Yeah, it was an afternoon drive, but it was past...and through...ski areas. It was also to check out any snow remaining on Guardsman Pass for backcountry ski opportunities.
Guardsman Pass, topping out at 9,800 feet, is a summer-only road connecting Brighton and Park City. It was hot and sunny in the 90s as I climbed out of the Salt Lake Valley through Big Cottonwood Canyon, past a lush green Solitude ski area that looked nothing like the deep white cover high on neighboring Alta and Snowbird. I then hung a sharp left and started ascending Guardsman Pass.
I hadn't climbed more than a couple of switchbacks before two friendly locals stepped out to greet me (see first photo below). In fact, I'd see other similar locals no fewer than 3 times this afternoon. They obviously don't ticket for jaywalking around here.
Cresting Guardsman was disappointing, but only in the snow cover. The views each way -- back toward Solitude, and east out over the Heber Valley with the Uinta Mountains beyond -- were stunning. Unfortunately, however, there was little in the way of snow to convince me that the car access to 9,800 feet outweighed the snow cover at Alta and Snowbird for July turns.
Oddly, I now was driving well above the highest lift-served points of Park City Mountain and Deer Valley. In fact, the tiny hillock off to my left was actually the backside of Park City's Jupiter Peak. I drove down the east side of the pass, past the top stations of summit lifts. The road then dropped more steeply from the top of Deer Valley's Flagstaff Mountain as it criss-crossed trails and lifts en route to the resort's Empire Canyon Lodge, and down into Park City itself.
After a stop for suds at Wasatch Brewery, I made my way over to The Canyons. White Pine Canyon, at the resort's eastern end, is laced with roads accessing the palatial mansions of a development called The Colony. In fact, these roads reach nearly to the ridgeline, and I found myself actually well above the resort's gondola summit terminal. (A Google Earth depiction is also amongst the images below.) My drive took me past the bottom of the 9990 lift and higher still. The views were stupendous.
I then headed home on I-80, but my adventures weren't over yet. I was doing about 90 in a 65 zone after cresting Parley's Summit and dropping down toward Parley's Canyon when I noticed that I was in the process of passing a Utah state motorcycle trooper in the aforementioned situation. #-o I downshifted and hit the brakes, but sure enough...by the time we reached the Lamb's Canyon exit he pulled me over.
I already had my license and registration out by the time he walked up alongside my car. "Sorry, sir," I apologized, "you caught me daydreaming."
"Daydreaming, huh?" This guy wasn't in the mood for this.
He looked quizzically at my Florida driver's license and Utah registration. "We're in the process of moving here," I explained. "We're kinda back and forth right now. In fact, my wife is en route here right now."
"Oh, are you on your way to the airport to pick her up?" I swear that he half-smiled when he asked that question. I thought, maybe this guy isn't that cold after all.
"Ummmm...would it make a difference?" ;-) He actually almost laughed.
After running a check on my license he actually let me go. <whew!> 90 in a 65, and I somehow got off without a ticket. \
/
Guardsman Pass, topping out at 9,800 feet, is a summer-only road connecting Brighton and Park City. It was hot and sunny in the 90s as I climbed out of the Salt Lake Valley through Big Cottonwood Canyon, past a lush green Solitude ski area that looked nothing like the deep white cover high on neighboring Alta and Snowbird. I then hung a sharp left and started ascending Guardsman Pass.
I hadn't climbed more than a couple of switchbacks before two friendly locals stepped out to greet me (see first photo below). In fact, I'd see other similar locals no fewer than 3 times this afternoon. They obviously don't ticket for jaywalking around here.
Cresting Guardsman was disappointing, but only in the snow cover. The views each way -- back toward Solitude, and east out over the Heber Valley with the Uinta Mountains beyond -- were stunning. Unfortunately, however, there was little in the way of snow to convince me that the car access to 9,800 feet outweighed the snow cover at Alta and Snowbird for July turns.
Oddly, I now was driving well above the highest lift-served points of Park City Mountain and Deer Valley. In fact, the tiny hillock off to my left was actually the backside of Park City's Jupiter Peak. I drove down the east side of the pass, past the top stations of summit lifts. The road then dropped more steeply from the top of Deer Valley's Flagstaff Mountain as it criss-crossed trails and lifts en route to the resort's Empire Canyon Lodge, and down into Park City itself.
After a stop for suds at Wasatch Brewery, I made my way over to The Canyons. White Pine Canyon, at the resort's eastern end, is laced with roads accessing the palatial mansions of a development called The Colony. In fact, these roads reach nearly to the ridgeline, and I found myself actually well above the resort's gondola summit terminal. (A Google Earth depiction is also amongst the images below.) My drive took me past the bottom of the 9990 lift and higher still. The views were stupendous.
I then headed home on I-80, but my adventures weren't over yet. I was doing about 90 in a 65 zone after cresting Parley's Summit and dropping down toward Parley's Canyon when I noticed that I was in the process of passing a Utah state motorcycle trooper in the aforementioned situation. #-o I downshifted and hit the brakes, but sure enough...by the time we reached the Lamb's Canyon exit he pulled me over.
I already had my license and registration out by the time he walked up alongside my car. "Sorry, sir," I apologized, "you caught me daydreaming."
"Daydreaming, huh?" This guy wasn't in the mood for this.
He looked quizzically at my Florida driver's license and Utah registration. "We're in the process of moving here," I explained. "We're kinda back and forth right now. In fact, my wife is en route here right now."
"Oh, are you on your way to the airport to pick her up?" I swear that he half-smiled when he asked that question. I thought, maybe this guy isn't that cold after all.
"Ummmm...would it make a difference?" ;-) He actually almost laughed.
After running a check on my license he actually let me go. <whew!> 90 in a 65, and I somehow got off without a ticket. \
/Attachments
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09 canyons white pine 050701.jpg -
08 canyons 9990 050701.jpg -
07A canyons google earth.jpg -
07 guardsman beautiful views 050701.jpg -
06 guardsman flagstaff mt 050701.jpg -
05 guardsman ne bowl 050701.jpg -
04 gardsman summit pc 050701.jpg -
03 gardsman summit solitude 050701.jpg -
02 guardsman brighton 050701.jpg -
01 gardsman deer 050701.jpg