November 25, 2008

Almost Heaven...Northern Utah

Posted to Northern Utah Recreation & Attractions

To steal a famous line from the much beloved John Denver, and change it to my favorite place on earth may seem incredibly cheeky of me. However, I do not think there is a better way to describe northern Utah. I do not think it is out of line to agree with the Mormon pioneers that crossed into this valley years ago and said, “This is the place!” Northern Utah is the place to be for so many reasons.

Let’s start with the weather. Many, who do not like snow may be thinking, wait just a minute, isn’t this the place that during the 2000 Winter Olympics became famous for having the “greatest snow on earth”?? That is correct, and that is no myth…Utah does have the greatest snow on earth and one only has to come and ski or snowboard on it to draw the same conclusion. However, if you do not like snow or cold…you do not care about that fact….you just want to know when it’s going to end. That is the good news about northern Utah. Seasons may vary slightly, but you can pretty much count on having four distinct seasons, which is the part I love.

I love the cold, snowy winter because it means skiing and other fun outdoor activities like sledding, building snowmen, snowball fights with my kids, riding snowmobiles, ice skating, ice fishing, etc. I also love warm toasty fires, hot chocolate and watching the snow drift slowly down outside early Christmas morning.

I also love the springtime in Utah that comes every year just like clockwork, and I have a greater appreciation for it, because it starts out small and wonderful with the first daffodils and tulips bursting up, blossoms on my apricot tree start to pop out, and the first sign of birds chirping in the tress being heard as you walk out to get the mail in the afternoon. Pretty soon after just a few warm days, the mountains and valleys, every street you drive down, every yard you pass has the glorious signs of spring in the air. Nothing compares to the feeling of renewal that spring brings…you can literally smell it in the air!

Pretty soon it warms up even more and the kids start getting antsy to get out of school. Utah has the best summers! It is nice and warm, 80 to 90 degrees during the day, but because we are considered high desert, it always cools down in the evening. There is absolutely no place better to hike, camp, or go fishing then northern Utah. The weather is just a wonderful invitation to get out there and enjoy the great outdoors in any way you see fit, whether that be hiking through the wilderness that this great state has in abundance, or just sitting out on the porch on a balmy summer evening sipping a glass of lemonade.

Now I know from pictures I have seen, the late John Denver probably could lay claim to the gorgeous fall foliage in his beloved West Virginia, but I am here to tell you that northern Utah’s autumn days are gorgeous and awe inspiring. Just imagine big majestic mountains that you look at every day ablaze with all the striking gold, red, brown and oranges of fall. There is an image that I always hold in my mind of the Wasatch Mountains that is actually in the fall, and the sun has just set out west over the Great Salt Lake. In this image, you turn from the sunset and look east at the mountains and the reflection of the sunset turns the earth of the mountains to this glorious dark purple color and seems to light up those autumn colors all over the mountainside. Add to this image standing in your yard gazing at this spectacular sight with the smell of a fire coming from the chimney of your house or your neighbor’s hearth, and leaves dancing in the breeze around your feet. Breathtaking!

Almost heaven describes northern Utah. It is truly where God took his scenic paint brush and got really creative. There is never a chance when you live here to get bored of a season, because just as you start to get restless and wish for change, it naturally occurs. Come home…to almost heaven…Northern Utah.

Posted By: Laura Wardrop