Issuu

DO IT LIKE

Deb!

COVER PHOTO BY DEB DEKOFF

EXPERT CONTRIBUTORS AESTHETICS AND PLASTIC SURGERY EXPERT Dr. Renato Saltz Saltz Plastic Surgery and Spa Vitoria 1441 Ute Blvd. Suite 140, Park City, UT 84098 435-216-9876 | saltzplasticsurgery.com

CHIROPRACTIC EXPERT Dr. Kinal Patel Heber Valley Chiropractic 4108 N Forestdale Dr, Park City, UT 84098 435-300-6633 kinalpatel13@gmail.com

LONGEVITY EXPERT Timothy Duerler Ovation Private Health (385) 509-5184 ccphp.net/ovationprivatehealthduerler

ANIMAL HEALTH EXPERT Dr. Graham Johnson Park City Animal Clinic 1725 Sidewinder Dr., Park City 84060 435-649-0710

FINANCE AND TAX EXPERT Danielle M. Meister, CFF®, CDFA® Madrona Financial & CPAs 833-673-7373 daniellem@madronafinancial.com

REAL ESTATE EXPERT Annett Blankenship Keller Williams Real Estate 693 Main St., Park City, UT 84060 annett@parkcityinvestor.com 435-602-9976

CLEAN LIVING EXPERT Dana Grinnell Free Living Co. dana@freelivingco.com 208-869-6866

INSURANCE EXPERT Bryan R. Daybell Bryan R. Daybell Insurance Agency, Inc. 1960 Sidewinder Dr, Park City, 84060 bryan@bryandaybell.com 435-649-9161

RENOVATION & CONSTRUCTION EXPERT Jenn Lewis, Owner Ghigau Construction | 801-941-4508 www.ghigauconstruction.com jenn@ghigauconstruction.com

COMMUNITY BUILDING AND NETWORKING EXPERT Kirsten Gunnerud, Executive Director Women's Inspired Network (WIN) kirsten@winparkcity.com winparkcity.com

INTERIOR DESIGN EXPERTS Tam Taggart & Jenniel Wilkey Studio Interiors & Co. info@studiointeriorstah.com 435-214-6951

REROOFING EXPERT S and S Roofing Emergency Repairs & Free Estimates Utah’s #1 Roofing Company 435-658-4344

DAY SPA EXPERT CONTRIBUTOR Mya Romero Marketing Manager | Align Spa 1792 Bonanza Dr., Building C, Ste 130 Park City, UT 84060 435-647-9300 | info@alignspa.com

LOCAL NEWS EXPERT KPCW Spencer F. Eccles Broadcast Center PO Box 1372 | 460 Swede Alley Park City | UT | 84060 | kpcw.org 435-649-9004 | 435-655-8255

WELLNESS & ESTHETICS EXPERT Dr. Giselle M. Batcheller Wellness And Esthetics wellnessandesthetics.com 1816 Prospector Ave., Suite #203 435-631-2113

DENTAL WELLNESS EXPERT Dr. Ryan Osorio Rise Wellness 1800 Prospector Ave., Park City, 84060 435-214-0544 risedentalwellness.com

NATURE PRESERVATION AND EDUCATION EXPERT Emma Lowe Swaner Preserve and Eco Center 1258 Center Dr.,Park City, UT 84098 swanerecocenter.org | 435-797-8940

WELLNESS OPTIMIZATION EXPERTS WOW Clinics 435-800-6969 info@wowclinic.com wowclinic.com

EDUCATION EXPERT Jennifer Billow Vice President of Advancement Park City Education Foundation 435-615-0235 pcef4kids.org

ORGANIZATION EXPERT Ashley Bienvenu NEAT Method Park City ashley.bienvenu@neatmethod.com 415.866.5834 neatmethod.com/locations/ut/park-city

WINDOW COVERING EXPERT Kenny Beland Heber Valley Blinds 750 Kearns Blvd., Ste. 200, Park City, 84060 hebervalleyblinds.com | 435-503-0163 kenny@hebervalleyblinds.com

EVENT EXPERT Tom Brazill Elevate Event Bartending 801-477-4452 tom@elevateeventbartending.com elevateeventbartending.com

PET NUTRITION EXPERT Heide Fowler, Owner Healthy Pets Summit County 435-214-7963 healthypetssummit@gmail.com

WINE EXPERT Pamela Wood Park City Wine Club info@ParkCityWineClub.com ParkCityWineClub.com

SPEECH & LANGUAGE EXPERT Katherine Wallisch, M.S., CCC-SLP, CAS, BCCS, ADHD-CCSP Summit Speech & Autism Center summitspeechautismcenter.com summitspeechautismcenter@gmail.com

PLUMBING EXPERT Jonathan Cheever Team Cheever Plumbing & Heating www.teamcheever.net 435-252-7697

WASATCH WELLNESS EXPERT Stacey Millhorn, Owner Pure Sweat Studio 435.602.3945 stacey@puresweatstudios.com 1571 Redstone Center Dr. #105

PET CARE EXPERT Tori Saylor Fetch Park City Daycare & Boarding (435) 218-8375 Grooming (435) 290-4543 fetchparkcity@gmail.com

PROPERTY MAINTENANCE & CLEANING EXPERT Lisandro Salas • A-Veda Luxury Services & Property Maintenance 435-655-5278 Manager@AvedaLuxuryServices.com

HIGH ALTITUDE GARDENING EXPERT Park City Gardens Park City Gardens (435) 649-1363 • parkcitynursery.com info@parkcitygardens.com

BREWING EXPERT Conor Brown Offset Bier offsetbier.com (435) 659-7517 offsetbierco@gmail.com

METABOLIC HEALTH EXPERT Dr. Mohammad Anwar Blue Pine Health bluepinehealth.com 669-690-BLUE hello@bluepinehealth.com

2 // NEIGHBORS OF THE WASATCH BACK - ParkCity

To learn more about becoming an expert contributor, contact Betsy DeMann at bdemann@bestversionmedia.com or 801-671-6315

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

ERIC RAMIREZ

BETSY DEMANN Publisher bdemann@bestversionmedia.com

MARITZA ROÑO

NATALIE TAYLOR

IZZY CRANDALL

KIRSTEN KOHLWEY

RICHARD ELLIS

MELISSA FIELDS

PHOEBE ZANIELLO

SANDY GELDHOF

DEB DEKOFF

LEXIE LARSON

OWEN CRANDALL

CASEY LANE

TIFFANY WICKES

DANA KLEIN

SARAH SEVERSON

JILL BAKER

JACQUIE SYMES Executive Assistant to the Publisher & Content Coordinator jacquie@bestversionmedia.com

Sally Elliott's advocacy for Park City's history keeps earning recognition. Just weeks after last month's feature on her four-decade fight to preserve the town's silver-mining legacy, the Park City Community Foundation named her the 2026 recipient of the Trisha J. Worthington Community Service Award, presented September 9 at the Foundation's annual Grants Celebration. The award honors a community member for extraordinary charitable service—fitting, given the range of causes Elliott has championed over the years, from Friends of Ski Mountain Mining History to Recycle Utah to the Park City Museum. As part of the honor, the Community Foundation will grant $1,000 to a nonprofit of her choosing. CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

MITCHELL OLSEN Account Executive molsen@bestversionmedia.com

EMILY REZIN Designer

ADVERTISING

BRIGHAM MERCADANTE SLF MEDIA Social Media Administrator Any content, resident submissions, guest columns, advertisements and advertorials are not necessarily endorsed by or represent the views of Best Version Media (BVM) or any municipality, homeowners associations, businesses or organizations that this publication serves. BVM is not responsible for the reliability, suitability or timeliness of any content submitted, inclusive of materials generated or composed through artificial intelligence (AI). All content submitted is done so at the sole discretion of the submitting party. © 2026 Best Version Media. All rights reserved.

Betsy DeMann (801) 671-6315 bdemann@bestversionmedia.com

FEEDBACK/IDEAS/SUBMISSIONS Have feedback, ideas or submissions? We are always happy to hear from you! Go to www.bestversionmedia.com and click “Submit Content.” You may also email your thoughts, ideas and photos to: bdemann@bestversionmedia.com IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS

Emergency.......................................................................911 Administration...............................................435-615-5000 Building and Fire Safety...............................435-615-5100 City Attorney.................................................. 435-615-5025 City Council ...................................................435-615-5000 Emergency Management............................. 435-615-5185 Engineering.................................................... 435-615-5056 Finance .......................................................... 435-615-5220

Fire - PCFD.....................................................435-940-2500 Library............................................................435-615-5600 Planning.........................................................435-615-5060 Police - Non Emergency...............................435-615-5500 Public Utilities................................................ 435-615-5301 Special Events...............................................435-615-5000 Transit Bus..................................................... 435-615-5301 Water.............................................................. 435-615-5305

