Category Archives: National Forest Service

MPNHA Photo Contest. MPNHA Photo Contest. Camera facing mountains.
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MPNHA Photo Contest – $25 Prize

We know that you have some amazing photos, and now it’s time to share them! The Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area is hosting a photo contest. It’s time to dust off the camera, phone, whichever you use to capture special moments and share some great pictures. You probably have some on your hard drive somewhere too!

To enter, users must upload their images to the MPNHA Facebook Page and submit a form (below) for each image that they enter into the contest.

Rules:

  • All photos must be be property of the entrant and an original work. If you are submitting for someone else, permission must be obtained before uploading the image.
  • All photos must be taken inside the boundaries of the MPNHA.
  • Photo enhancements are allowed.
  • The entry can be used on the MPNHA’s social media channels, website, etc. and will be credited to the entrant.
  • If people are included in the image, a release is required for entry.
  • All entrants must submit a short entry form in addition to uploading the image onto the MPNHA Facebook page.
  • The final date to enter is July 21, 2017 at midnight, mountain time.
  • The winner of the contest and $25 gift card to a retailer of their choice will be selected by the number of likes on their image. Ask your friends to vote for your image! In the event of a tie, the images with the same number of likes (loves, etc.) will be assigned a random number and then picked at random. The winner will be chosen and contacted on July 31, 2017.
  • There is no age limit to participants (under 13 years of age must have parental permission) or limit to the number of images that are allowed, as long as every image has been submitted into the form below.
  • Voting starts when you upload your image, so enter earlier for your best chance.
  • Those who work for the MPNHA are not eligible to enter/win.
  • Have fun.

Discovery Road Celebrates National Park Service Centennial

MPNHA-Press-Release1-Park-Service-Centennial

One hundred years. That’s a birthday to remember for the National Park Service and one Discovery Road hosts Maryda Nicole Gallo and James Nelson celebrate in “Precious Jewels in any Language” as they tag along with groups of international visitors who visit the five national parks in Utah: Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Arches, Bryce and Zion.

In 1872, Congress established Yellowstone as the first national park and on August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the act creating the National Park Service, an agency that now protects more than 380 parks, covering more than 83 million acres.

The national parks have been called “America’s best idea,” and in this Discovery Road episode, international visitors learn why.

The visitors hail from such faraway places as France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Vietnam, South Korea, Australia, and also from our next-door neighbor, Canada.

Without fail, every visitor is struck by the sheer size of the national parks. “Enormous,” “magnificent” and “majesty” are words that trip off their tongues as describe what they are seeing. It’s clear that each is affected by the beauty that surrounds them.

“It feeds my soul,” Sonja Groening from Austria says.

“It opens our minds and opens our eyes. It helps us understand other people and their thoughts,” one South Korean visitor says. The visitors enjoy the sights and sounds of the American West from the sweeping vistas to the open road and the characters they encounter along the way.

Near Zion National Park, the visitors meet Richard Budd of Kanab and get to explore his anti que, restored Ford pick-up truck. Many of the visitors have only seen the likes of it in old Hollywood movies.

In the episode, the hosts also visit with former volunteer ranger Black George Simmons, 82, who says he loved “giving people a sense of place one yeehaw at a time.

Serving as a backdrop to all the visiting and the storytelling in this episode of Discovery Road is the incredible open space of the parks protected by our forbearers for generations of Americans and their guests to enjoy.

“There is nothing so American as our national parks…. The fundamental idea behind the parks… is that the country belongs to the people, that it is in process of making for the enrichment of the lives of all of us.”   President Franklin D. Roosevelt

“Precious Jewels in any Language” will air on the Utah Education Network on Saturday, May 21 and Wednesday May 25. It is running on an ongoing basis on CentraCom , Fairview, Channel 10; Manti Telephone, Channel 3 and KTTA 8.1 Monroe, which serve central and south central Utah. It can also be found at the MPNHA website at htt p://www.mormonpioneerheritage.org/discovery-road-videos/

