The Bears Ears have been at the center of controversy for more than a year now, both when President Obama designated the place as a national monument and when President Trump threatened to rescind that status. Despite that however, most American's don't know what makes the place special or even where it is exactly. This video helps to explain why the Bears Ears is such an important place, particularly for Native American's living in Utah. Take a look at this wild place that is much more than just an outdoor destination for backpackers and campers.
Showing posts with label Utah. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Utah. Show all posts
Video: Skiing the High Points of the American West
This beautiful short film takes us on a quest with skier Drew Petersen, who set out to ski the highest peaks in all 11 of the states that make up the Western U.S. They include Nevada, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Idaho, Utah, Washington, Oregon, Wyoming, and Montana. In order to achieve his goal, Drew had to go to some great lengths, but as you'll see, those efforts were incredibly rewarding in so many ways.
Trump Will Cut Size of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante National Monuments
Trump is headed to Utah today where he will announce that he is cutting the size of the Bears Ears National Monument by 85% and Grand Staircase-Escalante in half. Both monuments sit on land that is ripe for development with a number of commercial interests ready to move into those areas. Trump supporters say that this would allow much-needed economic development for those parts of the U.S.
Today's announcement is likely to trigger legal action by local Native American tribes and environmentalists. There has been an outpouring of support from a number of different groups calling for the U.S. government to leave these monuments alone. Those pleas have been largely ignored as the Trump Administration moved ahead with undoing much of the work done by President Obama over the previous eight years. Obama designated the Bears Ears as a national monument using an executive order as the end of his term grew near, which was also controversial at the time.
At the moment, just Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante seem to be on the chopping block, but Secretary Zinke reviewed as many 27 monuments as per the President's orders. Those monuments stretch as far back as the Clinton Administration, with more potential cuts to their size coming. For now, we'll just have to wait to see if some of those other areas will get reduced in size too.
The controversy behind Bears Ears and other monuments isn't an easy one to sort out. While nationwide there is plenty of support for keeping these areas untouched, within the state of Utah plenty of people are in favor of doing away with the national monuments and having the state manage those lands instead. The feeling is that they can do a better job locally than the federal government has done thus far. Of course, there are also plenty of locals who favor commercialization and development of these areas too.
President Trump will be in Utah later today to officially make the announcement on the changes that he recommends. Those changes will have to first clear congress before they become official, but it seems as if there will be little opposition in the Republican controlled House and Senate. The legal battles are just about to start however.
Video: Follow Through - Skiing the Wasatch with Caroline Gleich
When Caroline Gleich first announced she wanted to ski the 90 big mountain routes in Utah's Wasatch Range, she was laughed at and dismissed. She was 16 at the time and had just begun dreaming of backcountry adventures. But, over the years she built up her skills, gained confidence, and began taking on those mountains. Now, she's living the adventurous life she's wanted, despite becoming a polarizing figure on social media. In this video, you'll learn about her journey and witness first hand some of the harassment she has received, even as she travels deep into remote areas in pursuit of her dream. The 20+ minute short film, which comes are way via REI, is inspiring and infuriating at the same time. Kudos to Gleich for being able to stay focused and pursue her passions. We should all be so fortunate.
On The Road Again - Headed to PressCamp!
Next week The Adventure Blog will go back on hiatus once again as I travel to Park City Utah to take part in Outdoor PressCamp. The event is designed to pair outdoor and adventure travel journalists with some of the top brands in the industry to check out their latest gear and test it in the wild. I expect it will be a busy, fun, and eye opening week for all of us involved.
While away, it seems unlikely that I'll have the chance to update with any frequency, but should anything interesting arise, I'll do my best to post an update. In the meantime, I'm sure I'll come home from PressCamp with lots of good news and information to share on some cool gear that we can all use in our outdoor pursuits.
I will be back and updating the blog again the week of June 26. I'll be around for about a week and a half before disappearing again. Thanks for your patience and for reading. I couldn't do this without you.
