Vamoose Utah June 2019

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VOL.5 NO.4 • JUNE 2019

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ELUSIVE DESERT DWELLERS WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

OUR FAVORITE

TROUT RECIPE

June 2019 • Vamoose Utah | 1

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June 2019 • Vamoose Utah | 3

INSIDE

8 GONE WILD Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness is splendid isolation

BY KATHLEEN CURRY AND GEOFF GRIFFIN

14 WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE Sometimes wildlife is just outside our door

BY KATHLEEN CURRY AND GEOFF GRIFFIN

18 WHOO DERE? Tracy Aviary’s Owl Forest is filled with eyes

BY CHRIS VANOCUR

20 THE WILD UTAH PROJECT Taking a science-based approach to conservation

BY MEGAN WALSH

22 ROAM WITH A VIEW Checking in on the Mohave Desert tortoises

BY REBECCA CHAVEZ-HOUCK

26 OUT FOR TROUT Give your catch the campfire (and haute cuisine) treatment The Wave at Coyote Buttes Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness

28 CRYING ‘WOLF’ Utah doesn’t have any established wolf packs now, but that could change in time

BY KATHERINE PIOLI

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BOB WICK - BLM

BY CLAIRE MCARTHUR

June 2019 • Vamoose Utah | 5

VOL.5 NO.4 • JUNE 2019

CONTRIBUTORS

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PUBLISHER DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

EDITORIAL

EDITOR COPY EDITOR CONTRIBUTORS

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BUSINESS/OFFICE

ASSOCIATE BUSINESS MANAGER OFFICE ADMINISTRATORS TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

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John Saltas Pete Saltas

Jerre Wroble Claire McArthur Rebecca Chavez-Houck, Kathleen Curry, Geoff Griffin, Claire McArthur, Katherine Pioli, Chris Vanocur, Megan Walsh

Claire McArthur spends most of her day thinking about food. If she’s not out in the mountains looking for edible plants with her dog and camera, she’s probably in the kitchen making jam or pickling something. Find her on Instagram at @claire__mcarthur.

Sofia Cifuentes Sean Hair, Chelsea Neider

Paula Saltas David Adamson, Samantha Herzog Bryan Mannos

Samantha Smith Anna Kaser

Eric Granato

Jennifer Van Grevenhof Kyle Kennedy Anna Papadakis Doug Kruithof, Kathy Mueller Katie Goss, Mieka Sawatzki

Chris Vanocur is a freelance writer and journalist living in Salt Lake. A recipient of both the Peabody and duPont-Columbia University awards, his writing and photography have appeared in a number of publications.

On the cover: California condors at Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs National Monument Photo by George Andrejko/U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Distributed free of charge throughout the Wasatch Front while supplies last.

Additional copies of Vamoose Utah are available at the Vamoose offices: 248 S. Main, Salt Lake City, UT 84101, 801-575-7003

Editorial contact: Editor@vamooseutah.com Advertising contact: Sales@vamooseutah.com COPPERFIELD PUBLISHING, INC • COPYRIGHT 2019 • ALL RIGHTS RESERVED @vamooseutah

6 | Vamoose Utah • June 2019

@vamooseutah

@vamooseutah

Megan Walsh dreams of one day being a professional recreationalist and welcomes any and all tips on how to get there. In addition to conquering mountains, you can find her drinking coffee and typing away at her computer—or watching Netflix.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

BLM

Gila monster Red Cliffs National Conservation Area

T

here is a world that parallels our own. The one where wild things live and truly inhabit the land, foraging for food on Utah’s soils, drinking from rivers and streams, sheltering in shady nooks, crannies and forests, mindless of humans.

Our encounters with these beings tend to be infrequent. That is how they seem to prefer it. Animals in the wild possess a well-founded aversion to humanity that’s key to their survival.

Between our sprawling cities and farms, speeding vehicles, diesel-belching heavy equipment, terrain-destroying extraction industries, human-caused wildfires and even the occasional fishhook and bullet, we humans tend to be the Godzillas of their existence. At least from their perspective. Ah well, we can’t all be St. Francis of Assisi.

But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to be. Seeing wild animals, great and small, in their native habitat, pulls us into the moment. We feel lucky to catch a glimpse of them, honored that they showed themselves to us. There’s often a surge of endorphins and even adrenalin—especially if they take notice of you and seem agitated—so keep a respectful distance.

Why not start looking for wildlife with the Rocky Mountain elk, aka the Utah State Animal? Writers Geoff Griffin and Kathleen Curry write about nearby places to view local wildlife. Hardware Ranch near Logan is just the place check out these magnificent herd animals.

In Weekend Warrior, Griffin and Curry detail the awe-inspiring adventure of hiking in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness of Southern Utah and northern Arizona. Not only is this stretch of desert terrain home to fascinating wildlife—in-

cluding the California condor on the cover of this issue—but if your timing is right, you can experience the dramatic rock formation known as the Wave.

How about communing with our state bird, the California seagull—you know, those feathered friends that saved Utah pioneers in 1848 by gobbling up swarms of crop-destroying crickets? These white-breasted birds grace the shores of the Great Salt Lake while our state fish, the Bonneville Cutthroat Trout, a vital protein source for both Native Americans and settlers, can be found in many of the fast-moving rivers and streams that terminate in the Bonneville Basin. Helping you know how to best prepare a skillet of fresh trout is writer Claire McArthur, who, in her Backcountry Chef feature, acquired cooking tips and techniques from Park City Culinary Institute’s chef Derek Gherkins.

In this issue, Rebecca Chavez-Houck writes about the camera-shy desert tortoises of Southern Utah while Chris Vanocur reflects on his spirit animal and Owl Forest of Tracy Aviary.

Katherine Pioli ponders a future where we might once again hear the howl of the wolf in Utah while Megan Walsh highlights The Wild Utah Project, an organization that does community-based research to plot the future of wildlife species such as the boreal toad, the black rosy-finch and the beaver.

Most of us know little about our wild neighbors. They keep to themselves. But they have much to show us about how to exist in relative harmony with the land, the elements and other species.