Interested viewers may find out how to access UEN-TV at htt p://www.uen.org/tv/translators/ Find Your Park

As part of the centennial celebrati on, the Nati onal Park Service has kicked off a movement called Find Your Park to inspire people to connect with, enjoy, and support America’s national parks. At FindYourPark.com visitors can virtually explore Utah’s (and other states’) national parks and fi nd out about special events such as Loa Elementary School students in Wayne County celebrati ng the nati onal park centennial in Capitol Reef National Park today, May 19, at the historic Fruita School house (built in 1896) with a graduati on/birthday ceremony. FindYourPark.com is just one of the many ways the National Parks Service is celebrating its centennial. Visit www.nps.gov to fi nd out more. ### The Mormon Pioneer Nati onal Heritage Area includes 400 miles of glorious scenic byways, a vast array of wildlife, the best of western living, catt le and sheep ranches, and colorful mountain vistas, all within a trip on Utah Heritage Highway 89.

Discovery Road Celebrates National Park Service Centennial

MPNHA-Press-Release1-Park-Service-Centennial

One hundred years. That’s a birthday to remember for the National Park Service and one Discovery Road hosts Maryda Nicole Gallo and James Nelson celebrate in “Precious Jewels in any Language” as they tag along with groups of international visitors who visit the five national parks in Utah: Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Arches, Bryce and Zion.

In 1872, Congress established Yellowstone as the first national park and on August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the act creating the National Park Service, an agency that now protects more than 380 parks, covering more than 83 million acres.

The national parks have been called “America’s best idea,” and in this Discovery Road episode, international visitors learn why.

The visitors hail from such faraway places as France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Vietnam, South Korea, Australia, and also from our next-door neighbor, Canada.

Without fail, every visitor is struck by the sheer size of the national parks. “Enormous,” “magnificent” and “majesty” are words that trip off their tongues as describe what they are seeing. It’s clear that each is affected by the beauty that surrounds them.

“It feeds my soul,” Sonja Groening from Austria says.

“It opens our minds and opens our eyes. It helps us understand other people and their thoughts,” one South Korean visitor says. The visitors enjoy the sights and sounds of the American West from the sweeping vistas to the open road and the characters they encounter along the way.

Near Zion National Park, the visitors meet Richard Budd of Kanab and get to explore his antique, restored Ford pick-up truck. Many of the visitors have only seen the likes of it in old Hollywood movies.

In the episode, the hosts also visit with former volunteer ranger Black George Simmons, 82, who says he loved “giving people a sense of place one yeehaw at a time.

Serving as a backdrop to all the visiting and the storytelling in this episode of Discovery Road is the incredible open space of the parks protected by our forbearers for generations of Americans and their guests to enjoy.

“There is nothing so American as our national parks…. The fundamental idea behind the parks… is that the country belongs to the people, that it is in process of making for the enrichment of the lives of all of us.”   President Franklin D. Roosevelt

“Precious Jewels in any Language” will air on the Utah Education Network on Saturday, May 21 and Wednesday May 25. It is running on an ongoing basis on CentraCom , Fairview, Channel 10; Manti Telephone, Channel 3 and KTTA 8.1 Monroe, which serve central and south central Utah. It can also be found at the MPNHA website at

https://www.mormonpioneerheritage.org/discovery-road-videos/

Interested viewers may find out how to access UEN-TV at htt p://www.uen.org/tv/translators/

Find Your Park

As part of the centennial celebration, the National Park Service has kicked off a movement called Find Your Park to inspire people to connect with, enjoy, and support America’s national parks.

At FindYourPark.com visitors can virtually explore Utah’s (and other states’) national parks and find out about special events such as Loa Elementary School students in Wayne County celebrating the national park centennial in Capitol Reef National Park today, May 19, at the historic Fruita School house (built in 1896) with a graduation/birthday ceremony.

FindYourPark.com is just one of the many ways the National Parks Service is celebrating its centennial. Visit www.nps.gov to find out more.

The Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area includes 400 miles of glorious scenic byways, a vast array of wildlife, the best of western living, cattle and sheep ranches, and colorful mountain vistas, all within a trip on Utah Heritage Highway 89.

Railroad Resorts Bring Sevier County’s Railroad Past to Life

MPNHA-Press-Release-Sevier-Railroad

The Denver & Rio Grande Railroad is being resurrected in an unusual way in the Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area. Partners David Grow and George Jones of Environetics have built a caboose and railroad village at Big Rock Candy Mountain, north of Marysvale in Piute County. In February they received a 50-year lease of the old Denver and Rio Grande Depot from the city of Mt. Pleasant to build a similar resort there.

Jones, a retired railroad union executive with an interest in historic railroading, began collecting cabooses several years ago. About six years ago he approached Grow with the idea of turning them into a unique resort.

After several years of planning, last year the pair opened the Track 89 Caboose Village Resort at Big Rock Candy Mountain with three railroad cars. This year they have seven and next year they hope to have 10. The Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area recently awarded the project a $25,000 grant for landscaping and parking.

Grow said it is unlikely the Mt. Pleasant facility will be open this season since major work needs to be done to prepare the site and move the railroad cars into place. He is very excited about the location, however.

“We’ve always loved that old depot and looked into moving it further down Highway 89 but found it was too expensive,” Grow said.

In 1977 the building was rescued from demolition by a group of local citizens who wanted to preserve it and had it moved to its present location from 500 West and Main.

The new location is ideal, Grow said. “It has great visibility, right on Highway 89. We will make sure that no lodging will block the beautiful view of the terrific old depot.” Grow said the Mt Pleasant site could eventually have as many as 15 rail cars.

He said they plan to incorporate several historic elements into the resort, but they have not yet determined if that will be in the setting of a small museum or as enhancements to the railroad cars themselves.

While some have suggested that the pair open a similar resort in Thistle in Utah County, Grow said that the Utah County planning department is not open to the idea.

“It would be like trying to push a river upstream,” he said.

MPNHA Director Monte Bona sees these two resorts as a first step to bringing about a railroad museum and interpretive center in the area, one of the goals of the MPNHA’s management plan.

“The Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area reached the high threshold for national designation by articulating the thesis that Mormon colonization played a major role in the development of the West. The coming of the railroad era had a signifi cant impact that needs to be interpreted, displayed and conveyed as a crucial part of the Mormon country story,” he said.

The railroad first came to the Sevier Valley in 1893 when the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad expanded its line from Chester to Manti , connecting it with its Valley Line at Thistle Junction via Mt. Pleasant and from Manti to Marysvale.

At its peak, the line ferried passengers to Richfield where tour companies would meet the train at Marysvale and take tourists to Bryce Canyon and the Grand Canyon’s North Rim. For several decades it spurred economic growth in the area, especially in the livestock trade.

However, as automobiles grew in popularity, the railroad began to wane. In 1949, D&RGW dropped passenger service in the area. From then until the Thistle mudslide of 1982 shut down the line completely, the line primarily carried freight. Aft er the mudslide the D&RGW determined it would not be cost-effective to restore the line, which had been operating at a loss for decades.

Now, with the Environetics projects, railroad buff s and families will have a unique opportunity to experience a taste of the rich railroading history of the Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area.

For more information, contact or MPNHA Director Monte Bona at 801-699-5065 or David Grow at 801-375-9090.

###

The Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area includes 400 miles of glorious scenic byways, a vast array of wildlife, the best of western living, cattle and sheep ranches, and colorful mountain vistas, all within a trip on Utah Heritage Highway 89

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ANNOUNCING EVERY KID IN A PARK

every kid in a park

The Federal Land Management agencies, National Parks, National Park Service, Forest Service, Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Reclamation, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the White House have joined together in a partnership to initiate the EVERY KID IN A PARK incentive.  This program is designed to give every fourth grader and their families to visit all our country’s natural treasures.  The history of our great country can engage each student to enjoy the beauty, culture, and enjoy the federal lands and waters free of charge.