DEADLINES FOR SUBMISSIONS ARE THE 10TH OF EACH MONTH FOR THE FOLLOWING MONTH. OCTOBER 2026 // 3

Approx. 1 gallon

Finding Home in Our Mountains: Chef Jonathon Miller

Jonathon Miller is no stranger to the beauty of the Rocky Mountains, he cut his teeth in ski resort kitchens back in Colorado. But becoming the corporate chef and director of culinary operations at Stein Eriksen was never the plan. He arrived to get married somewhere spectacular. Nearly 21 years ago, Miller, who grew up in the Midwest but had family ties to the area, chose Stein Eriksen Lodge for his wedding. He and his wife planned to honeymoon then move on to somewhere new for a taste of big city livin’, something different from the mountain resorts they’d always known. It didn’t work out that way. Miller took a job as a grill cook to make ends meet and Stein Eriksen never let him go. He climbed slowly from there, earning a promotion every five or ten years, learning the kitchen the same way he had as a kid — as the safest place in the house. With two rowdy older brothers at home, Miller found refuge standing next to his mother at the stove. “I did get an A in home ec,” he laughs, remembering freshman year. That early comfort in the kitchen grew into a deep connection to mountain cuisine. Miller leans into elk and bison, ingredients he’d never touched growing up, letting the seasons and the region shape the menu. It shows most in the lodge’s wild game chili: elk, bison, and wild boar, no beans, nothing like the Cincinnati chili of his childhood, just hearty and warming on a snowy night. Two decades in, Miller says what keeps him here isn’t the title. It’s the feeling of belonging. Don’t miss the Stein Eriksen spotlight features on Instagram @neighborsofparkcity and @neighborsofhebervalley Stein Eriksen Lodge Deer Valley 7700 Stein Way | Park City, Utah 84060 steinlodge.com ADVERTORIAL

4 // NEIGHBORS OF THE WASATCH BACK - ParkCity

INGREDIENTS: • 1/8th cup olive oil or corn oil

• 1 tablespoon black pepper

• 1 pound buffalo, diced in ¾” cubes

• ¼ cup New Mexican chili powder

• 1 pound elk or venison, diced in ¾” cubes • 1 pound wild boar or pork, diced in ¾” cubes • 2 large onions, medium diced • 3 each garlic cloves, chopped • 2 tablespoons kosher salt

• ¼ cup pasilla chile powder

• 1 cup coffee, brewed • 1 bay leave • 18 ounce tomato juice • 3 each 12 oz cans diced tomatoes • 2 ¼ cups beef stock or 1 ½ 12-ounce can of beer • 6-8 cups water

METHOD: 1. Mix all the dry spices together and use half the mixture to season the meat 2. Heat oil in pan (it can’t get hot enough) 3. Brown meat 10 – 15 minutes in the pan 4. Add onions and garlic, sauté 3-4 minutes 5. Add coffee, tomato juice, bay leaf, diced tomatoes, remainder of spice mixture, stock or beer, and water 6. Simmer for 2-3 hours, until meat is tender 7. You may have to adjust consistency with more stock or beer and check seasonings 8. Garnish with sour cream & green onions

ThePumpkinSpice WHISKEY SOUR

One of my favorite pumpkin spice cocktails is the Pumpkin Spice Whiskey Sour. A wonderful autumn twist on a classic drink. If you have been out and about in any stores lately or gone to your favorite coffee joint, you will notice one thing for sure…it’s Pumpkin Spice season! This beauty perfectly blends the warm spices of fall with the tart citrus of the lemon. You’re left with a fantastic balanced cocktail that will have you coming back for more.

INGREDIENTS: • 1 1/2 oz Whiskey • ¾-1 oz Pumpkin Spice syrup

• ¾ oz Fresh lemon juice • Garnish with a lemon wheel

DIRECTIONS: Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake until chilled (15-20 seconds). Strain into a rocks glass filled with new ice. Sip and Smile!

Did you try the Pumpkin Spice Whiskey Sour? Hit me up on Instagram @elevateeventbartending and let me know what you thought.

We bring skilled mixologists to your events and parties for a memorable drinking experience. From corporate events and weddings to intimate backyard parties, let us Elevate your next event! We even offer whiskey tastings and private cocktail experiences!

elevateeventbartending.com cheers@elevateeventbartending.com

(801) 477-4452 ADVERTORIAL

OCTOBER 2026 // 5

SPONSORED BY HUDGENS & HARRISON TEAM - SUMMIT SOTHEBY'S INTERNATIONAL REALTY BY JACQUIE SYMES ON BEHALF OF LACY HARRISON & GRETCHEN HUDGENS

FALL IN PARK CITY

I recently had a chance to catch up with Lacy & Gretchen, and as always, they had plenty to share about what fall in Park City is looking like this year. Between their work in the real estate market, their involvement in the community, and the conversations they’re having with people all over town, they have a pretty good pulse on what’s happening locally. So, I asked them what they’re seeing as we head into fall and look toward ski season. Here’s what they told me: “One of the things we love about this community is how connected people are. We’re constantly talking with people over coffee, at the trailhead, in the grocery line, and at community events, and those conversations give us a pretty clear sense of what’s on people’s minds. The market is finding its own fall rhythm as well. We’re seeing more inventory, which means more options for buyers and, in many cases, greater negotiating flexibility. Buyers can be more thoughtful and selective, while sellers need to pay close attention to pricing,

STRATEGY. SERVICE. SUCCESS.

2475 W White Pine Lane, 84060

Gretchen

6 beds • 8 baths 9,310 Sq Ft. $23,500,000

At Hudgens | Harrison, powered by Summit Sotheby’s International Realty, we help you find your Park City real estate deam through elevated strategy, standout service, and proven success.

7177 Canyon Drive, 84098 4 beds • 4 baths 5,115 Sq Ft. $3,250,000 NEW LISTING

GRETCHEN HUDGENS 435-901-1015

5 beds • 7 baths 6,024 Sq Ft $2,500,000

@gretchenhudgens gretchen@gretchenhudgens.com

LACY HARRISON

1133 Station Loop Road, 84098

858-525-3434

@lacykharrison lacy@lacyharrison.com

6 // NEIGHBORS OF THE WASATCH BACK - ParkCity

573 W Cascade Meadows Loop, 84049

Lacy

2 beds • 3 baths 1,807 Sq Ft. $1,250,000

© Best Version Media presentation, and how their property fits within the current market. As we look ahead to the ski season, fall can be an interesting window for buyers who have been watching the market and waiting for the right home, or simply the right moment, to make a move. For Gretchen and me, this season of resetting is also a reminder to look beyond our own routines and find ways to give back to the community we’re so fortunate to call home. We’re big believers in supporting the people and organizations that make Park City such an extraordinary place to live. Recently, we had the pleasure of attending Cocktails at Le Depot in support of Peace House and the important work they do for individuals and families in our community. I also have the privilege of serving as a committee member with JustServe Park City, where Gretchen and I plus hundreds of volunteers recently came together for a day of service benefiting local organizations throughout our community. Writing a check is incredibly valuable and often very much needed, but there is something especially meaningful about showing up— giving your time and energy to help someone else. Organizations like JustServe make it easy to find opportunities to do exactly that.

THOUGHTFUL MEALS. Exceptional

Experiences

If you're looking for a way to get involved, please reach out. We are passionate about service and fortunate to have connections with many wonderful local organizations. Whether you have an hour, an afternoon or are looking for something more ongoing, we would love to help you find a meaningful way to connect and give back.”

Seasoned with Salt LLC was established on the East Coast as an intimate catering company for families and businesses that wished to embrace the hospitality and avoid the pretense that comes with dining out.

Experience Wellness Like Never Before

We offer Personal Chef services and a Concierge service for those visiting the Summit and Wasatch counties.

Ultimately, what makes Park City so special isn't simply the mountains, the homes or the lifestyle. It's the people.

In the picturesque surroundings of the Wasatch Back, Wasatch Optimal Wellness (WOW Clinic) is redefining healthcare by blending the wisdom of conventional medicine with the insight of holistic healing approaches.

INTIMATE

• Cold Plunge

• RMR

• Dry and Infrared Saunas

• VO2 Max Testing

EFFORTLESS

• Weight Loss Management

UNFORGETTABLE

• Full-body DEXA Scan • Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy • IV Therapy

• Joint Injections • Nutritional Counseling

CONTACT CHEF JOI TODAY! TASTE@SEASONWITHSALT.INFO

Book Your Appointment Today Give Us a Call (435) 800-6WOW

1716 N Highway 40, Ste 200 Heber City, UT 84032

or Scan Here:

info@wowclinic.com

@JUSTJOIPARKCITY (845) 391-2167

OCTOBER 2026 // 7

October

DAT E S T O R E M E M B E R :

OCT 12 - COLUMBUS DAY / INDIGENOUS PEOPLES' DAY OCT 31 - HALLOWEEN NOV 1 - DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME ENDS NOV 3 - ELECTION DAY NOV 11 - VETERANS DAY

Featured Event: MinersART With autumn in full swing, MinersART invites you to Miners Hospital for a weekend of discovering art. Once again, we are proud to present artists new to this venue along with some local favorites. Come explore the art of Anne-Marie Buckland, Becky Ruley, Erica Beatty, who this magazine featured in September, Ginny Coombs, Kelly Gallagher, Kirsten Kohlwey, Lisa Needham, Mitch Bedke and Valerie Kohlwey. Valerie Kohlwey, fresh from hiking the Camino de Santiago trail from Germany to Spain, will display her photography and be happy to tell you about her experiences along this popular pilgrimage trail.