Video: Fat Biking Through the Iconic Landscapes of Utah
There is no question that fat biking is changing our perception of where you can go on a bike. Case in point, this fantastic video takes us deep into the deserts of Utah with pro rider Steve Fassbinder and a friend as they explore those iconic landscapes from the seat of a fatty. This will make you want to break out the big wheels and go on an adventure of your own.
Video: Tempus Fugit - Time Flies in this Timelapse Video
Shot in Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and California, Utah, Washington and Oregon in the U.S., this video takes us on a whirlwind tour of some of the most beautiful and iconic landscapes at those destinations to show us how they look in an amazing timelapse fashion. This is four minutes of incredible beauty that shouldn't be missed. A perfect way to wrap up the week.
TEMPUS FUGIT 2 from Dr. Nicholas Roemmelt on Vimeo.
Movement Afoot to Reclaim Glen Canyon in Utah
The gist of the story is laid out in an article written by Tim Gibbins on a post to the O.A.R.S. blog. Essentially, the Glen Canyon Dam was built in a time period when a lot of other dams were being built in the west as a way to control the flow of the river as a method to help create environments suitable for farming and provide water to areas that were typically very arid. But when the dam was completed, it also created Lake Powell, which filled in a landscape that is spectacular enough to be considered on the same level as many national parks. The Glen Canyon has sat mostly under water – and unappreciated – ever since.
As Tim points out in his article, Lake Powell reached its hight point back on July 15, 1983. Today, it sits at just 50% capacity, and the dam that created it may be doing more harm than good. Worse yet, climatologists believe that neither Powell, nor Lake Mead, will ever fill to their capacities again.
This has led to a movement to decommission the Glen Canyon Dam, which could help to fill Mead, and restore the Glen Canyon region to its former glory. Beneath all of that water is a natural landscape filled with twisting gorges, rock spires, and other natural wonders just waiting to be rediscovered. Removing the dam would allow that to happen, and would have a positive impact downstream as well.
We are a long way from the dam being dismantled, but there is at least a conversation brewing about the positive side effects it could bring. As more people pick up on this story, it could gain enough momentum to being the process at long last.
Video: Life Above 5000 Feet
Shot in western Colorado and parts of Utah, this video captures some of the most spectacular timelapse imagery you could ever hope to see. It features beautiful night skies and amazing landscapes filled with snowcapped peaks, tranquil lakes, and wondrous rock formations. For my money, Colorado and Utah are two of the most beautiful states in the U.S., and that more than shines through here. These are two places that exude adventure, whether you're hiking, climbing, mountain biking, or simply just enjoying scenery. Here is just a taste of what to expect there.
Life Above 5,000ft: Colorado + Utah 2015 from Star Mountain Media on Vimeo.
Video: Utah's Desert Towers as Seen From the Air
Utah's desert towers are some of the most iconic places for climbers. Stretching hundreds of feet into the sky, this rock pillars have stood for thousands of years as monuments to geological change. Recently, climbers Brandon Fisher, Ken Schulte, and Luke Humphrey traveled to the Utah desert to climb some of the rock towers that dot the landscape there. They also took a drone along with them to capture some of their adventure. The result is this fantastic short film that will leave you breathless with its beauty. This is an amazing video of some of the most incredible landscapes in the entire U.S., and it should not be missed.
Video: Monument Valley, USA
This video takes us to the spectacular Monument Valley, located in Arizona and Utah, to give us a grand look at the sweep landscapes and improbably stone structures that exist in that environment. It is a 4+ minute tour of this amazing place, filled with awe inspiring shots of place that looks like it could be from an entirely different planet. If you have never seen Monument Valley before, this video will serve as quite an introduction. One you won't soon forget.
Monument Valley - USA from FREEWAY PROD on Vimeo.
Video: Dark Skies Over Utah
With its wide open spaces and vast landscapes, Utah has some of the clearest skies in the American west, making it a great location for observing the stars overhead. This video captures that spirit quite nicely through the use of timelapse photography. As usual, the result is spectacular, and well worth a watch. If you've never been to Utah, this clip may inspire you to get there soon.
Dark Skies of Utah from Ron Risman on Vimeo.