This initiative began 01 September 2015 and ends on August 31, 2016.  The free pass allows free access to the national forests, national parks, and national wildlife refuges, and so much more.

nps_arrowhead_300The National Park Foundation which is the nation’s official charity for the National Parks has been raising funds to work with connecting the fourth graders of our nation to have free access to all of  public land and waters in America.  A division of the Foundation’s Open Outdoors for Kids program, is designed to remove stumbling blocks for our fourth graders admission into the wonderlands of our natural parks and water ways.   The Every Kid in a Park initiative has been designed for students in under served and urban communities.  Due to the schools wide cutbacks in funding for grants for fields trips, the strategic funding will hopefully provide a learning experience for all fourth graders and their families.

Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park

The Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area is the only Federally recognized Heritage Area with three National Parks.

These are: Bryce Canyon National Park: Boulder Loop District

Sunset from the Sunset Point area at Capitol Reef Ray Mathis/NPS
Sunset from the Sunset Point area at Capitol Reef
Ray Mathis/NPS

Capitol Reef National Park in the Boulder Loop District

double rainbow

Zion National Park: Under the Rim District.

Zion National Park
Zion National Park
Little Hollywood and Under the Rim District of the Mormon PIoneer National Heritage Area
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Little Hollywood Shootout Quick

http://www.onlyinyourstate.com/utah/terrifying-southern-ut-road-trip/

Kelly Stowell <stowell@kanab.net> of the Utah Film Commission
Date: Thu, Feb 25, 2016 at 3:55 PM
Subject: Little Hollywood Shootout

Quick Turn Around Film Competition Kicks Off

March 16, 2016 at High Noon in Kanab

Little Hollywood Shootout Quick Turn Around Film Competition

Kicks Off March 16, 2016 at High Noon in Kanab During the Shamrocks and Redrocks Festival

KANAB, Utah – The unmistakable landscape found in the Kanab area has made this part of southern Utah a favorite destination for filmmakers since the 1920’s. In line with this great filmmaking tradition, the annual “Little Hollywood Shootout,” kicks off at the historic Parry Lodge in Kanab, Utah on Wednesday, March 16, 2016. The “shootout” is a quick-turnaround film challenge requiring filmmakers to produce a short film with Kanab area locations as the backdrop.kanab-700x467

At high noon on March 16, 2016 film production requirements including locations and a theme will be revealed to participants. Competitors will then have 49.5 hours to write, direct, edit, and complete a five-minute film. Film submissions are due at 1:30 pm on Friday, March 18, 2016 either in person or online. The shootout films will then be premiered at a community screening and awards ceremony in the evening on Saturday, March 19, 2016 at the Crescent Moon Theater during the “Redrocks and Shamrocks” festival in Kanab.

John Wayne and John Ford's favorite place to film westerns.
John Wayne and John Ford’s favorite place to film westerns.

“The shootout is the thunder dome of quick turnaround film challenges, and in addition to building on the film heritage of southern Utah, the competition provides aspiring filmmakers an opportunity to produce a film in the same place where film legends like John Ford and Clint Eastwood also worked,” explained Kane County Film Commissioner, Kelly Stowell, one of the organizers and founder of the event. “Coupled with the Shamrocks and Redrocks festival, Kanab is the place to be for the Saint Patrick’s day weekend. We have a great event planned this year and are looking forward to a fun filled weekend,” commented Stowell.

john wayne fort apache

 

 

Prospective filmmakers of all ages from beginners to veterans are invited to take part in the challenge. Two divisions are available for participants with one category intended for novice filmmakers of all ages looking to gain experience and the other division is designed for competitors who have experience with film production. Primary filming locations are required to take place in Kane County, but editing and post-production can take place at the participants desired location.

 

Films are due at 1:30 pm on Friday, March 18, 2016 and can be turned in through a revealed online medium or films can be submitted in person back at the Parry Lodge at the time of the deadline.Parry Lodge

Sponsors of the event include AT&T, Kane County Office of Tourism and Film Commission, Center for Education, Business, and the Arts, Kanab City, and the Utah Film Commission. “We appreciate our sponsors and this event would not be possible without their tremendous contributions to the shootout,” said Stowell.