So, get out there to where they live. Your spirit animal awaits.

—Jerre Wroble June 2019 • Vamoose Utah | 7

GONE WILD

WEEKEND WARRIOR

BOB WICK - BLM

Hiking the Paria CanyonVermilion Cliffs Wilderness

Exploring the splendid isolation of Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness

BY KATHLEEN CURRY AND GEOFF GRIFFIN

O

ne way—perhaps the best way—to see Utah birds, animals and fish is to visit the places in which they live. Utah’s 31 national wilderness areas allow wildlife to exist at its most wild. Signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, The Wilderness Act of 1964 set aside more than 109 million acres in 760 areas throughout the nation to be preserved as pristinely as possible.

“If future generations are to remember us with gratitude rather than contempt,” President Johnson said, “we must leave them a glimpse of the world as it was in the beginning, not just after we got through with it.”

National wilderness areas in Utah are, in essence, fragile ecosystems hosting wildlife that often cannot be observed elsewhere. The lands also have the advantage of flying under the radar when compared with popular national and state parks that tend to be more crowded. To visit, you often need to travel by foot or horseback to avoid creating the noise or commotion of motorized recreation.

One of most beautiful national wilderness areas in Utah is the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness, found along the Utah-Arizona border. Its 112,500 acres are well-known for vistas of brilliant multicolored walls and waves of sandstone, but it’s also a place to find abundant wildlife. Visitors can observe birds—including golden and bald eagles, mammals such as the 8 | Vamoose Utah • June 2019

desert bighorn sheep and reptiles like the desert spiny lizard.

A great way to experience Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs is to create a weekend trip based in nearby Kanab, which sits just inside the Utah border. Kanab is also popular for those wanting to visit or volunteer at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, an experience we’ve covered in “Southern Comfort” in our December 2018 issue. Our focus in this issue is to look for wild beings on their own turf.

Desert bighorn sheep

Thursday

••••

BOB WICK - BLM

Vermilion Cliffs vistas

AFTERNOON Salt Lake City to Kanab

The drive to Kanab from Salt Lake City is just over 300 miles, so plan on roughly a 4½-hour drive. Take Interstate 15 south out of Salt Lake past Beaver and then take Exit 95 onto Utah State Route 20. That road connects with U.S. Route 89, a road that winds south into Kanab. Once on U.S. 89, before arriving in Kanab, a dinner stop in the town of Panguitch will not disappoint. Located in a historic building, the Cowboy’s Smokehouse Cafe (95 N. Main St., Panguitch, 435-676-8030, TheCowboySmokehouse. com) is a family-owned barbecue spot that, since 1993, has been serving up platters of mouth-watering Texas-style barbecue with sides. Also on the menu is a 24-ounce Porterhouse steak and fresh rainbow trout.

NIGHT Kanab

In the mid-20th century, Kanab served as a location for many Western movies. To house the crews, a handful of motor lodges were constructed, which at that time, were the height of modern luxury travel. Decades later, several of these lodges have been restored to 21st-century standards along with amenities of the modern world. Two favorites include The Flagstone Boutique Inn & Suites (223 W. Center St., Kanab, 844-3228824, TheFlagstoneInn.com), with fully equipped kitchens, and Quail Park Lodge (125 N. 300 West, Kanab, 435-215-1447, QuailParkLodge.com), featuring an outdoor swimming pool and outdoor seating that exposes guests to cool breezes on a summer evening.

SKEEZE

KALDARI

Desert spiny lizard

Golden eagle

June 2019 • Vamoose Utah | 9

Friday

Buckskin Gulch, one of the longest slot canyons in the world

BOB WICK - BLM

••••

MORNING Kanab to Paria Canyon

Kanab Creek Bakery (238 W. Center St., Kanab, 435-644-5689, KanabCreekBakery.com) opens at 6:30 a.m. for croissants and baguettes made by a genuine Belgian baker named Marjorie Casse.

She wanted to bring the food and feel of classic European patisseries to the beautiful landscapes of Southern Utah. If you’re craving more than pastries, check out the brunch menu that features quiche, crêpes and a “Croque Hawaii”—a croque monsieur with pineapple.

After breakfast, it’s time to head east of Kanab on U.S. 89 for about 40 miles to Paria Canyon (435-688-3200, BLM.gov/visit/ paria-canyon-vermilion-cliffs-wilderness) where you’ll see signs to the White House Trailhead Road. Once you arrive at the trailhead, you’ll find a hiking “trail” that winds back and forth through the canyon’s river, so bring appropriate shoes and clothes. For a shorter, less-strenuous hike, trek about 4 miles following the river, then turn and head back for a round trip of 8 miles. If you want something more challenging, keep going after the fourth mile as the river creates an ever-deepening slot canyon. While this part is more difficult, it can be more rewarding as the sandstone walls rise higher and higher above the river.

At about 7 miles in, Paria Canyon merges with Buckskin Gulch, a dark narrow canyon that extends for nearly 13 miles and is said to be one of the longest slot canyons in the world. Hiking the gulch is often part of a two-day canyoneering and backpacking adventure.

However, for day hikers, reaching the gulch means it’s a good time to turn back, resulting in a 14-mile hike.

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There are several things to consider when visiting any national wilderness area. Visitors need to bring their own water and have a plan for disposing of human waste. There will not be staff on hand to assist or give information the way there would be in a national or state park. Cellphone service is not dependable, so you should have your own maps for navigating.

When it comes to traveling in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs region specifically, note that during the summer months, the temperatures can be hot, and the beautiful rock canyons don’t offer much shade. It’s also important to check the weather before venturing out. Rainstorms, particularly during dry months, can cause flash flooding in Utah slot canyons.

While we are suggesting day hikes for this itinerary, keep in mind that multiple-day backpacking trips can be planned from one canyon to another. The number of people allowed to camp overnight in the area is limited, so check with the Bureau of Land Management to determine if a permit is required.

NIGHT Kanab

Upon returning to Kanab after a day of hiking, fill up at Escobar’s Mexican Restaurant (373 E. 300 South, Kanab, 435-644-3739).