Video: American Southwest Timelapse
If you need a reminder of just how beautiful the American Southwest is, look no further than this short, but oh-so sweet, video. It is a timelapse that was shot over six weeks in April and May of this year throughout the region. The stark, yet incredibly breathtaking, landscapes are captured wonderfully in these photographs, with the night sky making a dramatic backdrop. Enjoy!
The American Southwest - A Short Time-lapse Journey from Tommaso Maiocchi on Vimeo.
Video: The Dramatic Effects of Wind and Water on the American Southwest
We all know that wind and water can have a dramatic impact on the environment, particularly after millions of years of being able to relentlessly attack the stone over which they flow. There are few places where that is more evident than in the American southwest, where canyons and gorges are common. The video below gives us a glimpse of those places, showing us just how beautifully they have been carved by these forces of nature.
EROSION from Brett Lyon on Vimeo.
Video: 40 Seconds of Pure Wingsuit Terror
If you're looking for a shot of adrenaline to get you going this morning than check out this video. It features a wingsuit pilot by the name of Scotty Bob who threads the needle of a Utah canyon without missing a beat. The video is only 40 seconds in length but it captures some of the best wing suit footage I've seen in awhile.
Video: GoPro Captures Riders Acrobatics At The Red Bull Rampage
The Red Bull Rampage is always a cool event with downhill mountain bikers showing off their skills on a tough course in Utah. This year, second place rider Kelly McGarry was wearing a GoPro camera for his final run, which gives us a dizzying look at what it is like to ride this course. Along the way, McGarry also manages to pull of a couple of impressive backflips which definitely wowed the crowd. Watching this video definitely reaffirms my decision to leave this kind of riding to the professionals.
Video: Scary Flash Floods In Southern Utah
If you're an outdoor enthusiast chances are you already have a healthy dose of respect for the forces that shape our planet. But just in case you need a reminder, check out this scary video that was shot a few weeks back in southern Utah. It shows the incredible power of the flash floods that can hit that region following a tremendous rainstorm. In this case, the floods occur about six hours after heavy rains (3 inches/7.62 cm) fell to the north. As the water rolls through the area, it puts on an impressive display as it pushes debris of all types, including large rocks, onto the dry creek bed.
Thanks to Jon Miller for sharing this. Amazing stuff for sure.
Thanks to Jon Miller for sharing this. Amazing stuff for sure.
Video: Alex Honnold Goal Zero Commercial
After being featured on 60 Minutes a year so back, not to mention appearing in numerous magazine articles, blog posts, YouTube videos and television commercials, Alex Honnold seems to have become the face of rock climbing in many ways. He is also featured in a nice new add from Goal Zero that shows him free climbing a route called Fine Jade on The Rectory near Moab, Utah while sharing his motivations for why he climbs. At the end, he even uses one of Goal Zero's solar panels to recharge his cell phone so he can call home and let mom know he's safe. All in all, a pretty nice video for a commercial.
Red Bull Rampage To Air On NBC December 8
If you live in the U.S. and you want to see more of the race, then you're in luck. NBC is going to be airing the Red Bull Rampage on Saturday, December 8 from 2-4 PM Eastern Time. The coverage promises to give us even more spectacular shots of these athletes putting their bikes and bodies to the test on a course that most of us would think is just plain crazy to even attempt to ride.
And if you just can't wait until December 8 to check this event out, then here's another clip from the race to get you excited. It features helmet cam footage of Darren Berrecloth as he rides through part of the course, giving you a good idea of just what kind of trail the riders are dealing with.
Video: Opening Day At Snowbird
Over the next few days a bunch of ski resorts will be opening in time to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday here in the States next week. One of the biggest resorts around is Snowbird in Utah. Yesterday, my friend Matthew Karsten of Expert Vagabond fame was on hand to enjoy the day. He shot this great little video and shared it earlier. It definitely makes me want to go play in the snow!
Fun Fact: Snowbird owner Dick Bass was the first man to climb the Seven Summits.
Fun Fact: Snowbird owner Dick Bass was the first man to climb the Seven Summits.