Cresent Moon TheaterFestivities of the Little Hollywood Shootout conclude with film premiers and awards ceremony taking place at Kanab’s Crescent Moon Theater, showcasing submitted films on the evening of Saturday, March 19, 2016 at 7:00 pm. Community members and participants are strongly encouraged and invited to attend.

For more information about the Little Hollywood Shootout or to register your team, visit www.littlehollywoodshootout.org or call 4358990443.

For more information about “Shamrocks and Redrocks” visit http://www.visitsouthernutah.com/Shamrocks_and_Redrocks_site

 

Pictured: Filmmakers are presented with money, awards, and awesome trophies at the 2015 Little Hollywood Shootout at the Crescent Moon Theater in Kanab.

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5 Areas In The Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Make The List

On November 07, 2015 Posted in  Only in Your State by Catherine Rees  
Utah
 5 places in the Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area make Catherine Rees

15 Places in That’ll Make You Swear You’re on Another Planet

Some places in Utah look similar to what we think other planets might be like. So much so, that several science fiction movies and tv shows have been filmed here! The next time you find yourself in one of these 15 places in Utah, use your imagination a little… can you picture what it would be like to emerge from a spacecraft onto this landscape?

double logo sevier valley headerIt is no wonder that The Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Areas were among those listed.
Those who have visited these astounding locations can testify that there are amazing sites to behold.
Those making the list are:

Number 5 on the list was the GRAND STAIRCASE ESCALANTE NATIONAL MONUMENT located in the  Boulder Loop District.  Is it any wonder this National Monument was recognized!

In the 12th position is CORAL PINK SAND DUNES STATE PARK located in the Under The Rim Area.  The beauty of the sand dunes is the perfect location for any alien like location.
Number 13 is the breath taking GLEN CANYON within the Capitol Reef National Park also in the Boulder Loop District.
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PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN AND THE MORMONS SHARE A RICH HISTORY

Bryon C. Andreason author of Looking For Lincoln in Illinois series has a new addition to his collection with his newly published book, Looking For Lincoln In Illinois; Lincoln And Mormon Country .  This new book introduces the rich history of the early Mormon leaders and Abraham Lincoln.  This edition contains over thirty amazing stories that connect President Lincoln with the Mormon community and members.

Lincoln and Mormon Country by Bryon C. Andreasen
Lincoln and Mormon Country by Bryon C. Andreasen

It is an honor for the Mormons and the Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area to be recognized by the Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition and the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area with the publication of Andreason’s latest addition to his popular series.

Andreason amply tells of the great generation of the nineteenth century pioneers and of the Latter-day Saints,  in Nauvoo to the state capital of Springfield.  Included in this publication are maps, historic photos, Mormon expeditions, descriptive battles, interesting events of his travels, the now famous inns in which Lincoln visited.   Also included in the edition are Brigham Young and various Mormon apostles of the time.
The book also includes colorful and engaging looks at key figures such as Brigham Young, various Mormon apostles, and more. Anyone inspired by Lincoln, as well as Mormon and Illinois history enthusiasts, will appreciate this look back at a long-past, but not forgotten, landscape.

 

Those with any interest in the history of the nineteenth century history, Abraham Lincoln, and Mormon history will sure be pleased with his latest publication.

Legends, Lore, & True Tales in Mormon Country Edited by Monte Bona
Legends, Lore, & True Tales in Mormon Country Edited by Monte Bona

There is another interest that the Looking For Lincoln and the Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area have in common, it is the recently published book Legends, Lore& True Tales In Mormon Country.  This insightful book was edited by Monte Bona, Director of the Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area.

It contains contributions from authors Christian Probasco, Steven J. Clark, Eileen Hallet Stone, James Nelson, Jack C. Billings, Ed Meyer, Jack Monnet, Jason Friedman, and Shirley Bahlmann. These gifted authors have brought to life the exciting life and times in the Mormon Country.

