Skiers, Cowboys and Turkeys

Snow has started to accumulate on the Wasatch Mountains - a sure sign that skiing is just around the corner. Utah's resorts are planning to open early - many expect to be open with lifts carrying skiers by mid-November.

It looks like Mother Nature is cooperating. As I write this, a winter-like storm is blowing across Utah. The weatherman says our northern mountains may pick up a foot of new snow, and our major cities are getting dusted.

Weather conditions are still mild at lower elevations in southern Utah - this is one of the best times of year to hike, bike and otherwise explore Zion, Arches, Canyonlands and Capitol Reef national parks. Fall foliage is still vibrant in these scenic parks.

Bryce Canyon is located at a high elevation where conditions are difficult to predictable right now. The weather may be sunny and warm in the morning and a blizzard may blow in during the afternoon.

This is a wonderful time when it is possible to do almost anything. During mid-November you will probably be able to snow ski at Brian Head in the morning and water ski at Lake Powell or Sand Hollow Reservoir in the afternoon. And, of course, you can golf year-round on world-class courses in the St George area.

Meanwhile, fall festivals and events are taking place in many communities around Utah, and visitors are always welcome to attend. Watch our events listings for details.

Heber City's annual Cowboy Poetry Gathering and Buckaroo Fair is always a highlight. It will take place Nov 7-12. Its mission: "To promote the cowboy way of life through music, poetry and art..." It features some of the best Western entertainers in the country, including the Bar J Wranglers, Red Steagall, Michael Martin Murphey, the Sons Of The San Joaquin, and many others.

Thanksgiving Day is usually a quite time in Utah, where families gather to celebrate the holiday together. Lodges, resorts, restaurants and a few stores are open but most businesses will be closed. Restaurants offer special dinners, and some resorts offer a lodging/dinner package.

Store doors open wide on the day after Thanksgiving, welcoming the official start of the Christmas season. Stunning Christmas light displays will be turned on that evening at Temple Square, the Gallavin Center, the Gateway Mall, Thanksgiving Point and many other places around Salt Lake City and throughout the state.

Lodging accommodations at the ski resorts are now pretty much booked solid for the Christmas to New Years holiday period, but there are still great lodging choices in Salt Lake City, and in other communities that are just a few miles away from the ski runs.

The Sundance Film Festival draws huge crowds to Park City during mid-January, and lodging there is going fast for that time period. Better book now if you want to stay at Hollywood in the Mountains.

Let us help you plan a Utah vacation.

- Dave Webb

See our comprehensive events listing for upcoming activities.

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