ART BY ANNE MARIE BUCKLAND

Once again, the range of art spans many disciplines from metal art and glass art to photography, painting and fabric art and Zaffera Studios’ Hawaiian-inspired jewelry. Now that the gift-giving season is approaching, make sure to check out The Local Readery’s books for all ages. You will find these books by Utah authors here Friday and Saturday. Admission to this event is free to the public. Please join us Nov. 6 from noon to 7 p.m., Nov. 7 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Nov. 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. We welcome families and registered service dogs. Due to the historic nature of Miners Hospital, no other pets are allowed. We look forward to sharing our art with you in November.

Arts Council Event Lineup 12-6 PM WED-SUN

1500 KEARNS BLVD

PARK CITY WINE FESTIVAL

10.1-10.3

CANYONS VILLAGE

11.4

40th ANNIVERSARY

11.20 5-9PM

Visit pcscarts.org for more information. // NEIGHBORS NEIGHBORS OF OF THE THE WASATCH WASATCH BACK BACK -- Park ParkCity City 88 //

OCT 14

Local Speaker Series: Fur Real, Animal Communication Is Possible! @Park City Library 1255 Park Ave, Park City Curious about animal communication? Join Jane Morgan for a fun and fascinating evening exploring how animals connect with us — often in ways that go far beyond barks, meows, and body language. We’ll dive into the intuitive world of animal communication, including the often-misunderstood idea of telepathy, and explore how communicators connect with both living animals and those who have crossed the rainbow bridge. Time: 6-7pm • Cost: Free Website: parkcity.events.mylibrary.digital/ event?id=355355

OCT 31

Live PC Give PC HELP SHAPE PARK CITY’S FUTURE IN A SINGLE DAY. Every November, Live PC Give PC brings our community together through LivePCGivePC. org for 24 hours of extreme generosity. Children break open their piggy banks. Young people dip into their savings. Businesses kick in matching grants. With everyone in the community giving whatever they can, we’ve raised millions of dollars for local nonprofits. It’s how we’re working together to preserve the place we love—so it will continue to thrive for generations to come. Time: 24 hours on Nov 6! Website: www.livepcgivepc.org NOV 6

OCT 23-25

Last Friday Gallery Stroll @Historic Main Street, Park City Hosted by the Park City Gallery Association, the Last Friday Gallery Stroll, is a fun (and free) monthly community event dedicated to highlighting artists and special exhibits at art galleries throughout town. Park City’s art scene continues to thrive, offering a robust variety of unique art collections from local, national, and international artists. On the last Friday of each month, nineteen of our art galleries open their doors for visitors and locals alike to enjoy light refreshments and to admire their latest art installations. It’s the perfect way to explore the Park City art scene while enjoying scenic Historic Main Street and our beautiful alpine evenings. Time: 6-9pm • Cost: Free Website: parkcitygalleryassociation.com/

Howl-o-ween on Main Street @Park City Main Street (Parking at China Bridge garage is $15 flat rate) Join us for Park City's Howl-o-ween Celebration! This local event brings the community together in costume with our favorite four-legged friends. Time: 3-6pm • Cost: Free Website: parkcity.gov

OCT 30

OCT 10

10th Annual Park City Shotski @Park City Main Street 21+ Event. Raise your glasses for Park City's 10th annual Shot Ski event, hosted by Park City Sunrise Rotary Club. Participants will line Park City's Historic Main Street to throw one back and take back the record during this ongoing rivalry with Breckenridge, Colorado. Currently they hold the record at 1,420 shots. Our goal is to down 1,430 this year! Time: Check in 12pm, The Shot Ski raises promptly at 2pm SHARP Cost: $30 GA, $250 VIP, $600 Sponsor package Website: parkcityshotski.com

Park City Film Festival @Park City Film 1255 Park Avenue, Park City The inaugural Park City Film Festival will feature a curated selection of exceptional films from the 2026 film festival circuit, along with post-screening Q&As and panel discussions. The Park City Film Festival brings new independent cinema back to Park City to celebrate storytelling through the power of film, sparking creativity and conversation. Film screenings will be held at the Jim Santy Auditorium and panel discussions will be hosted by Distrikt F on Iron Horse Drive. Time: See schedule at website below Cost: Single film/panel tickets are $20 each Website: parkcityfilmfestival.eventive.org/ welcome Don’t miss our conversation with Katharine Wang on pages 30-31 of this issue!

UPCOMING EVENTS AT THE PARK CITY LIBRARY

We offer a collection of over 350,000 books, movies, magazines, maps, ebooks, and unique items. Free public computers and high speed WiFi. Support Our Mission Empower Minds, Inspire Imagination, Connect Community. Scan here to learn more!

PARKCITY.GOV/LIBRARY (435) 615-5600 1255 PARK AVENUE PO BOX 668, PARK CITY, UTAH 84060

Book Festival at the Park City Library October 4-5 Keynote Authors: Brian Laidlaw Sun, 10/4, 2PM Moab-based climber, poet, essayist, and songwriter, Brian Laidlaw, will join us to discuss his new book on climbing. Buzzy Jackson Mon, 10/5, 7PM Hear historical fiction novelist Buzzy Jackson discuss her book To Die Beautiful. A book signing will follow.

Cracking the Reading Code Tue, 10/13, 6PM Registration Encouraged Caregivers will learn how young brains map sounds to letters. School Break Film Series: Thu, 10/15, 4PM Fri, 10/16, 4PM

Stitch and Flick Tue, 10/20, 5PM Knit, crochet, or do another craft while watching a movie. Pick a Book Adventure Jar Wed, 10/21, 3PM Decorate a reading jar and a collection of reading goals to place inside. Haunted House Wed, 10/28, 4PM-7PM Enjoy a free, family-friendly, haunted house. Battle of the Book Bans: Let’s Get to Work Wed, 10/7, 5PM Explore issues related to censorship, access to information, and intellectual freedom.

Local Speaker Series: Fur Real, Animal Communication Is Possible! Wed, 10/14, 6PM Join Jane Morgan for a fascinating evening exploring how animals connect with us.

The Salem Witch Trials: A Presentation by Deborah Jennings Mon, 10/19, 5PM Discover how American colonial life, church politics, family feuds, and hysterical children all led to this unusual period of history. Deaths in the Park City Shafts: a Presentation by Brian W. Buck Tue, 10/27, 5PM Learn about 48 mine shaft accidents which occurred between 1880 and 1980. OCTOBER OCTOBER 2026 // 9

BY JENN LEWIS, OWNER AND GENERAL CONTRACTOR, GHIGAU CONSTRUCTION

JENN LEWIS

Owner, CEO, General Contractor

Should You Wait Until Spring? What I Tell Park City Homeowners in October

Every October I get the same question. The leaves turn, someone hits their limit with their kitchen — usually there's a specific grievance, a drawer that hasn't closed right since 2011—and they ask whether to wait until spring. Almost always, no. Winter is one of the best times to remodel up here, and October is when you set it up. THE WEATHER ISN'T THE PROBLEM YOU THINK IT IS Interior work doesn't care what's happening outside. Kitchens, bathrooms, basements, fireplaces, built-ins — all of it happens behind a closed door with the heat running. Snow doesn't slow down a cabinet install or a tile layout.

SPECIALIZING IN: • Residential Renovations • Residential Additions • Commercial Tenant Improvements • Interior Finish Selections

Weather governs exterior work: roofing, siding, decks, hardscape. At our elevation, that window is short, and every contractor in town fights over the same few months. Which is exactly why you want your interior project in January rather than crammed into an already packed summer. The other thing I hear is that builders go quiet after the holidays. The good ones don't. Keeping a crew working year-round isn't generosity — it's how you hold onto people whose kids go to school with your kids, and who'll still be answering their phone in this valley in ten years. Same framer, same electrician, same tile guy, year after year. That continuity is most of what you're paying for.

OTHER SERVICES OFFERED: • 3rd Party Construction Management • Architectural Design • 3D Visualization Models

801.941.4508

ghigauconstruction.com

WHY THE CALL HAPPENS NOW Here's the part homeowners underestimate. The work before the work — drawings, permits, budget, selections — routinely takes two to three weeks. Cabinets and specialty fixtures can take even longer. So a January start isn't a January decision. It's an October one. Call me in

10 // NEIGHBORS OF THE WASATCH BACK - ParkCity

EXPERT CONTRIBUTOR BY ASHLEY BIENVENU, OWNER NEAT METHOD PARK CITY

A NEAT LIL' TIDBIT THE AUTUMN KITCHEN & HEARTH RESET December hoping to be underway by New Year's, and the honest answer is usually March or April. Reach out this month, and you get the start date you want, you order materials before winter lead times stretch, and you sit with samples in your own light instead of picking a finish at 9 p.m. Call in February, and you're calling about summer — and by then, summer might already be spoken for. Finish in early spring, and you won't be living in plastic come July. THE HONEST PART A winter job isn't the same as a June job. None of the differences are dealbreakers — they're just things we plan for instead of discover. Snow and access. We'll need a plowed path for the crew and materials, and a dumpster spot that won't be buried by February. In Old Town, that takes some thought — so we walk the property in the fall and have it settled before the first real storm. A colder house for a few days. Demo and delivery days mean open doors, and your heating bill will notice. We seal off the work area and keep the rest of the house livable while we're in there. Living in it. Everyone's indoors more in winter, so the same mess feels bigger. Also fixable. I encourage people to enjoy going out to eat and making life simple during this time and I tell every client to buy the good coffee maker. I'm serious. Morale is a line item. And if you rent during ski season, tell me early — we'll build the schedule around your booking calendar. NOT READY TO BUILD You don't have to commit to anything this fall. Get measured, get drawings, get a number you trust. If a project isn't right, I'll say so — I've talked people out of more than one — and I'd much rather do that in October than halfway through demo. My advice doesn't change: start the conversation early, make the decisions slowly. The best remodels I've been part of weren't the fastest. They're the ones that started with a phone call in the fall. Hello Park City — Your Neighborhood Just Got Neater! Transform Chaos into Calm with NEAT Method Park City Tired of searching? Let us help you focus on what matters by organizing your space. Home Organization: Create beautiful, tailored solutions to boost your home’s comfort and order. Moves & Relocations: Stress-free, white-glove logistics for a smooth move and settling in.