It’s one of those classic Mexican restaurants where, when you ask your server for recommendations, they say, “One of everything.” Get a platter and mix it up with a chicken enchilada, pork burrito and shredded beef taco along with rice and beans and complimentary chips and salsa.

Saturday

••••

BOB WICK - BLM

California condors were reintroduced at Vermilion Cliffs in 1996

One of the ways to get a sense of Kanab’s Western history and tradition is to grab breakfast at Houston’s Trail’s End Restaurant (32 E. Center St., Kanab, 435-644-2488, Houstons.net), which opened in 1945 and has been owned by the same family since 1975. The breakfast menu includes pancakes, French toast and three-egg omelets, but the place is best known for “Bob’s country gravy.” They make 10 gallons of the stuff every day (seriously) and serve it on breakfast biscuits, among other items.

After breakfast, opt to return to Buckskin Gulch, which you caught a glimpse of on Friday. Head east on U.S. 89 again, but this time turn off on House Rock Road between mileposts 25 and 26. (Note: House Rock Road, while unpaved, is normally passable by passenger cars when dry, but you’ll need 4WD if the road is wet.) Take House Rock Road for 8.4 miles to the Wire Pass parking area and trailhead. From the trailhead, it’s a 1¾mile walk to reach Buckskin Gulch.

The gulch’s sandstone walls gradually grow taller while the hiking trail gets narrower, making this more difficult hiking terrain than you experienced in Paria Canyon. Apply the same rules, though, for hiking, including staying out of the heat and being aware of potential rain. For a day hike, follow the 12-mile gulch as far as you wish before turning back.

Along the way, keep an eye out for wildlife, including California condors that were bred and released in 1996 in an attempt to reintroduce them to the wild.

Sidewinder rattlenake

JOHN KELLAM

MORNING Kanab to Buckskin Gulch

NIGHT Kanab

Following your hikes in the wilderness, you’ve more than earned a carbo-load. But this isn’t just any run-of-the-mill dinner stop.

Vermillion 45 (210 S. 100 East, Kanab, 435-644-3300, Vermillion45.com) serves slow-cooked, homestyle French, Belgian and Italian dishes as well as nouvelle cuisine, fresh seafood and steaks in a casual bistro setting. Beer, cocktails and wine by the glass are also available. Highlights from the dinner menu include sea scallop risotto and gnocchi served with meatballs.

June 2019 • Vamoose Utah | 11

••••

Sunday

BOB WICK - BLM

Coyote Buttes North, known as The Wave

MORNING Kanab to Coyote Buttes North (The Wave)

At this point, you may be asking, “What about The Wave?” as it’s the most well-known attraction in the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness. Coyote Buttes North, aka The Wave, is a surreal landscape that appears to be a sea of rolling red waves, but is, in fact, beautifully multicolored, layered rock.

Catching The Wave requires first getting a permit. Coyote Buttes North has become so popular that the BLM now limits the number of visitors to 20 per day. Ten of those spots go to those who apply online in advance in a BLM lottery. Chances of winning the online lottery range from around 4% for the peak months up to 25% for winter months.

Getting one of the other 10 daily spots requires stopping at the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Visitor Center (745 E. U.S. 89, Kanab, 435644-1300, BLM.gov) the day before you want to hike to sign up for a walk-in permit. If more than 10 people apply, a drawing is held. There are intricate rules for getting these spots, which you can learn about at BLM.gov or by calling the visitors center.

The hike itself is about 6 miles round-trip and will take about five hours.

Wire Pass Trailhead—about 40 miles east from Kanab, which you took to access Buckskin Gulch—is also the most recommended access point for Coyote Buttes North.

While it can be difficult to get a permit for Coyote Buttes North, there is also Coyote Buttes South. Entrance to these beautiful rock formations and coves is also limited to 20 people per day and has an online lottery and walk-in drawing held at the same visitor center in Kanab. However, permits to Coyote Buttes South are generally easier to obtain. Both are remote wilderness areas and, to reach trailheads, vehicles with high-clearance 2WD or 4WD are strongly recommended.

12 | Vamoose Utah • June 2019

AFTERNOON Coyote Buttes North to SLC

Heading north on U.S. 89 en route to SLC, you’ll pass through the town of Orderville, about 24 miles away from the trailhead. When you’re driving on a two-lane highway through rural Utah, you probably aren’t expecting to see a German bakery sitting alongside the road. Therefore, you could be surprised to see a large, modern building with a sign that says Forscher German Bakery and Café (110 N. State, Orderville, 435-6483040, ForscherGermanBakery.com) Once you get over your initial shock, pull over and venture inside to taste German rolls, breads and pastries. Or enjoy breakfast dishes, sandwiches and German beers. Note that Forscher is generally closed November through March. !!!

Now that your desert journey has ended, we hope you kept a list of the wildlife you may have glimpsed: bighorn sheep, falcon, mice, fish, deer, owl, frogs, lizards, scorpions or rattlesnakes, perhaps? Don’t forget native insects and spiders, as in the black widow, centipede, flies, gnats, ants and, yes, even the tarantula. All of these creatures manage to co-exist upon these delicate lands, a thought worth pondering while trekking a lonely desert trail.

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Katie O’Neil, REALTOR® katie@urbanutah.com 781.799.0473 @bohemianutah bohemianutah.com June 2019 • Vamoose Utah | 13

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

SOMETIMES WILDLIFE IS JUST OUTSIDE OUR DOOR

BY KATHLEEN CURRY & GEOFF GRIFFIN

W

hether venturing to the far corners of Utah, or just taking a short drive from the urban Wasatch Front, those wishing to view wildlife have a variety of options. More distant national parks or wilderness areas can offer wonderful

opportunities to see birds, fish and mammals, but you can also find numerous options within 100 miles of Salt Lake City. Here are four to check out:

Antelope Island State Park Twelve bison were brought to Antelope Island in 1893. More than a century later, the free-ranging herd is now 550-700 strong and can be seen throughout the island. The year 2019 marks Antelope Island’s 50th year as a state park, and to celebrate, they’ve created the “50 Miles for 50 Years Challenge.”

