the mommy avenger

One of my favorite things to do in Utah has always been going to Snowbird. Whenever I would travel to Utah, it was always on my list of places I wanted to visit. Especially with raising our kids in New Jersey, where the “mountains” there were slightly rolling hills, I always loved my kids being able to see what real mountains were like.

Now that we have relocated, nothing has changed. I still love going to Snowbird. When we have visitors come to stay with us, I always tell them they have to go there, as well. I love that it is just unique to Utah.

For those that haven’t been before, Snowbird is a great spot to take your family, both in the winter and summer.  In the summer, you can take a tram to the top and overlook the gorgeous mountains and valleys. You can also take in some fun activities at the base of the mountain.  The great thing about Snowbird is that it is so close to the actual city.  A quick 20 minute drive and you are there!

To me, summer needs to include a visit to the top, where you can take in all the glorious sights from 11,000 ft at the summit of Hidden Peak.

We decided to make our pilgrimage to the top this summer, but I happened to pick a day that the Speedgoat Mountain Race was taking place at Snowbird. I’d never heard of this race before, but apparently, it is one of the hardest courses for the race that exists. It’s a 50k race that includes 11,400 feet of elevation gain. There are also other races going on at the same time with shorter distances. Mad respect goes out to these competitors! It is intense.

Our plan was to ride the tram to the top–it’s so gorgeous! You can see what it was like in this video coming down the peak. Brand new this year, the tram now has the option to ride on the balcony of the tram and get to experience the heights in the open air. My family would then go on to the outdoor activities at the base of the mountain after the ride. You can do ropes courses, alpine slides, zip lines and more, unlimited if you purchase the pass for the day. It’s a super fun way to spend a summer day.

I, however, thought it would be amazing to spend my time taking a leisurely stroll down the mountain after the tram had taken us up. I’d done it before and it was lovely . I have been recovering from foot reconstruction the last couple of years and didn’t feel I could climb up the mountain, but would be able to walk down.

You can go up to the top and stay a while.  There is a mountain top restaurant, paths for mountain biking to ride down or you can hike back down, and places to just take in the beauty all around you.  We love it up there. We enjoyed unsurpassed views of Utah and then we began our descent. Little did I know that I would find myself in the middle of the above mentioned Steepgoat race! The race had multiple starting points, but one portion of it began at the peak of the mountain, where the tram lets you off.

The normal paths were sectioned off on the mountain and I didn’t think much of it as racers were competing down the same trails I was traversing. Eventually, though, the rugged terrain was getting steeper and steeper and looking more and more unfamiliar. Walls of snow could be found that high up on the mountain, which was quite amazing to see on that 105 degree summer day. Nature was at her finest and the landscape did not disappoint for what I had hoped to see that day.

These competitors were going the same path as us and I really can’t explain to you how impressive these athletes were running up and down the mountainside. While I had walked down the mountain probably 20 years ago, it kept seeming to me that the way we were walking down was not the way I had gone before. No matter, we were definitely descending, but it was taking way longer than I would have thought and it was surprisingly hard to go downhill for me. There were many sections that were so steep I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to make it down. But I was doing it and that felt like a huge accomplishment after all my feet have been through. Looking at my watch though, it had been quite some time and we had gone a significantly further distance than what my memory told me we should have.

After about 3 hours, we finally reached a water station and found out that, yes, we had been going the wrong way the entire time! We had missed a turn that had been blocked off for the race that would have taken us directly to the base of the mountain! Instead, we had been on the 10K race the entire time! What had been intended to be a nice walk had turned into my first downhill, very rugged, and very steep 10K that I had no training for whatsoever! I was thrilled to reach the finish line as my calves could not have been any tighter going down at such a steep pitch! I felt elation and pride to have kept on the same difficult path as these trained athletes (albeit they ran and were much faster than I!) after having to learn to rewalk again this past year. It was tackling a mental and literal mountain and it felt amazing (once I was sitting back in my car again).

I loved being at the top of the mountain, but was so happy to be at the bottom with all the activities with my family. There are so many things to do for families of all ages. We took a lift to go ride the alpine slide, jump from a tower and ride mountain zip lines. While we were negotiating our way down the mountain, the rest of our family had been enjoying everything else Snowbird has to offer and loving the experience of it all.  It was really quite warm while we were there and being able to breathe in the mountain air and cool down a bit was a welcome reprieve. There was so much for everyone to enjoy here!

Utah has such a unique landscape, so being able to immerse yourself in nature and take in all the views is always a huge treat for us.  I can’t recommend this mountain resort enough to you. (I would, however, suggest that if you are going to walk down the mountain, you do it on a day the Speedgoat race isn’t happening so you don’t take a four mile arduous detour! But, if that is your thing, signs ups begin now for next year!) Your entire family will love it.  It’s a fantastic way to spend the day together.  To learn more about Snowbird, visit them online and plan your own visit.

^{*we were invited to visit Snowbird to facilitate a review, all opinions are my own.}