Interesting and beloved stories of Brigham Young, Hiram Bebee, Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid, Maude Adams, Chief Walkara, Chief Black Hawk , and Zane Grey’s ghost and numerous other stories. This book is a wonderful addition to your library, our family truly enjoys learning between myth or fact in our new home.

These books are a great Christmas gift for all that have an interest in the Mormon Country, and in President Abraham Lincoln.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First Annual Amazing Earthfest

DATE 05/09/2007 7:15 AM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89.

First Annual Amazing Earthfest
The First Annual Amazing Earthfest in “Dramatic” Southern UtahSouthern Utah’s Kane County

CONTACT: Cowboy Ted Hallisey 435-899-1102 Cowboyted8@aol.com

WEBSITE: www.amazingearthfest.com  or www.kaneutah.com
Alternate Contact/Coordinator: Rich Csenge 207-729-5825, jiw@gwi.net 

KANAB, Utah—Families and individuals from all fifty states and internationally are invited to celebrate the First Annual Amazing Earthfest Celebration, happening May 21-26, 2007 in Kanab, Utah. Here travelers will discover, learn from and celebrate national and state parks, national forests and public lands of the Colorado plateau located in Utah and Arizona.

Kanab plans to establish, host and support this broadly inclusive event each year in May, fostering education, scientific discovery and understanding, plus recreation and entertainment. The ultimate goal is to attract visitors from across the nation and abroad to Kane County, for the purpose of experiencing the National Parks and Public Lands that were recently described by Sunset Magazine as “dramatic.”

Visitors can choose from a wide variety of scheduled activities including: lectures and demonstrations, scientific and educational symposia, Native American and Pioneer cultural programs, guided backcountry trips, expeditions and musical performances. Additional activities include: exhibitions of visual arts, painting, sculpture, hand-made crafts, culinary delights and Pioneer history.

Scientific Presentations – Visiting scholars, scientists and staff from major regional educational institutions and the public land managing agencies will be invited to present on geology, ecology, biology, paleontology and archaeology, as well as land and resource management techniques. Programs are planned for a host of visitor centers in the area, as well as guided site visits and expeditions to remote locations in the region. Activities, exhibits, lectures and demonstrations will be designed to educate and inform local residents and visitors about the scientific discovery, study, history and natural wonders of Southern Utah and the Arizona Strip.

Creative Arts & Entertainment – Artists, musicians and storytellers will be on-hand to express their experience of the history, life and culture of the Intermountain West, through exhibitions, concerts and presentations, including competitions for prizes. Pioneer history and culinary arts will round out visitors’ enjoyment and the Tribe of the Colorado Plateau has been invited to participate.

Outdoor Recreation – Campers, hikers, horseback riders, cyclists, mountain bikers, climbers, road tourists and off-road vehicle enthusiasts are invited to make Southern Utah & Northern Arizona their destination for this springtime event; to engage in a favorite sport, while enjoying the welcoming hospitality of area service providers. OHVs are welcome on designated routes and trails.

Want a special treat? Hit the Arizona Strip and learn about the Condor Release Program.

Tentative Amazing Earthfest Participants ~ 2007

  • Best Friends Animal Society – bird display on site in Angel Canyon
  • Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park – nature walks
  • Glen Canyon National Recreation Area – Lake Powell events
  • Grand Canyon National Park – North Rim
  • Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument – Dinosaur talks and exhibits
  • Thunderbird Foundation for the Arts – Maynard Dixon Home
  • Pipe Spring National Monument – Native American and Pioneer food and lifestyle recreations & sampling

Also: Bryce Canyon National Park, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Dixie National Forest, East Zion Tourism Council, Kaibab National Forest, Kanab City, Kane County Office of Tourism, Kodachrome Basin State Park, Mormon Pioneer Heritage Highway, Page-Lake Powell, Utah Office of Tourism, and Zion National Park.

For more information on First Annual Amazing Earthfest Celebration please call Cowboy Ted Hallisey-435-899-1102 or Rich Csenge 207-729-5825.

