a winter weather advisory for this weekend.
Where are the best resorts in North America? These outlets say they're in Utah
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Nov. 21 - 12:00 p.m. | Save Story
Several Utah ski resorts rank high on national lists for the best resorts this year.
Salt Lake trail closures continue as Rocky Mountain Power carries out project
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Nov. 21 - 7:29 a.m. | Save Story
Salt Lake City public utilities officials are reminding residents to stay clear of several popular trails for a few more weeks as a wildfire mitigation project continues.
Great Salt Lake falls to a familiar level, but will a 'precipitous' history repeat itself?
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Nov. 20 - 3:16 p.m. | Save Story
The Great Salt Lake fell by as much as 3 feet over the last few months, leaving it at a point similar to three years ago. But experts remain hopeful for its future.
What Deer Valley's major expansion looks like on the map
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Nov. 18 - 10:31 p.m. | Save Story
Deer Valley Resort visitors will notice more options when it opens next month.
Fish and Game discover 'likely' cause of death for dozens of pigeons in Idaho
Logan Ramsey, EastIdahoNews.com | Posted Nov. 17 - 9:45 p.m. | Save Story
Wildlife officials believe the reason why dozens of pigeons were found lying dead on a downtown city block in American Falls, Idaho, is due to malnutrition.
Have You Seen This? Bungee jumping grandma puts us all to shame
Grant Olsen for KSL.com | Posted Nov. 17 - 3:36 p.m. | Save Story
This woman is 75 years old — and she's as cool as a cucumber as she prepares to go somersaulting off a 700-foot cliff.
Registering your boat or OHV out of state to save on tax money is illegal, Utah officials warn
Matt Gephardt, KSL-TV | Posted Nov. 17 - 12:01 p.m. | Save Story
A legal loophole is being exploited by many Utahns to avoid paying taxes for their vehicles, boats, or off-highway vehicles.
Look up this weekend for a celestial double feature
Taylor Nicioli, CNN | Posted Nov. 16 - 1:56 p.m. | Save Story
The Beaver Moon won't be the only sight to look out for in the skies this weekend.
These Utah ski resorts are now open
Dennis Romboy, Deseret News | Posted Nov. 16 - 10:11 a.m. | Save Story
Brighton Ski Resort opened Thursday ahead of a snowstorm expected to bring as much as 10 inches of powder to the Cottonwood Canyons over the next two days.
Black bear sightings are on the rise in Zion National Park, officials say
Stephanie DeGraw, St. George News | Posted Nov. 15 - 10:42 p.m. | Save Story
Sightings of black bears have reportedly increased this year at Zion National Park. The park is cautioning visitors to watch out for them.
Wildlife officials inspected nearly 300,000 boats for quaggas during boating season
Logan Stefanich, KSL.com | Posted Nov. 14 - 12:00 p.m. | Save Story
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and other partnering agencies inspected over 295,000 boats and performed over 6,000 decontaminations since Jan. 1, to prevent the spread of invasive quagga mussels in Utah.
$19,000 reward: BLM seeking public's help finding killer of protected wild stallion near Dugway
Collin Leonard, KSL.com | Updated Nov. 14 - 11:02 a.m. | Save Story
Advocacy groups and the Bureau of Land Management are pooling money to help find who shot a protected wild stallion named Glory, found dead Sunday near the Simpson Springs area in Tooele County, the third killing in 20 months.
Here's what's new at Utah's 15 ski resorts in what's anticipated to be another busy season
Logan Stefanich, KSL.com | Posted Nov. 13 - 7:01 p.m. | Save Story
After welcoming a near-record number of skiers last year, Utah's 15 ski resorts are gearing up for what is anticipated to be another busy season.
Gobbling up a storm: Hundreds of wild turkeys flocking to East Idaho before Thanksgiving
Bill Schiess, EastIdahoNews.com | Posted Nov. 13 - 4:33 p.m. | Save Story
These four birds were part of a loose flock of 200 to 300 located on private property near the confluence of the Henrys Fork and the South Fork of the Snake River.