Whether hiking, biking or driving, you’re likely to encounter bison on a 50-mile journey around the island.

For a close look at the bison, mark your calendar for Oct. 26, 2019, to attend the annual Bison Roundup. Get there early and go to the White Rock Bay viewing area. Between about 10 a.m and 2 p.m., the herd passes by the area to go to corrals where they will be counted and evaluated. It will also be a place for education, activities and food.

DIRECTIONS: Located west of Syracuse, 41 miles from downtown SLC. Travel north on Interstate 15, take Exit 332 and drive west on Antelope Drive to the park entrance gate.

The park is 7 miles west of the entrance gate across the Davis County Causeway. For more info, visit StateParks.utah. gov/parks/antelope-island

Hardware Ranch Wildlife Management Area A giant meadow located about 15 miles east of the town of Hyrum in northern Utah is a spot where the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources does two things to help maintain a habitat for the Rocky Mountain elk. During the summer, the meadow at Hardware Ranch is a place to grow about 300 tons of grass hay. During the winter, wild elk are fed that hay and guests can watch from a visitor center with 180-degree views of the meadow.

The annual Elk Festival, generally held in early December (check the Elk Festival Facebook page), kicks off the start of the season. The list of activities includes elk-calling lessons and con-

14 | Vamoose Utah • June 2019

tests. Winter is also the time to take a wagon ride through Hardware Ranch to get a closer view of these gigantic animals.

DIRECTIONS: Located east of Hyrum, 95 miles from downtown SLC. Travel north on I-15 to the Brigham City/Logan exit and take U.S. 89/91 for 17 miles over Sardine Canyon into Cache Valley. Turn right (east) at the Wellsville light onto State Road 101.

Follow the State Road 101 signs and the Hardware Ranch WMA signs through the city of Hyrum and up Blacksmith Fork Canyon. Hardware Ranch WMA is at the end of the road, about 18 miles up the canyon and 22 miles from the light in Wellsville. For more information, phone 435-753-6168 or visit Wildlife.utah. gov/discover/hardware-ranch.html

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Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter This 1,200-acre nature preserve is conveniently located just off Interstate 80 after taking the Kimball Junction exit to Park City. A program of Utah State University Extension, Swaner offers 10 miles of trails to explore while experiencing a wetland ecosystem either on your own or as part of a tour. Depending on the time of year, hikers might see elk or nesting sandhill cranes along with many species of birds. After experiencing the outdoor preserve, there’s more to learn at the indoor visitors center, where exhibits, shows and even live animals can take the experience to a new level.

DIRECTIONS: Located in Newpark Town Center near Park City, 25 miles from downtown SLC. Travel east on I-80 and take Exit 145. Continue south on UT-224 and take West Ute Boulevard to Highland Drive. Turn right, then left, then right toward North Park Lane. For more information, phone 435-649-1767 or visit Swaner.Ecocenter.org

Rock Cliff Recreation Area Rock Cliff sits on the eastern shore of Jordanelle Reservoir, part of Jordanelle State Park. While Jordanelle Reservoir is a popular draw for boaters and other water recreationists, the Rock Cliff area is a place where visitors can get a more upclose view of what makes up this ecosystem.

Open during the summer, the Rock Cliff Nature Center is a place to learn about the area’s wildlife through a series of interactive exhibits. Outside the center, an elevated boardwalk lets guests move through the wetland and view where the Provo River enters Jordanelle Reservoir. Wada Way, Keetley Loop and Three Rocks Trail are all under 2 miles and can be hiked or biked. For a more challenging adventure, try the Perimeter Trail that runs 15½ miles from Rock Cliff to Crandall Point.

More than 200 species of birds and mammals can be found

16 | Vamoose Utah • June 2019

around Rock Cliff, including golden eagles, hummingbirds, deer and moose.

DIRECTIONS: Located near Heber, 50 miles from downtown SLC. Travel north of Heber on U.S. Route 40 to the junction with Utah State Route 32, then follow UT-32 toward Francis. Rock Cliff is on the left side of the highway about 2 miles west of Francis. For more information, visit StateParks.utah.gov/parks/jordanelle

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June 2019 • Vamoose Utah | 17

WHOO DERE? Tracy Aviary’s Owl Forest is filled with eyes

BY CHRIS VANOCUR

T

he great gray owl is my spirit animal. If you happen to be an ornithologist, you would know it by its scientific name, Strix nebulosa. But if you’re a birdbrain like me, you might prefer its nickname, the great gray ghost.

I first saw this magnificent creature in an exquisite documentary called The Frozen Planet. The owl appeared majestically in slow motion, flying through a snowstorm straight at the camera.

I couldn’t take my eyes off its fabulous flat face, its piercing yellow eyes and its enormous wingspan. Its ferocious intensity and rugged good looks immediately captivated me. I knew this owl, and I shared more than a similar personality and characteristics.

We were, in fact, two birds of a feather.

In the years since, word of my fascination with owls has spread far and wide. Facebook friends now thoughtfully send me any and all owl pictures and videos. One pal even mailed a postcard addressed to Chris “Vanowlcur.” It was this love and respect for owls that brought me to Salt Lake City’s Tracy Aviary this past spring. The minute I learned the aviary had an Owl Forest, I knew it would be a hoot to visit.

It’s not just because Tracy Aviary is said to be the largest and oldest of only two free-standing aviaries in the United States.

Hidden in the aviary’s grove of 100 native conifers are nine species of owls and more than a dozen of these birds in total. But if

you visit, be forewarned: Owls aren’t the most social of creatures (another reason I like them). Most are nocturnal and try to camouflage or hide themselves during the day.

They are also serious hunters. Upon entering the aviary’s forest, I was a bit taken aback to see a sign saying, “Owls are silent predators with very sensitive hearing.” I learned this firsthand when I made a slight noise getting my camera out of my backpack. Suddenly, several owls looked at me like I might be dinner.

But despite the intimidating personas of owls, their forest is one of the aviary’s most popular exhibits. Some of these hooters, known on the aviary’s website as “celebirdies,”even take part in the bird shows there.

But what one will not find in this forest is a great gray owl.