October in Park City brings golden aspen leaves, brisk mountain evenings, and a natural shift toward indoor warmth. As we trade outdoor entertaining for cozy gatherings around the fire, NEAT Method Park City recommends a quick "Hearth & Home" reset to prepare your living spaces for the cooler months. ▶ Fireplace & Hearth Prep: Clear out the dust and summer décor around your fireplace. Create an intentional zone for wood storage, fire starters, and cozy blankets using beautiful, woven baskets that keep items tidy yet easily accessible. ▶ Warm Beverage Station: Transition a corner of your kitchen counter or pantry into an autumn beverage hub. Group hot cocoa mix, spiced teas, local coffee beans, and your favorite stoneware mugs together for a warm, welcoming touch after a chilly morning hike. ▶ Coat Closet Check: Give your entryway or primary coat closet a mini-edit before heavy winter gear takes over. Ensure sturdy, heavy-duty hangers are in place to support incoming fall jackets and light parkas, and set out a low-profile tray for autumn boots. Embrace the cozy autumn rhythm and enjoy the beautiful mountain season! ABOUT ASHLEY BIENVENU Owner, Park City — Louisiana native turned Utah resident. With years in France and nearly two decades at Google, Ashley brings organized expertise and move mastery. When not organizing, she’s traveling, cooking Cajun, or chasing her pup, family, and laughs.

In Between: Streamline routines, meals, and everyday tasks to save time and energy. Ready to reclaim your space and peace of mind? Contact NEAT Method Park City today for a consultation and transform your home! OCTOBER 2026 // 11

BUSINESS PROFILE • BY JACQUIE SYMES • PHOTOGRAPHY BY DANA KLEIN

THE BRAIN TICKLE:

HOW STUDIO INTERIORS DESIGNS FOR A FEELING, NOT A LOOK There's a phrase I've used for years, mostly with people who already know exactly what I mean before I finish saying it: the brain tickle. It's that unexplainable little spark when something scratches a vibe you can't quite name, a chord struck under language before you've had time to decide why you like it and even when you try to, it still just lives in you. I've never had a great way to explain the concept to anyone. But about twenty minutes into a Zoom call with Tam Taggart and Jenniel Wilkey of Studio Interiors, I realized a brain tickle is essentially their entire business model. They just use more sophisticated language to describe it. "It's more psychological, more neuroaesthetic," Tam told me, describing the moment she and Jenniel realized what set them apart from every other design firm in Park City. "It was more shaping of, like, a feeling." Jenniel put it even more precisely: a design shaman. These women don't hand a client a mood board and ask them to pick a lane. They step into a client's psyche first, and only then start choosing finishes. TWO VERY DIFFERENT ROADS TO THE SAME STUDIO Tam's path to Utah reads like a plot twist even she still laughs about. Raised in Florida, "sea level, polished floors, very Miami chic," she assumed Moab required a passport and half suspected it was somewhere in Africa. What actually pulled her and her husband west wasn't logic. It was the mountains, and a two year old's assurance that this was where they wanted to raise their kids. She landed at Barclay Butera in Park City and got a full culture shock: mountain modern and craftsman design were nothing like the mid-mod polish she'd trained in back home. Jenniel's story is shorter, and she'll tell you so herself. Born and raised in West Jordan, she started as an assistant to Barclay's business development director and, in her own words, "weaseled" her way into a design role. That's also where she and Tam met, a partnership that became Studio Interiors, founded May 2021 and now heading into its fifth year. 12 // NEIGHBORS OF THE WASATCH BACK - ParkCity

© Best Version Media What's notable isn't just that they left an established firm to strike out alone. It's why. "There really is a ceiling when you work for someone else," Tam said, "and I wanted to know what was beyond that." Rather than open a traditional studio, they chose to stay lean: no permanent office, no rigid structure. As Tam put it, "let the world be our office." It's a business built the way they design, shaped around how they actually want to live, not what a firm is supposed to look like. READING THE ROOM BEFORE READING THE ROOM Ask most designers what makes their work distinct, and you'll get an answer centered on aesthetic: a signature palette, a look you'd recognize instantly. Tam and Jenniel spent real time trying to find that same kind of signature after leaving Barclay. It never quite fit. "We just realized it was more psychological," Tam explained. "We're just a tool to help them get to that space in their home, because we're not living there, but we can make it look really good." That distinction is the whole thread of their business. Anyone can scroll Pinterest and pin a photo without asking why it stopped their thumb. Tam and Jenniel's job, the actual, unglamorous, deeply skilled part of it, is asking that question on the client's behalf, then translating the answer into a room. It's the difference between copying a look and finding the feeling underneath it: the version of a brain tickle that shows up as a house someone genuinely wants to come home to, not just one that photographs well. That process depends on something design school doesn't fully teach: trust, and the vulnerability required to earn it. "There's a level of vulnerability that we're entering their homes," Tam said. "Their kids, their family, their fights, their happiness, their joys." She's candid the process isn't always tidy, but the commitment, as she frames it, is closer to a marriage than a transaction: "We're going to get you there... we're going to finish without leaving you." It's working. More than 95 percent of Studio

Interiors' business comes from referrals, which doesn't happen because a space looked good in photos. It happens because it feels right to live in. A FRONT OF HOUSE, A BACK OF HOUSE, AND NO EGO ABOUT EITHER Ask them to divide up their partnership, and the metaphor arrives instantly, from Jenniel: it's a kitchen. Tam is client-facing, steering the vision in the room with the homeowner. Jenniel runs the back of the house: contracts, ordering, the mechanics that keep a project moving. "You have your patrons in the dining room, which are the clients," she said, "and you try to make it as beautiful and seamless as possible... they don't need to see all the dirty dishes." What struck me most wasn't the division of labor, plenty of partnerships split duties. It was the complete absence of hierarchy. Tam was unambiguous: "I do not cross the line. I do not project-manage... Jenniel does that part." No competition, no sense that one role outranks the other, just two people who invested, deliberately, with a business coach, in knowing exactly where their own edges are and trusting the other with everything beyond them. That trust extends to the contractors and vendors they work alongside. "It's really important to have that united front," Jenniel said, "and not be throwing people under the bus." That stance isn't just nice, it's strategic. Burn a bridge in this business and there's nowhere to hide from it. Utah is small.

CLARITY, NOT VOLUME I asked each of them to describe the other in a word. Jenniel didn't hesitate: powerhouse. "A force to be reckoned with... a storm coming in." Tam settled on two: discernment and clarity, someone who listens and observes before she ever decides how to move, which Tam called "having the secret ingredient... to know what decision to make." That word, clarity, came up again later, unprompted, when I asked how being a womanowned business shapes their work in an industry that weaves in and out of male-dominated construction, an experience a lot of women can relate to: being talked past by people who don't expect you to lead. Their answer wasn't about proving anything. It was about being so clear, so consistently, that there's nothing left to push against. "When people feel safe and feel heard," Jenniel said, "it creates a smoother process." Tam put it more bluntly: "It's not an ego competition." They don't need to win the room. They need the room to feel like it's in good hands, and then everyone, contractor included, relaxes into that. I have to say, it ties back to that brain tickle. Whether it's a client's living room or a job site full of subcontractors on deadline, Tam and Jenniel's real skill isn't taste. It's attention to what's actually being felt underneath what's being said, and the discipline to build toward that, every time, striking the chord no one knew how to name until someone finally asked the right questions.

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Local Local News News in in Summit Summit County County

THE LOCAL COMMUNITY NEWS FROM KPCW Welcome to The Local, your source for community news from your friendly neighborhood public radio station. KPCW is the only nonprofit source of daily news across Summit and Wasatch counties. We have hand-selected a few recent articles that reflect the happenings in our vibrant, eclectic and engaged community. Go to kpcw.org to read – and listen – like a local. Summit County buys 10 acres along Oakley’s Weber River for open space By Connor Thomas Summit County has partnered with Summit Land Conservancy on a $1.6 million deal to preserve three parcels along the Weber River.

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The conservancy will buy the 9.82-acre property, called Four Badgers, before transferring it to the county. More than $830,000 from the 2021 voter-approved open space bond will pay the county’s share of the purchase. The land conservancy will pitch in $49,000 and manage the conservation easements. A Utah Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure grant will cover the remaining costs. County Councilmember Tonja Hanson said Four Badgers will help Oakley leaders connect Peoa to the Uinta Mountains with trails for hikers, bikers and horses. Development won’t be allowed. Park City High School may start parking pass lottery next year By Kristine Weller Park City High School leaders are considering a lottery for parking passes after students camped overnight on school grounds to be first in line to buy them.