A missing Wisconsin kayaker was believed to have drowned. Officials say he faked his death
Amanda Musa, CNN | Posted Nov. 13 - 10:00 a.m. | Save Story
Ryan Borgwardt, a married father of three, has been missing since August after leaving for a relaxing fishing trip about an hour north of his home in Wisconsin. Investigators now suspect the experienced kayaker faked his death.
Want to earn a college varsity letter in freeskiing or mountain biking? Westminster's the place
Jason Swensen, Deseret News | Posted Nov. 12 - 7:56 a.m. | Save Story
Griffins' Mountain Sports Program also has snowboarding and is adding competitive climbing.
Biologists trap rare Virgin River fish, express hope 'we're making a difference'
Alysha Lundgren, St. George News | Posted Nov. 11 - 8:47 a.m. | Save Story
The Virgin River may rage, and stream flows may change across southern Utah, but biologists say this sensitive aquatic species is doing OK.
UTA to expand ski service up Little Cottonwood Canyon this season
Brianna Chavez, KSL-TV | Posted Nov. 9 - 10:31 p.m. | Save Story
As ski resorts begin to open across the state, the Utah Transit Authority will resume its regular ski service later this month and will add something slightly new.
Access is uniting unlikely alliances for area in Big Cottonwood Canyon
Amy Joi O'Donoghue, Deseret News | Posted Nov. 9 - 9:01 p.m. | Save Story
Cyle Buxton has owned land in the Big Cottonwood Canyon area for 50 years, and before that, his ancestors did for 130 years.
US Capitol Christmas tree visiting Wheeler Historic Farm on Saturday
Bridger Beal-Cvetko, KSL.com | Posted Nov. 9 - 8:36 a.m. | Save Story
This year's U.S. Capitol Christmas tree will stop at Wheeler Historic Farm on Saturday, before being delivered to Washington, D.C., later this month.
Airport wildlife mitigation team busy during fall migration season
Brianna Chavez, KSL-TV | Posted Nov. 8 - 7:23 p.m. | Save Story
While flights take off at the Salt Lake City International Airport, employees like Ron Smith are busy keeping his eyes not on the planes, but on animals.
Utah enjoys near-normal water year start, but data shows early split among these regions
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Nov. 8 - 5:01 p.m. | Save Story
Utah's 2025 water year opened on a very warm note— the warmest October in at least 130 years — but October's stormy second half helped prevent it from being a dry state.
Timed entry to return to Arches National Park in 2025 but with big change
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Nov. 8 - 6:22 a.m. | Save Story
Arches National Park will continue a timed entry pilot program for the fourth year, but it's testing a big mid-summer tweak while it also nears a permanent long-term solution.
Ski season begins: Solitude to partially open early; Brian Head celebrates near-record opening
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Updated Nov. 7 - 5:04 p.m. | Save Story
Utah's 2024-25 ski and snowboard season will officially begin this weekend with a race to be first after a flurry of storms over the past few weeks.
The tax Salt Lake County residents once rejected and now overwhelmingly approve
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Nov. 7 - 5:02 p.m. | Save Story
Salt Lake County residents overwhelmingly voted to reauthorize the Zoos, Arts and Parks tax this year, but it wasn't always a popular proposal.
What will Trump's reelection mean for Bears Ears, other Utah public lands?
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Nov. 7 - 3:04 p.m. | Save Story
A Utah congressional leader says he'd be "surprised" if President-elect Donald Trump doesn't alter two Utah monuments after taking office, but the state is also looking at a new approach to the issue.
Have You Seen This? Bucks battle it out in Bountiful
Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted Nov. 6 - 3:24 p.m. | Save Story
You never know when you'll get a National Geographic-like moment while driving around Utah.
The Colorado River is in a custody battle with 7 states
Emma Pitts, Deseret News | Posted Nov. 6 - 2:04 p.m. | Save Story
The Colorado River is managed like a joint bank account — seven states have equal shares of two basins, and not a single drop of water is overlooked.