Tracy Aviary’s lead aviculturist Fred Kromm told me that, in the past, they’ve had some of these large owls—the world’s largest species of owl, in fact—but the great gray ghosts are northern birds and don’t do well in the hotter, more southern climates.

While this could have been disappointing news, I was relieved my spirit animal wasn’t there. It’s like that old adage that you should never meet your heroes. In real life, they might appear to be merely mortal.

Also, I don’t know how I would have felt seeing a great grey ghost in captivity. I once had a chance to see one in a Japanese owl

18 | Vamoose Utah • June 2019

CHRIS TEREZAVANOCUR HOUDOVÁ

CHRIS VANOCUR

The great gray owl, while not a Tracy Aviary resident, is the author’s spirit animal.

bar (yes, they really exist there), but I decided not to go in. I was worried it might make me sad to see my spirit animal plopped up on a bar stool, nursing whatever alcoholic spirit owls drink.

The great gray owl is, after all, a noble-looking creature and somewhat rare. I’ve even heard it called the George Clooney of owls because of its distinguished appearance. So, while I quite enjoyed my time in the aviary’s Owl Forest, I don’t know if I would have liked seeing George Clooney in a cage eating mice and rats.

Now, because I am part owl, I wondered if I might get some special recognition from the other owls there. A nod of the head or a wink. They mostly ignored me. Except—just as I was leaving the forest—I got the feeling I was being watched. I turned my head slowly to the right and caught a barn owl staring straight at me. While my heart will always belong to the great gray ghost,

Barn owl munching on a mouse

CHRIS VANOCUR

Burrowing owl

CHRIS VANOCUR

the barn owl is also kind of a badass bird. Lightly colored with inscrutable expressions, these owls are dripping with intrigue and, perhaps, even a hint of danger. In fact, no sooner had this barn owl and I locked eyes, then suddenly it bolted off its perch and flew directly at me. Luckily, the cage stopped this barn bad boy from attacking. Although initially startled, I actually admired this owl’s spirit. It knew a Vanowlcur was lurking nearby and was determined to protect its turf.

Maybe birds of a feather don’t always flock together.

Tracy Aviary Owl Forest Liberty Park 589 E. 1300 South Salt Lake City 801-596-8500 TracyAviary.org

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BEFORE THEY VANISH

The Wild Utah Project takes a science-based approach to conservation

BY MEGAN WALSH

T

hose of us in Salt Lake City who love the outdoors are spoiled. Living snugly beside the mighty Wasatch Range, we see wildlife in our neighborhoods and jog across ecologically diverse lands before or after work, not fully realizing that this is not the norm in most American cities.

Because we’re so close to the land and its recreational opportunities, organizations that support conservation and protect wildlife and the wilderness have become integral members of our community, with many working toward easing the strain between human development and the environment.

It’s not an easy job. In our current political climate, long-standing environmental policies and protections are under attack. If the fight over Bears Ears National Monument is any indication, Utahns who recreate on public lands will see dramatic shifts in national legislation and policies. Yet, despite political threats and shifting sands, Utah organizations and nonprofits continue to champion their environmental causes.

Take the Wild Utah Project (WildUtahProject.org), for example. The organization provides nonprofits and public agencies with research and mapping services to promote conservation.

Through grant-funded studies and partnerships, Wild Utah’s team of conservation biologists gather data across the state and study the effects of development, recreation and climate change on wildlife species such as the boreal toad, black rosy-finch and beavers.

Allison Jones, executive director of the Wild Utah Project

WILD UTAH PROJECT

How rosy is the future of the black rosy-finch?

WILD UTAH PROJECT

20 | Vamoose Utah • June 2019

“Wildlife are in a tricky spot in Utah right now,” Allison Jones, executive director of the Wild Utah Project, says, “and it’s only going to get worse.” Jones began her tenure at the Wild Utah Project in 1999 as a conservation biologist. In that time, she’s seen the decline of the boreal toad population.

Boreal toads used to be common along the Rockies, from northern New Mexico to British Columbia, and then farther north into Alaska. They thrive in wet alpine environments such as the high-elevation streams of the Wasatch. One reason for their decline may be due to the chytrid fungus, which causes a skin disease in many species of amphibians. Another reason could be loss of habitat.

Jones explains that boreal toads are an indicator species and their decline in the otherwise ideal habitat of the Wasatch has implications for all of us in the Salt Lake Valley.

“We have an exploding [human] population on the Wasatch Front,” she says. Not only that, but the impacts of climate change are both frightening and hard to model. “History is no longer a predictor of the future.”

This is also the case of the black rosy-finch whose buzzy-sounding call, or chew, echoes across the high-alpine peaks of Mount Baldy and Olympus. Prior to Wild Utah’s new project, the future of this species was difficult to plot due to a lack of data.

“They might be impacted by climate change,” Jones says, referring to the warming of high alpine environments that the black

More data is needed to know why Utah’s boreal toads are in decline

DIANE MENUZ, UTAH WILD PROJECT

SKEEZE

Wild Utah works to restore stream and riparian habitats, even building human-made beaver dams, in hopes that beaver can return where it is feasible to do so

rosy-finch needs to survive, but a lack of information prevents scientists from knowing how far-reaching those impacts may be.

High-altitude environments aren’t the only impacted areas.

Wild Utah’s most recent project—in conjunction with several other groups, is the Wasatch Wildlife Watch, which gathers data from 200 camera stations along the upper Salt Lake valley, foothills and Central Wasatch Mountains to determine the “presence or absence of species, abundance and distribution, movement corridors and pinch points for wildlife in the Wasatch,” Jones says. With this data, Wild Utah Project will use geographic-information-system (GIS) mapping to overlay the anthropogenic impacts across the Wasatch.

“What is it about human presence in the foothills where species suddenly disappear?” Jones asks. “Is it recreation? Housing?

Roads?” Data collected from the Wasatch Wildlife Watch will increase knowledge about human impacts on the Uinta-WasatchCache National Forest and will be used by the Central Wasatch

Commission, Little Cottonwood Canyon and the Forest Service for travel planning, trail improvements and environmental planning after each season of collecting data.