Public radio stations like KPCW play a vital role Public radio stations like KPCW play a vital role in connecting communities through fact-based in connecting communities through fact-based reporting, local storytelling, and civil discourse. reporting, local storytelling, and civil discourse. We’re community-powered and committed to We’re community-powered and committed to serving the Wasatch Back, but we can’t do it serving the Wasatch Back, but we can’t do it without your help! without your help! Donate Donate now now at at www.KPCW.org. www.KPCW.org.

Park City High School’s $150 parking passes must be purchased in person. The 750 permits are sold using a seniority system with a day designated for each class: seniors have first dibs, then juniors and sophomores. The district’s student board representative Lila Owen said she got in line about 4:30 a.m. while other students waited overnight to get one of the passes. High school leaders are now looking at a lottery system to avoid another campout.. Parkite takes Park City to court over ski mountain lift upgrades By Connor Thomas A Park City man is suing the municipality over the most recent approval of lift upgrades at its namesake ski resort. Park City Mountain’s plans would expand Silverlode from a sixpassenger detachable lift to an eight-pack. The Eagle and Eaglet chairlifts would become a single six-passenger detachable chairlift with a mid-mountain station. In his 3rd District Court petition, Prospector resident Alan Theis claims the city’s planning commission — and its appeals officer — ignored the potentially harmful impacts of expanding lift capacity. It says more skiers headed uphill will create crowds and safety issues downhill.

Be Be sure sure to to go go to to kpcw.org kpcw.org to read – and listen to read – and listen – – like a local. like a local. 14 // NEIGHBORS OF THE WASATCH BACK - ParkCity

The concerns echo a previous lawsuit from residents when the upgrades were first approved in 2022. That case was decided in the residents’ favor by the Utah Supreme Court in 2025. The resort then refiled for the upgrades under a different process. The new petition asks a judge to overturn the approval and send the issue back to the planning commission for further review.

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5 TOP HEADLINES THAT DIDN'T TELL THE WHOLE STORY THIS QUARTER ABOUT WASATCH BACK REAL ESTATE “Headlines” are meant to stop us in our tracks. What you really need is someone to help tell you the story behind the news. Here’s what you actually need to know from the Park City Board of Realtors Q2 2026 stats: 1. $25 MILLION. ONE BUYER. ONE HOUSE. ONE SALE. EMPIRE PASS'S AVERAGE SHIFTED OVERNIGHT. Empire Pass, located in Deer Valley, recorded exactly one Single Family Home transaction in Q2 2026… It sold for $25 million. That single sale technically makes Empire Pass's "average price" $25 million for Q2. A good reminder that averages lie when the sample size is low! In the ultra-luxury tier, a single buyer can move an entire area's statistics. Doesn’t context always matter more than the headline?

over 1,200% in units and over 1,600% in dollar volume, to $58.2 million. Why? This reflects new construction and new master-planned communities in the area. It's not a fluke: the rolling 12-month numbers confirm sustained activity, not a one-quarter blip. Are you up to speed on this neighborhood? 3. ONE AREA WENT FROM 25 CONDO SALES TO ZERO. Heber North logged 25 condo sales in Q2 2025. In Q2 2026: zero. Heber Valley condos overall fell 64% in units and 62% in volume. It's the single sharpest drop, and it's worth watching closely. It may be genuine buyer hesitation at the more affordable end of the market, or a timing gap while new inventory catches up. Which one do you think it is?

2. A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT DIDN'T EXIST IN DATA A YEAR AGO, JUST POSTED 41 SALES.

4. LAND SALES GREW NEARLY 8 TIMES FASTER THAN SINGLE-FAMILY SALES.

South Jordanelle went from 3 land transactions in Q2 2025 to 41 in Q2 2026. A jump so large it's up

Single-family units were up a modest 6% yearover-year. Land units were up 46% for the

quarter. Land doesn't usually catch headlines the way homes do, but it's quietly become the market's clearest confidence signal. Are buyers acquiring land today, placing bets on where Park City will be in 2027 and beyond? 5. PRICES WENT UP 9% WHILE SALES BARELY MOVED. Across the rolling 12 months, total transaction count grew less than 1%. But, total dollar volume rose 9%, to $5.73 billion. Roughly the same number of deals are happening… they're just bigger deals. The Wasatch Back market isn't getting busier. It's getting more valuable. What's the quiet story these stats are telling us? Any agent can generate a report with numbers. Any client can ask Google or AI to review statistics. But what actually matters is having an expert who can interpret that data, explain what it means, and help you ask the best questions. When making real estate decisions, confidence at the closing table is what you really need.

Best Version Media does not guarantee the accuracy of the statistical data on this page. The data does not represent the listings of any one agent or agency but represents the activity of the real estate community in the area. Any real estate agent’s ad appearing in the magazine is separate from the statistical data provided which is in no way a part of their advertisement

Experience Creates Clarity In luxury real estate, details matter. Timing matters. Judgment matters.

Born and raised in Park City, I understand what truly drives long-term value, allowing me to help clients move forward with confidence, even in complex situations. Because the best decisions aren’t made from pressure. They’re made from clarity.

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OCTOBER 2026 // 15

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PARK CITY DAY SCHOOL

FALL OPEN HOUSES Tour our campus and see what makes PCDS different – from hands-on, engaging academics to arts, and outdoor education – see how our small size means personalized attention for every student 2-14 years old.

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COLLEGE BOUND PANEL On August 22, we hosted College Bound: What Students and Families Need to Know, a relaxed conversation designed to make the college process feel a little less intimidating—especially for families figuring it out for the first time. Our panel featured Park City High School counselor Dara Smith; University of Utah sophomore Agustina “Agi” Salazar, who is studying biology; and a familiar Lectura Lounge face: Greta Filippone, our longtime junior ambassador, who recently headed to Brown University as an incoming freshman. We first celebrated Greta’s early-decision acceptance back in December, after she’d already spent plenty of time helping with everything from social media and flyers, to updating our bookshelves and outreach.

Meet Julian, a Park City High School sophomore who has happily stepped into Naomi’s Reading Buddies role alongside his mom, Señora Doris Bermudez. Julian and his family moved here from Colombia recently, and this young man has already impressed the heck out of me. He’s a strong student, as well as a gifted musician who can hear a song and start playing it—and apparently wowed the crowd at the high-school talent show. Now, he’s bringing that same energy to Reading Buddies/Compadres de Lectura! Even better, he already has brainstorms of his own for making our sessions more engaging and fun: mini-games to reinforce comprehension, drawing scenes inspired by stories, creating songs with newly learned words, tracking books with stickers and small prizes, gradually increasing reading difficulty, and even helping kids create books of their own. We’re excited to start incorporating some of these ideas into upcoming sessions!

For parents: Support and guide your student, but let them own the process. It’s their future. Do your research, learn what different colleges require, and remember that there truly is a college for everyone—and scholarships are out there. For students: Colleges aren’t looking only at grades and GPA. They want to know who you are. Extracurricular activities matter. Authenticity matters. Keep your options open rather than falling madly in love with one school, and start thinking about this stuff before senior-year panic mode arrives. And those dreaded personal essays? They should ultimately reveal YOU. Something seemingly minor can humanize you more effectively than the gigantic dramatic story you think an admissions officer wants. Keep a notebook nearby and jot down tiny observations, sentences, and ideas. Once you actually get to college? Academically, you’re much more on your own: sit toward the front, go to office hours and turn in your work on time. Socially, remember that practically nobody knows anyone in the beginning— so say yes, talk to people, and put yourself out there. One thing I really wanted this event to do was democratize information. Some families hire private college consultants and know exactly how the system works; others are figuring it out as they go. Students should be able to leave a conversation like this thinking, Okay. I understand this. I know what my next step is. We are so appreciative of, Greta, Agi, and Dara for spending time with us!