# # #
For more information Contact:

Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

Fairview, Ephraim Gearing up for Snowmobile ‘State Ride’

DATE 02/21/2006 7:15 AM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89.

Fairview, Ephraim Gearing up for Snowmobile ‘State Ride’
Brian Howarth loves snowmobiling. He also enjoys helping to make a difference in people’s lives, especially children. On February 23 & 24, he will get the opportunity to combine his two loves by taking part in the Utah Snowmobile Association State Ride and Winter Festival being held in Ephraim and Fairview.“This is a great opportunity for the snowmobile community and our community to work together for a great cause,” says Howarth, president of the Skyline Sno-Riders, which is helping put on the event. The local club has twice been named “Snowmobile Club of the Year” by the Utah Snowmobiling Association and was awarded this honor for a third time again this year. In 2006 the Skyline Sno-Riders was the second-largest club in the state.

He added that people do not need to be a member of any snowmobiling club to attend the two-day event.

Highlights include an Ephraim Canyon Charity Fund Raising Ride and Poker Run Friday, Feb. 23, at 9 a.m. All proceeds raised will be given to the Utah Down Syndrome Foundation. Later that evening there will be a dinner and games at the Fairview Senior Citizen Hall.

On Saturday, Feb. 24, there will be snowmobile drag races starting at 8 a.m. near the Rodeo Grounds. The Fairview Canyon ride will begin at 9 a.m. at the canyon’s trail head. In addition, Fairview city will host vendors of outdoor equipment and an OHV Training class for 8 to 16 year olds Saturday afternoon. There will also be chilli “cook off” that afternoon and a Dutch Oven dinner and live entertainment open to the public at the Fairview Dance Hall that night.

In addition, the Skyline Sno-Riders Club will continue its “Operation Care Bear” tradition of collecting new stuffed bears to give to law enforcement agencies to pass on to children after an accident or other incident. Donations may be dropped off at local hospitals, city offices, sheriff’s office or county building. Last year 900 bears were given out to needy children.

The state ride and winter fest are expected to attract people from all over Utah and the inter mountain west. This is the third straight year that the Utah Snowmobiling Association has chosen to hold its “State Ride” in Fairview. “Simply put, it has some of the best riding in the entire country,” as stated in a recent four page article in “SnoWest” magazine, Howarth says.

Fairview also has a paved canyon road that leads to a trail head that provides access to more than 50 miles of trails to the north at Skyline Drive and some 30 miles to the south to Joe’s Valley. There is also a paved parking lot and warming shelters.

The great access, coupled with the great snow and diversity in the riding terrain made it a prime choice, Howarth says.

Howarth moved to Fairview from Utah County a few years ago and his entire family got involved in the Skyline Sno-Riders. The family also started several charity events tied to snowmobiling that have raised food and funds for the local food bank.

Howarth, his wife, Miko, his mother Darlene, and father, Clyde Mortensen, were also named the state’s top snowmobiling family of the year in 2004.

The Sno-Riders worked to establish a trailhead up Fairview Canyon; including putting in a paved parking lot, as well as a warming shelter located about 15 miles away from the trail entrance that is kept well-stocked throughout the season, which typically runs from December through April. During the off-season, the Sno-Riders also sponsors other events such as trail clean ups, an “adopt a highway” program and are also involved in working with the Forest Service to create another paved parking lot at the area know as “Big Drift” as well as enlarging the Skyline North parking lot next spring.

For information on the Feb. 23 & 24 rides, call Barbara Collard: 801-568-7000 (cell) or 801-254-6580. Reservations are required for the Saturday evening dinner at the Fairview Dance Hall as seating is limited. Cost is $19 per person. Call 435-427-3353 for reservations.

More information is also available online at www.skylinesno-riders.com and the Utah Snowmobile Association website at www.snowut.com or by phoning Brian at 435-427-3620 or by email, bhow@cut.net  or bhowarth@utah.gov.

http://www.skylinesno-riders.com  http://www.snowut.com

# # #
For more information Contact:Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

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