Wild Utah Project funds its share of the Wasatch Wildlife Watch using general operating grants, but the project wouldn’t be possible without the work of a driven University of Utah Ph.D. candidate, Austin Green, and an army of volunteers. In fact, it’s the volunteers who help collect the massive amount of data required for Green to interpret and present as his thesis on how development affects mammals along the Wasatch Front.

So why does Jones remain optimistic in the face of a changing climate and human impacts on fragile environments? “Everyone in nonprofit conservation groups [and] federal and state agencies have their nose to the ground,” she says. “We’re all doing the best we can with the tools we have.”

She believes that upcoming generations will get a clue before it’s too late. “I think there’s a glimmer of hope,” she says.

June 2019 • Vamoose Utah | 21

Roam With a View

U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE - USFWS

Mountain-Prairie at Red Cliffs Desert Tortoise Reserve

Checking in on the Mohave Desert tortoises

Outreach coordinator Lura Snow shows off a tortoise egg

22 | Vamoose Utah • June 2019

Deserttortoise hatchling

K. KRISTINA DRAKE, USGS.

very spring, we pull our RV View out of storage, clear the antifreeze out of its water lines and load up our linens and food. We feel like we’ve come out of hibernation.

Spring is also the time when the Mojave Desert tortoises ease out of their burrows and start making their way through the red sands of southwestern Utah and southeastern Nevada in search of food and mates. They hibernate for up to nine months each year and become most active from March to June and September to October. While we didn’t see any in the wild during a trip to Phoenix this past spring, we took some time to learn more about them and their habitat by stopping at Red Cliffs Desert Reserve Visitor Center (10 N. 100 East, St. George, 435-634-5759, RedCliffsDesertReserve.com).

I can’t count the times we’ve driven through St. George, yet we’ve never known of or visited the center. We were fortunate to catch outreach coordinator Lura Snow when we were there, and she introduced us to the three tortoises who make the center their home: Tank, Shelly and Sid. At age 50, Tank is the senior of the three and easy to spot in the first exhibit just inside the interpretive center’s entrance. Shelly and Sid, each around 10 years old, were a bit more elusive, but we were able to see them, too.

The 62,000-acre reserve was established in 1996 to protect the desert tortoise and other delicate plants and wildlife (including the venomous Gila monster). It is located at the convergence of three regional ecosystems: the Great Basin, Colorado Plateau and Mojave Desert. Before exploring the area, look over the reserve’s informative website (and download their detailed brochure).

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The mining community of Copperfield was set in world famous Bingham Canyon, high in the Oquirrh Mountains. In 1906, the Saltas family joined those Copperfield residents in the steep hillside, shanty area, called Greek Camp.

Copperfield was home to thousands of melting pot immigrants including Greeks, Japanese, Mexicans, Germans, Swedes, Brits and many other ethnicities all bound to common American values of family, faith, education, hard work and community. They shared many good times, often tempered by the frequent bad times derived of dangerous mining work.

Copperfield is now gone, scraped away by mining.

But the Copperfield spirit remains alive in everything we do, from newspapers and magazines to events and digital services. We work hard for each other and

for the large communities of readers—online and in print—who value honesty and stories told well.

We will keep telling stories—your stories—as long as people keep reading. And wouldn’t it be a shame if they didn’t read? We don’t think that will happen, so meanwhile, turn a page, or many pages, in one of Copperfield Publishing’s growing catalog of Utah award-winning publications.

We bring you the Best of Utah every day, every week. every month. including our newest product, the on you are reading now, We Are Utah. With this issue, discover that behind every great Utahn or super buisness is a beating heart that is connected in some way to all the rest of us. Their stories are you stories. We are all the community of Utah. Enjoy.  John Saltas Founder June 2019 • Vamoose Utah | 23

Red Cliffs Desert Reserve map at the Chuckwalla Trailhead

24 | Vamoose Utah • June 2019

REBECCA CHAVEZ-HOUCK

Depending on the time of year you visit, you might get lucky and see tortoises along the Turtle Wall Trail, but Snow cautions to avoid startling them. If they are caught by surprise, they are prone to voiding their bladders and that could lead to dehydration or death.

We also took a quick walk starting at the Chuckwalla Trailhead (located on UT-18, just north of the Red Hills/Snow Canyon Parkway) and found a large group of folks of all ages rock climbing there.

Another place to see wildlife in the area, especially osprey and eagles, Snow says, is Enterprise Reservoir in Dixie National Forest, a little over an hour’s drive north of St. George via Utah State Route 18.

After visiting the reserve, we spent our first night in Snow Canyon State Park (1002 N. Snow Canyon Drive, Ivins, 435628-2255, StateParks.utah.gov/parks/snow-canyon), having grabbed the last reservation available. Unfortunately, it wasn’t Site 19, our favorite. The sites are reservable, but they go quickly.

The campground features a centrally located group site that has a large pavilion with tables. A bank of sites (1-14) in the middle of the campground each have unique lava-rock base pavil-

REBECCA CHAVEZ-HOUCK

Camera-shy Tank, the tortoise

ions and electrical and water hookups.

Sites in the north part of the campground don’t have hookups but are closer to the shower house. A playground near the entranceway was built in the memory of cyclist Dave Richardson.

It features stone tortoises, a lizard made of stumps and a rope “spider web.” You can access the playground and picnic area for day-use from the road.

We arrived late and were glad that we had a dinner of slow-cooker beef stroganoff ready to eat. When we have a long and steady stretch of road to travel, we often use our slow cooker. We secure it in a plastic milk crate on our dinette bench seat and plug it into a portable inverter that runs off our 12-volt outlet while we’re driving. Just remember to turn the inverter off when the rig is turned off and turn it on when you get back on the road.

It’s nice after a long day to skip the meal prep, and if you use a slow-cooker liner, it makes clean-up easy, too.