CURRENT SCHEDULE ALL PROGRAMS FREE TO THE COMMUNITY! READING BUDDIES/ COMPADRES DE LECTURA Monday and Thursday, 5:00 – 6:15 p.m. READING INSTRUCTION WITH SERENA Text 435.565.1509 for more info ¡DIVERTIMOS! Friday, 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. BANNED BOOK BABES Email bannedbookbabes1@gmail.com to get on the waitlist CHINESE CALLIGRAPHY AND TRADITIONAL CHINESE PAINTING Text Cuizhen @435.565.5362 for more info DROP-IN HOURS BY APPOINTMENT ONLY CALL 510.333.5983

A BIG DAY WITH YOUTH UNITED

Website: caseyandcharleys.org

We joined organizations offering sports, health services, and other community activities at Youth United’s registration event in August! Woodward was bustling with families, and we received many new sign-ups—possibly our strongest response ever at a tabling event! Children made and decorated their own bookmarks, spun our prize wheel, selected prizes, and enjoyed plenty of lollipops. We are especially grateful to Julian and Doris, who helped welcome Spanish-speaking families and share information about our programs. Thank you to everyone who stopped by and expressed interest in becoming part of the Lectura Lounge community! Youth United has supported our programs for quite some time—including a grant earlier this year to help fund Compadres de Lectura and Divertimos. ¡Mil gracias! ADVERTORIAL // OCTOBER 2026 // 17

BY PHOEBE ZANIELLO, JUNIOR CONTRIBUTING WRITER• PHOTOGRAPHY BY OWEN CRANDALL

IzzyCrandall Izzy Crandall is a senior at Park City High School. However, she may be better known as the author of the Contenders column for this magazine. Or perhaps for her position as chair of the National Ability Center board. Or maybe for her general-manager role in Park City High School’s National Honor Society. Between all these accomplishments, training for mountain biking and ski mountaineering is what Izzy has found the most love in. It didn’t start out that way, however. Izzy’s introduction to mountain biking was not by choice— she was forced into it. Her brother competed in the sport, and it was simply easier to coordinate rides if she was in it too. Izzy’s first mountain bike race was at Beaver Mountain, and she had been instructed to do one thing: finish. Yet, as she waited at the finish line in anticipation of her first race, a sudden thought occurred. “I had the realization that though my parents were forcing me to do it, I was the one there. They just told me I had to finish the race. They didn’t tell me how hard I had to go. They didn’t tell me what place I had to get. It became my choice to push myself, to have that Type 2 fun. It was empowering to have that choice. It was the first moment where I thought mountain biking was something I could like.” Eventually, Izzy did fall in love with mountain biking. It was in her first year of high school when everything finally clicked. There was another race at Beaver Mountain, the course symbolic of her first love in the mountain biking realm. She began the race at the middle of the pack, cruising on expectations of a top 20 position. At the end of the first lap out of two, Izzy led the race. Then, thunder struck, forcing all riders to be pulled off course, ending the race, and giving Izzy her first ever win in a mountain bike race.

“I remember that moment so clearly, and there’s a photo of it too,” Izzy says. “I came up to my friend Annelise, and she asked me, ‘How did it go?’ I put up one finger because I couldn’t even say it out loud—I hadn’t yet fully realized that I’d won. And she embraced me so hard and fast. She was truly proud of how I did. It was amazing to share that moment with her. We danced in the rain after that.” Then, Izzy won her region and wore the leader jersey. For every high school race after that, she was on the podium, from her freshman year to the end of her junior season. These results, however, were not her favorite part of mountain biking—it was her friends. Friends who celebrated with her. This year, Izzy enters her final season of high school mountain biking. And it started off as maybe the worst season she’s ever had. From February to July, Izzy raced in the national circuit, placing lower than she hoped. Reflecting on these races, Izzy shares, “I knew I needed a reset. I needed to spend time away from mountain biking, because I wanted to ensure that it was still something I’m happy to do. Mountain biking has always been a release for me, and I wanted to make sure it stays that way.” For a full two weeks over the summer, Izzy did not mountain bike at all. She went on river trips, something she’s done throughout her childhood, leaving her routine in return for a more unstructured existence, though temporary. “The river trip reminded me that the world does not revolve around my sport. My results, both within biking and school, do not define me,” says Izzy. Of course, Izzy is also a writer, and it is in her writing that she is most poetic. Though she’s been writing for Neighbors of the Wasatch Back since she was a freshman in high school, she’s always been one to play around with words. “My parents call it ‘Izzyisms,’ because I make up my own words. Think of the phrase ‘pitch black’, I’ll say pitch white or pitch red, or something like that,” Izzy laughs. “When I was little, we even had a document with all the words I would change and make my own.” Though Izzy now writes within the rules of the English language in her pieces, she has not lost the artistic lens within which she writes. She begins her piece in the first-person, placing herself and her reader in a scene. “I try to establish a personal connection with my subject through my words. I take a step back and think about how this story connects to me, so that maybe you [my reader] can connect to it in a similar way,” Izzy explains. Especially with more emotional stories, Izzy finds this approach to writing to be more genuine. In one deeply emotional article, she framed the entire piece in the context of the interview itself, going back and forth between the story and the actual interview. “I didn’t want to evoke pity,” she says. “She was 18 // NEIGHBORS OF THE WASATCH BACK - ParkCity

© Best Version Media human and I was human, and we were just two humans trying to move through this world.” This manner of writing—incorporating humanity and personal connection—is no longer just a stylistic preference for Izzy. It’s become a tool through which she can process her own identity. A year ago, as she was waiting for her friend to fix a flat tire in the aftermath of a successful state competition, another friend accidentally dropped a dead tree on her head. Izzy was knocked out. When she came to, everything changed. “In that moment, I went from being a highachieving and perfectionist girl to being unable to formulate a cohesive thought. It was dehumanizing,” she describes. “Over the next four months, my world shrank from one moment to the next, and all business that my thoughts once had was reduced to a dull silence. It took all my effort to

function at baseline, being attentive to every facial expression, note, or word being said by a teacher or trying to remember why a friend was saying what they were saying.” Izzy, who had always been accomplishment-based, felt stripped of everything she believed defined her. With time, she made progress, but it was gradual and agonizing without the sports and academics she loved so much. And when she did return to those, the standards she had once set for herself felt unattainable. Though her brain healed, the way she thought changed. She had to change how she learned and how she operated. Izzy shares, “I had to learn to ask for help, delegate, and see how people were on my side. I had to learn that working harder wasn’t the same as moving forward. When that tree snapped onto my head, it blocked the pathway I was on. I had to realize that learning and living wasn’t a measure of productivity, of how many things I could accomplish in a lifetime, of how much material I could understand, or of how many podiums I could stand on top of. It is a pathway of neurons connecting thoughts, of people sharing moments, and of experiences being built.” Next year, Izzy will continue to change, and hopefully not through another traumatic head injury. For now, she is keeping her options open rather than committing herself to one future. Though she plans on attending college, where that will be and what exactly she will study remain unknown. Reflecting on what she values, Izzy says, “I like things that I can pick up. The things where it doesn’t take that natural gift, where it only takes time and effort. I think some people might diss that, but I think that’s something really powerful. I may not be a master of anything, but I will take the time and the effort.” Izzy knows that wherever she goes, whatever she does, she can use her discipline, her approach, and her perspective to succeed. And she knows that, at any moment of her life, she’ll still engage with the outdoors.

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EXPERT CONTRIBUTOR: SWANER ECO CENTER • BY KATHERINE VEEDER, DIRECTOR OF YOUTH PROGRAMS • PHOTOS BY MICHAEL FLAHERTY

Meet the Mule Deer: Sharing Space with a Utah Favorite Fall has arrived with crisper weather, changing leaves, and many wildlife species beginning to migrate back to valley and residential areas. One of the most spotted and beloved returning species is the mule deer. Rocky Mountain mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus hemionus) are found throughout Utah, including the mountains and neighborhoods in the Wasatch Back. This subspecies is the largest species of mule deer. Utah’s Division of Wildlife Resources estimates that Utah is currently home to more than 300,000 mule deer, making them one of the state’s most recognizable large mammals. Mule deer are remarkably well adapted to Utah’s varied landscapes. Their large ears provide excellent hearing and help them detect approaching predators. Their distinctive pogo stick-like gait, called stotting, where all four legs simultaneously leave the ground, helps them navigate uneven and mountainous terrain efficiently. They can cover between nine and seventeen feet in a single bound, at a speed of up to 25 miles per hour. Mule deer are also crepuscular, meaning they are primarily active around dawn and dusk—times when residents and visitors may be most likely to spot them. Their seasonal behaviors are equally important to their survival. As temperatures drop and snow begins to accumulate at higher elevations, mule deer move toward lower-elevation winter ranges where food is more accessible. In the Wasatch Back, this seasonal movement can bring deer into yards, open spaces, roadsides, and other developed areas. While seeing a deer outside a window or along a neighborhood trail can be exciting, it is important to remember that these

animals are wild and should be given plenty of space. Follow the tips below to respectfully coexist with mule deer! Observe Responsibly: If you encounter mule deer, observe them from a safe distance and avoid approaching, following, or surrounding them. Give deer plenty of room to move away and keep dogs leashed. A deer that appears alert, nervous, or begins moving away is telling you that you are too close. Binoculars or a camera with a zoom lens are great ways to enjoy wildlife without disturbing it. Don’t Feed: Feeding can cause deer to lose their natural wariness of people and congregate in residential areas, where they face increased risks from vehicles, pets, disease, and other conflicts. Human-provided foods can also be unhealthy for deer. Mule deer forage on about 800 different plant species, and the microbes in their digestive systems slowly change throughout the year to help breakdown what is seasonally available. Allowing deer to find their own food helps keep them healthy and wild. Protect Your Yard: For homeowners, protecting yards can also reduce conflicts. Deer are attracted to many ornamental plants, gardens, and shrubs, so residents can choose deer-resistant landscaping and use appropriate fencing or other barriers to protect vulnerable plants. Keeping attractants out of yards helps discourage deer from becoming dependent on residential spaces for food. Share the Road: Finally, slow down and watch for deer on the road, especially around dawn and dusk and during seasonal movements. If you see one deer, be alert for others nearby, as mule deer often travel in groups. Use extra caution on roads

near wildlife habitat, avoid swerving if a deer enters the roadway, and be prepared for sudden movement. The best way to coexist with Utah’s mule deer is to give them space, protect our yards without feeding them, and share the roads carefully. By respecting their natural behaviors and habitat, we can enjoy these remarkable animals while helping them remain healthy and wild.

OCTOBER 2026 // 21

SPONSORED BY ARBOR MEDIA CO-OP BY TIFFANY WICKES • PHOTOGRAPHY BY DEB DEKOFF & DANA KLEIN

DO IT LIKE

Deb!

22 // NEIGHBORS OF THE WASATCH BACK - ParkCity

“I don’t waste any time on things that don’t add depth and enrichment to my life.”

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OCTOBER 2026 // 23

© Best Version Media SOME PEOPLE WAIT FOR LIFE TO TELL THEM WHAT TO DO. DEB DEKOFF DOES NOT. When life has handed her an unexpected diagnosis, a cross-country move she didn’t want, or a future that suddenly looked nothing like the one she had planned, Deb has done the same thing every time: She figured it out. Not because she always knew what was coming. Not because she had the resources, the money, or even the know-how to make the change. But because somewhere along the way, Deb learned that life-defining moments aren’t always about what happens to you. They are about what you decide to do next. Lightning-bolt moments. We all have them. Some change us. Some break us. And some, if we are willing to move through them, become the very moments that create the life we were meant to live. Deb has had more than her share. And every single time, she chose to move forward. Deb was born in New Jersey and moved to Florida when she was 10 years old. A hardworking student, naturally gifted with an incredible work ethic and God-given intelligence, she graduated early and had plans to attend Florida State University (FSU) but ended up at the University of South Florida (USF). The first major defining moment for Deb came when she was diligently filling out her college application at the family dining table. Her mom curiously looked over her shoulder and asked what she was doing.

“I’m filling out my application to FSU.” “Why?” her mother replied. “We don’t have the money to send you to college!” Deb’s breath caught in her throat, and she froze. The question of whether her parents had money to send her to college had never entered her mind. Deb read books, went to summer school for fun because she was bored, and always knew she would go to college. Her ambitious drive for a better life kept her working hard and focused. Her mother saw that and, in passing, would comment, “Keep working hard like that and someday, you can go to college!” But she never said she would send her to college. Lightning-bolt moment number one.

As a stunned 17-year-old, Deb didn’t mourn her unmet expectations. She immediately moved into action. She would graduate high school early and go to cosmetology school, which cost far less than a four-year university, and to pay for that, she chose to work at local boutiques. Once she earned more by working in cosmetology, she would then pay for college. Deb began community college at the same time her friends began their university life miles away. After years of simultaneously working in hair, starting a photography business, and earning scholarships from local women’s business organizations, Deb transferred to the University of South Florida, met and

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© Best Version Media married the love of her life, Bill, and earned a degree in elementary education making her a first-generation college graduate. She later received a master’s degree from Nova Southeastern. and got the district job of her dreams. Life was so good.

friendships within the education space if she was to get a teaching position in this small ski town. So she relied heavily on her artistic side, wrote (and photographed) for a local newspaper, and substitute-taught for the school district to attract the attention of administrators. And it worked!

And then, the call came. Bill was being transferred to Utah. Lightning-bolt moment number two. Utah? Deb didn’t want to move to Utah. She had a soul-driven purpose as a Health Education Resource teacher, creating a K-12 anti-drug/anti-tobacco program for the entire district to get the kids she taught off drugs and on to a career path that would take them out of the dangerous neighborhoods some of them lived in—away from the familial cycle of poverty and into a life more aligned with their individual talents. Because they all were talented in some way. They were resourceful. They knew how to survive, much like Deb did. And now her life needed to change. “It was truly hard going from a position that I loved, because I wasn’t just impacting one school and one classroom at a time. I had a third of the Broward County district that two other educators and I were creating programs for.” Leaving Florida was a gut punch for Deb, but she looked optimistically toward what a new future in Utah could hold for her and her young family. In the cold winter month of February 1999, Deb, Bill, and their two young sons took up residence in Park City. Deb knew she would need to create community and

Deb was offered a teaching position in the fall of 1999 and has spent nearly 30 years working in different schools across a variety of subjects. Life was good. Until lightning-bolt number three: an unexpected breast cancer diagnosis. What started as a normal health checkup ended with a concerned look from her provider, a lumpectomy merely weeks later, and an immediate plunge into a course of chemotherapy right as she was to begin guiding Park City youth through another year of education. “I learned so much from my cancer diagnosis. There were so many people willing to help me, so I was honored to start a support group to support other families who received their own diagnosis,” Deb recalls. As a serial entrepreneur, starting and running multiple businesses from studio photography to cosmetology (a license she still holds today), to property management and volunteering as a research advocate at Huntsman, the theme is the same: Deb does. She loves learning and has always believed that the way out of any circumstance you don’t want to be in is through education. Read books. Take challenging classes and gain marketable skills at the local

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community college. Get another degree. Listen to podcasts. Attend lectures. Never stop learning! “I taught myself how to play the guitar at seven. I would listen to the tune and then play it. I’m finally taking piano lessons to learn how to actually read music,” Deb tells me with a laugh.

job—and pursuing side-quest businesses alongside a full-time teaching career for more than 40 years, she shares, “I don’t cook and I don’t watch TV!” The answer was serious, albeit hilariously obvious.

“How do you do it all?” I ask.

Translation: I don’t waste any time on things that don’t add depth and enrichment to my life.

While raising two sons with a husband who was a federal agent—not exactly a 9-to-5 desk

Now retired, Bill has taken up watchmaking to fill his time while continuing to support Deb’s

teaching career, advocacy work, growing photography business, and in-home piano recitals—with an audience of one: Bill. Despite recently undergoing vision surgery—a minor setback, as Deb describes it—she looks toward the future with even more optimism and clarity. Age is only a number, and time is a gift. Do it like Deb. If your soul propels you to it, do it all!

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YOUNG ARTIST OF THE MONTH

OpheliaOwens Ophelia paints pain. For Park City High School senior Ophelia Owens, art isn’t an observation of the unknown. Her artwork isn’t a detached rendering of the anonymous. It isn’t just a class assignment. No. It’s something deeply personal, rooted in experience, and shaped by who she is. A ballet dancer, Ophelia understands the language of beauty, elegance, and pain. Her painting of an arched and bandaged foot, pushed beyond its natural form, complete with blistered skin and hardened calluses, covered in bruises, may very well be her magnum opus. Ophelia feels this pain, and she paints it. Another painting, another self-portrait. This time, Ophelia’s sitting towel-wrapped on her bathroom floor, damp hair draping her body. Folds of fabric and

cool color tonality contrast with the harshness of her reddened skin. We can feel her fatigue and the need to soak sore muscles. “My creative process involves a lot of trial and error,” she says. “I like to take a bunch of photos to try to put what I’ve been visualizing in my head for several weeks onto a piece of paper.”

Ophelia paints Ophelia. With oil paint as her primary medium, she values its ability to capture depth, subtle variations in color, and intricate detail. “I like how it stays wet and I can continue to build on top of it,” she says.

Ophelia paints beauty. In a first day of class painting of a green-eyed classmate, Ophelia captures the essence of her peer. Brushstrokes of light and shadow play masterfully. Her patience is visible in the completed artwork, and so is the influence of the teachers who have accompanied her along the way. She began her formal art education at Mission Renaissance in California at age five, joining its adult

program by the time she was ten. After moving to Utah, she found a creative home at the Young Artists Academy at Kimball Art Center with Heather Stamenov. More recently, AP Art at Park City High School, under the guidance of Mr. Elliot, has further expanded her skills and perspective.

Her curiosity extends beyond oil, however. She experiments with acrylic beneath oil, glazing techniques, charcoal, even wire—layering materials to create texture, dimension, and expression. The result is art that does more than depict what she sees. It reveals the inner world she brings to the canvas.

PORTRAITS THAT SING

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BY JACQUIE SYMES • PHOTOS PROVIDED BY PARK CITY FILM FESTIVAL

YEAR ONE: PARK CITY FILM FESTIVAL

A curated beginning for independent cinema in Park City

The interview was done while I was parked just off US-40, on the Park City side, with sandhill cranes moving deliberately across a grassy patch in front of me, the valley opening up behind them. It felt like the right backdrop for the conversation. Katharine talks about film the way I might talk about family, friends, or a podcast episode: freely, warmly, as if she’s been waiting for someone to ask. Forty minutes in, I was already looking for an excuse to schedule another chat so that I could learn more about her and, maybe, weasel my way into her circle. Katharine Wang is the director of Park City Film, and this October, she’s spearheading something new: the first Park City Film Festival, born in the space Sundance left behind. WHERE IT STARTED Park City Film exists because of Sundance. In the 1990s, as the festival was looking to grow, Sundance struck a deal with Park City Municipal: renovate the old high school (now

Park City Library) and restore its auditorium, which was built in 1923, to its original purpose, and Sundance would bring it on as a venue, and help the community show films there yearround as a way of a thank you. That building is the Jim Santy Auditorium, and it’s still Park City Film’s home today. “It was designed as an auditorium, so it has beautiful acoustics,” Katharine says, “and it just has this kind of palpable sense of community and connection and history to it.” She’s lost count of how many filmmakers and film lovers, hearing where she works, light up with a memory of their own. “Almost to a person, someone has a story about seeing a film in what Sundance called the Library theatre,” she adds. When Sundance announced it was relocating to Boulder, Katharine and her team felt the loss—and then felt something else. “Covid was a nice, perhaps not welcome, but certainly a nice reminder that change brings opportunity,” she says. She points back to the summer of 2020,

when Park City Film launched a drive-in at Utah Olympic Park, with no idea whether anyone would show up. More than 20,000 people did. “Just to hear the laughter ringing throughout the canyon at some of those film screenings, it was a nice reminder of why we show movies.” So when Park City Film needed space to grow beyond the 130 annual screenings allowed under its lease with the municipality, Katharine went to city council and asked for room to imagine. “We don’t know yet what we’re going to do, but we know we are going to expand,” she told them. They said yes. That “yes” became the seed of the Park City Film Festival: two-and-ahalf days this October, intentionally small and intentionally fast. “It was important that whatever we do, we do it quickly,” she says, “while we still had the momentum from the final Sundance.”