There are additional state park campgrounds in the area, including Sand Hollow State Park (3351 S. Sand Hollow Road, Hurricane, 435-680-0715, StateParks.utah.gov/parks/sand-hollow/) and Quail Creek State Park (472 N. 5300 West, Hurricane, 435-879-2378, StateParks.utah.gov/parks/quail-creek) that have

REBECCA CHAVEZ-HOUCK

REBECCA CHAVEZ-HOUCK

Red Cliffs Reserve Visitor Center

Mojave desert tortoise at Red Cliffs

BLM

been great for previous kayaking trips.

Instead, I wanted to stay at the Red Cliffs Campground (4½ miles from Leeds, 435-688-3200, BLM.gov/visit/search-details/202162/1). Its 10 primitive campsites were all filled by the time we arrived mid-afternoon on a Monday. Even with pit toilets and no hookups, it’s really nice. I love campsites that are inset into the red rock, and this place did not disappoint.

When heading to Red Cliffs Campground, you should know that we just barely navigated two low and narrow underpasses to access it from Old Highway 91. The clearance is only 11 feet 9 inches. I can see teardrop or tent trailers making their way to the campground more easily, but this is not a place for big RVs. You need to access this campground from Leeds (Exit 23).

We found this out the hard way. Old Highway 91 from the south is under repair and not navigable for trailers or RVs. You can make your way from the south if you take Utah State Route 9, then SR-318 (Quail Creek Road) past Quail Creek Reservoir. But, again, do not try to drive on Old Highway 91 from the south.

There is a KOA Campground (5800 Old Highway 91, Hurricane, 435-879-2212, KOA.com/campgrounds/st-george/) that is just due east of Red Cliffs Campground for larger rigs. Even on their website, they tell you to not follow the GPS directions to get to this location.

The popularity and population of Washington County is booming, and as more people make their way to the area yearround, there’s a lot of competition for space and access. Plan ahead if you intend to camp and remember that these habitats are protected for a reason. Tread lightly.

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BACKCOUNTRY

Giving your catch the campfire (and haute cuisine) treatment STORY AND PHOTOS BY CLAIRE MCARTHUR

P

ark City Culinary Institute executive chef Derek Gherkins’ first taste of wild-caught trout was not love at first bite. “My dad recently reminded me about the time he took me fishing when I was young. He cooked up two of the trout we caught, and after trying it I said, ‘Dad, next time let’s throw them all back,’” Gherkins says with a laugh.

Fast forward to present day, and the culinary instructor can be found fly fishing in Utah’s numerous rivers and streams at least once a week. Needless to say, his appreciation for the delicate white meat of the trout has since changed.

“Fly fishing is great if you’re into puzzles,” says Gherkins, who favors fishing the Provo River. “You’ve got to figure out where the fish are, what they’re eating, what the water temperature is, what the fly looks like and the exact size of the fly. It takes some time to really get it figured out. The difference between you catching something or not could be a half-millimeter in your fly.”

Utah’s lakes and tributaries are teeming with rainbow, cutthroat, brown, brook, lake and golden trout, which all differ slightly in taste because of their varying diets.

“Brown trout are bottom feeders and tend to taste kind of like dirt.

Rainbows are a little bit better because they eat insects that are above the water a lot,” explains Gherkins. “Cutthroat are top of the food chain when it comes to trout, so they have a lot firmer white meat and those tend to be pretty nice. I enjoy cutthroat a lot, and it was actually on my menu when I was the chef at Windy Ridge Cafe [in Park City].”

Gherkins also served as chef at Park City’s Grappa and Ghidotti’s.

While Gherkins mostly releases his catches, when he’s out backpacking in the Uinta Mountains, trout is one of his favorite camp meals.

“I’ll do what the camping people in Utah call a tin foil dinner or a hobo dinner, but the French term we use in the kitchen is en papillote,” says Gherkins.

The chef packs in dried seasonings, lemon and butter to stuff inside the fish, then wraps the fish in tin foil and puts it directly on the coals of the fire, rotating it periodically for six to 12 minutes, depending on the size of the fish. “If you’ve got a beer or are carrying wine, it’s nice to use when you’re cooking the trout, too,” Gherkins says.

But when he has a full kitchen at his disposal, trout gets a different treatment entirely.

“I like to chop up blanched almonds, encrust the fish with that, and sear it at a high heat,” Gherkins says. “Then I’ll make a nice lemony beurre blanc Park City Culinary Institute executive chef Derek and serve it with sautéed seasonal vegetables.”

Gherkins is an avid fly fisherman who cooks trout in Don’t let the fancy French sauce throw you—Gherkins’ recipe for althe backcountry and in the kitchen. mond-crusted trout with lemon beurre blanc and sautéed squash and car26 | Vamoose Utah • June 2019

rots does not require a culinary degree to re-create at home. It’s quick, delicious and a testament to this fly fisherman’s love of trout both on the river and in the kitchen.

Don’t let the lemon beurre blanc sauce intimidate you—it’s easier than it sounds and incredibly flavorful

ALMOND-CRUSTED TROUT WITH LEMON BEURRE BLANC AND SAUTÉED SQUASH AND CARROTS ALMOND-CRUSTED TROUT Ingredients 2 trout fillets ¼ cup chopped almonds 1-2 tablespoons canola oil 1 tablespoon unsalted butter Salt and pepper, to taste Process Remove skin from trout fillets, and season them with salt and pepper. Press fillets in chopped almonds, encrusting both sides.

Heat canola oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, then place fillets in the skillet to sear. When almonds begin to turn golden, add the butter and continue to cook until the crust turns a deeper golden brown. Flip fillets over and continue cooking until fish is firm and cooked through. Remove the fish from the pan, and discard the remaining oil.

LEMON BEURRE BLANC Ingredients 1 tablespoon minced shallots ¼ cup white wine ½ lemon, zested 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled ½ lemon, juiced 1 sprig fresh thyme ½ teaspoon fresh chopped parsley Salt and pepper, to taste

When searing trout at a high heat, use an oil that has a higher smoking point like canola or grapeseed oil

Trout can be prepared simply in the backcountry in a tin foil packet with butter and lemon or more elaborately in the kitchen using many of the same ingredients

Process In the same pan, add shallots and sweat until soft and translucent. Next, add white wine, lemon zest, and thyme sprig. Reduce wine until nearly dry. Remove the pan from heat, and whisk in butter one tablespoon at a time, slowly melting. When all of the butter is melted, discard the thyme sprig, then add the lemon juice and parsley. Season the sauce with salt and pepper before spooning the sauce over the fish.

SAUTÉED SQUASH AND CARROTS Ingredients 1 zucchini, sliced into ¼-inch pieces 1 yellow squash, sliced into ¼-inch pieces 1 carrot, sliced into ¼-inch pieces 1 teaspoon minced shallots 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil ½ teaspoon chopped parsley Salt and pepper, to taste Process Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and add squash and carrots. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté squash and carrots until they begin to become tender. Add shallots and continue to cook until squash and carrots are al dente. Toss with parsley and serve alongside trout.

Chef Derek Gherkins encrusts trout with chopped almonds, drizzles it in a lemon beurre blanc and serves it alongside sautéed squash and carrots June 2019 • Vamoose Utah | 27

CRYING ‘WOLF’ Utah doesn’t have any established wolf packs now, but that could change with time

BY KATHERINE PIOLI

T

he last reported wolf in Utah was already dead when it was discovered. The animal, a gray wolf found in Randolf, Utah, three years ago at the end of 2015, had strangled to death. It was caught inadvertently in a trap set for coyotes.

Confirmed a gray wolf through DNA testing, it was the second wolf killed in Utah within a year. The first had been accidentally shot by a coyote bounty hunter in Southern Utah. Two encounters in one year. Though both ended poorly for the animals, some wolf-lovers took these incidents as signs of hope.

Might the presence of these animals portend a new chapter for wolves in Utah? Could they finally be moving in?

Canis lupus has been on a recovery track in the Western United States for the past 23 years. Since being reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park in 1995, these large predators have successfully dispersed throughout the northern Rocky Mountains and beyond. According to data from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Wyoming is now home to 333 wolves. Idaho is home to 770. Montana has 554. Oregon has 77 and Washington, 48.

There are even 113 Mexican gray wolves, a new experimental population, in Arizona and New Mexico. (Alaska is projected to have up to 11,200 wolves, and the western Great Lakes states of Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin have nearly 4,000.) Yet, despite healthy populations across the West and beyond, Utah remains a rare and unusual blank space on the map.

That doesn’t mean they are not here. According to Robert Schmidt, associate professor of environment and society at

28 | Vamoose Utah • June 2019

Utah State University, at any given time there are probably half a dozen wolves on the move somewhere between Bear Lake and Lake Powell. But don’t bet on finding them.

“The interesting thing about wolves,” Schmidt says, “is that packs of wolves will let themselves be known. They leave scent marks. They howl and communicate between each other. But dispersing wolves are very quiet. They are aware that they may be moving unwelcome through another animal’s territory. So, we are often surprised when they show up. I think if we had an established wolf pack, it would be hard to keep it a secret.”

Most of the wolves moving through Utah are likely on their way between Idaho and Colorado. We like to think of Utah as a place with lots of open space. But the impact of our state’s freeways, agriculture and livestock operations is significant.

Schmidt believes that we will have an established pack in Utah someday, but it will take time.

There are six core areas in Utah that Schmidt and his colleagues believe wolves are most likely to someday inhabit— places wolf-sighting enthusiasts might want to keep eyes and ears on. For those of us living along the Wasatch Front (and Wasatch Back), the most accessible of these areas are the Book Cliffs and southern Uinta Mountains.

The Book Cliffs, mostly BLM-managed land, are already a Shangri-La for hunters who know that these remote pinyon and juniper slopes grow some of the biggest trophy elk and deer in the state. Road access starts to the north of the cliffs around

Vernal and Fort Duchesne. Anyone entering into the maze of dirt roads needs a really good map and stellar sense of direction. Go visit, and you’ll see why it might be possible for a wolf pack to hide here.

The southern Uinta Mountains might be a friendlier place to go looking for wolves someday, if you’re willing and able to hike. The best access points for these forested slopes are near the towns of Duchesne and Hanna.

Roads going north from these towns will get you a few miles into the forest and put you on well-maintained Forest Service trails that go far back into the wilderness—exactly where the wolves will want to be, away from noise and people.

The Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation covers large parts of both the Book Cliffs and the southern slopes leading into the Uinta and Ashley national forests. Travelers going to either of these places will pass through portions of the reservation.

You must know when you are on reservation land and when you are not. It’s your responsibility. Have a map. Non-tribal members are not allowed to stop on tribal land without permission. So, be a good neighbor, and don’t leave your car on the side of a random road to go walking wherever you want.

It often seems that the biggest barrier to wolves moving into Utah is people. There are just too many haters.

Utah’s Legislature remains openly hostile to wolves. Over the years, it’s awarded millions of taxpayer dollars Wolf tracks in dried mud

U.S. FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE

ERIC KILBY

Gray wolf

June 2019 • Vamoose Utah | 29

to the member organization, Big Game Forever, (with another $2 million allotted this year) to keep the anti-wolf propaganda machine churning. Big Game Forever tells us that wolves will hunt to near extinction the state’s deer, elk and moose populations, and that these canines will have negative impacts on grazing and the economy.

Despite such misinformation, the public’s opinion on wolves in this state remains positive. A 2003 statewide survey conducted by Schmidt showed that 74% of Utah residents, rural and urban, “expressed a positive attitude towards wolves.” The majority of respondents agreed that wolves help maintain healthy ungulate populations and are important to a healthy ecology.

“When you think about how big our state is,” Schmidt notes, “it’s almost laughable that people are saying there is not a place in this state for a hundred wolves. Maybe there’s not space in New Jersey, but here, there is. You just have to wait out those that don’t want wolves in Utah. You know, eventually they’ll figure out that the sky isn’t falling.”

30 | Vamoose Utah • June 2019

“It’s almost laughable that people are saying there is not a place in this state for a hundred wolves.”

—Robert Schmidt

LAST

LOOK Great Basin Rattlesnake

Photo by Seth Topham, BLM

June 2019 • Vamoose Utah | 31

32 | Vamoose Utah • June 2019