30 // NEIGHBORS OF THE WASATCH BACK - ParkCity

A DIFFERENT KIND OF FESTIVAL, ON PURPOSE The festival will unfold across two neighborhoods. Screenings stay at the Jim Santy, where Park City Film already knows how to operate screenings.. Panel discussions move to Distrikt F in Prospector Square, a deliberate choice to pull people into a part of town that doesn’t usually get the tourist spotlight. “It doesn't need to be the best-kept secret,” Katharine says of Park City’s quiet fall season— good weather, no snow yet, restaurants that would love the foot traffic. The two venues sit close enough to walk or bike between, which is the point. “Those kinds of serendipitous moments are the beauty to me of film festivals,” she shares. “Walking to the next film and being able to say, ‘Hey, what did you think?’” The programming itself is intentionally eclectic. There is no single theme and no box it has to fit into. “What if that’s not your flavor?” asks Katharine rhetorically. “What if you want to watch something different?” Every film selected this year has already premiered on the festival circuit but isn’t yet available anywhere else, which Katharine calls the real joy of a festival: “You’re like, oh, I’m going to see some films that I may not be able to see in the theater.” For this first year, the festival films are by invitation-only rather than open submissions—a practical choice, she explains, after hearing from peers who described what happens once a festival opens the floodgates. “Sundance, I think, got something like 17,000 submissions,” she laughs. Curated, for now, means every film on the schedule was handpicked. “You can tell when you watch the films—someone picked this. It wasn’t an algorithm.”

BUILT ON PARTNERSHIP None of it happened alone. Katharine has spent the past six months writing grants, and the community has answered: support from the Park City Chamber, Summit County RAP and Restaurant Tax grants, an accommodations partnership with Park City Lodging, and backing from the Utah Film Commission, which connects filmmakers to Utah locations and tax incentives many don’t know exist. Beyond the public-facing screenings, Katharine sees the festival doing quieter work too: building relationships among filmmakers. “Maybe they find a creative partner that’s like, hey, I loved what you did—could we work together next time?” It’s a small piece of a larger ecosystem, she says, and a healthy one benefits everyone in it. WHY IT MATTERS TO HER Ask Katharine what film has meant to her personally, and the answer reaches well beyond a favorite-movie list. She’s a first-generation American, sharing that her father’s family fled China during the Communist Revolution. Her mother is British and moved here as an adult, and she traces her love of story straight back to that inheritance. A high school class paired classics like 2001: A Space Odyssey with heavier questions of meaning; a college professor had her class sit through a six-hour Holocaust documentary designed to make the audience physically uncomfortable so that they might feel closer to what they were watching. “It just didn’t really occur to me that movies could be so physically powerful,” she admits. That belief in film as connection shows up everywhere in how Katharine talks about her work. A Park City Film screening once moved a woman in the audience to tears during a

Q&A—the first time, at nearly 30 years old, she’d seen her own Japanese American family’s story reflected onscreen. Katharine brought her own daughter to see Lady Bird because, she says, “I wanted her to know this is all normal, this painful adolescence. It’s far enough away that you can relate to it up close.” And after a screening of The Boy and the Heron, she found herself in a conversation where her teenage daughter, a staff member in their thirties, and a patron in their sixties had each walked away with a completely different film. “It was the most beautiful moment,” she says, “because we could each share our own perspective and gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the story Miyazaki was trying to tell.” Katharine mentions that her family’s history— her father’s escape from China, her mother’s path from England to Canada to the U.S., her own migration from New York City to the mountains of Utah —is its own remarkable story, one she’s only begun to tell. We think readers will want to hear more of it, and we hope to bring you that story down the road. For now, Katharine is simply hoping people show up curious. “It gives you the freedom to interpret it in your own way,” she says, “and not just be spoon-fed.” That, more than anything, is what she hopes this festival will offer. OCTOBER 2026 // 31

EXPERT CONTRIBUTOR • BY ANNETT BLANKENSHIP, PARK CITY INVESTOR TEAM, KW PARK CITY KELLER WILLIAMS REAL ESTATE

The Great Park City Reset:

Is the Home You Own Still the Right One? For many Park City homeowners, the biggest real estate story of the past five years isn’t what they bought. It’s the amount of equity they now control. The pandemic accelerated demand for mountain real estate at a pace few could have predicted. Properties that had appreciated steadily for years experienced dramatic increases, with some doubling—or even tripling—from earlier purchase prices. That pace was never likely to continue indefinitely. Today, we are settling into a more normalized market where neighborhood, property type, condition and scarcity matter again. At the same time, Park City itself is changing. And that makes this an interesting moment to consider not only what your home is worth, but whether it is still the property you would choose today.

THERE IS NO LONGER ONE “PARK CITY MARKET” From January 1 through September 11, just 79 single-family homes sold within Park City limits, ranging from approximately $1.62 million in Park Meadows to $37 million in Empire Pass. Across the Snyderville Basin, the range was even broader—from approximately $640,000 in Timberline to nearly $25 million in communities such as The Colony and Promontory. Those numbers illustrate something longtime locals already know: talking about the “Park City market” as if it were one market doesn’t tell us very much. A dated home on an exceptional lot can behave very differently from a beautifully

remodeled home across the street. Established neighborhoods compete differently against new construction. And as development changes what we are close to, location itself is being reevaluated. The more useful question for homeowners is no longer simply, “Is Park City appreciating?” It is: “How is my particular property positioned today?” PARK CITY’S MAP IS BEING REDRAWN Park City and the surrounding Wasatch Back are in the middle of a development cycle that could significantly change where people ski, shop, dine and live. Deer Valley® has nearly doubled its skiable terrain, while East Village is developing into an entirely new resort center with hotels, residences, restaurants and retail.

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© Best Version Media Perhaps more significant is what East Village creates: a second front door to Deer Valley. Direct access from U.S. 40 changes the equation for communities around Jordanelle and farther into the Heber Valley, where buyers can often find more “home” for their money. A location once perceived as “farther out” may feel very different when the destination you use most has moved closer. Meanwhile, Snow Park is evolving, development continues around Canyons Village and Jordanelle, and Park City is considering how areas such as Bonanza Park should function in the future. Even changing demographics tell part of the story. Lower enrollment at Park City’s elementary schools is another indication that the community itself is evolving as longtime owners age, families move and housing costs influence who can live here. Your house hasn’t moved. But the world around it has.

traditional boundaries. But within town, there is very little land left. Opportunities to build new homes minutes from Main Street or within one of Park City’s established neighborhoods are increasingly limited. WHAT DO YOU WANT YOUR EQUITY TO DO NEXT? Perhaps the most interesting question isn’t what your home is worth. It’s what you want that equity to do for you. If the kids have left, could downsizing simplify life while freeing up substantial equity? If your family has grown, has appreciation made an upgrade more attainable than you realized? Could a ski condo provide the lifestyle you want now? Would an investment near an emerging resort area make sense? Or do you already own exactly the type of property that will become increasingly difficult to replicate?

WHAT CAN’T BE RECREATED?

CURIOUS WHAT YOUR OPTIONS LOOK LIKE?

New luxury condominiums and communities will continue to be built, particularly as development expands beyond Park City’s

A home valuation is only one piece of the picture. We can help you understand how your property compares within its specific

neighborhood and market segment, what today's buyers are responding to, and what your accumulated equity could realistically allow you to do next. Whether that means staying exactly where you are, selling while demand for your type of property is strong, downsizing, moving into a larger home, purchasing a ski property or adding an investment to your portfolio, we can run the numbers and compare the options with you.

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BY JACQUIE SYMES ON BEHALF OF PARK CITY RESTORE & HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF SUMMIT & WASATCH COUNTIES • PHOTOS PROVIDED BY KRIS WARD AND LINDSEY POWERS

Trees, Lights, and Love:

INSIDE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY'S HOLIDAY TREE SHOW In Holiday Tree Shows of the past, you may have seen a Harry Potter sorting hat perched atop an evergreen strung with ornaments made from actual pages of the books. A repurposed aspen, its branches salvaged rather than felled, wrapped in light until it glows like something out of a dream. Candy canes and handmade toppers and if you look closely, the fingerprints of dozens of people who spent hours, sometimes years, figuring out how to turn a tree into something worth bidding on. That's the magic of Habitat for Humanity's Holiday Tree Show and it's exactly what I set out to capture when I got on the phone with two of the people who help make it happen: Kris Ward, owner of Branching Out and Lindsey Powers of America First Credit Union. Michael Plowman, the Director of Development for Habitat for Humanity Summit & Wasatch Counties shared a short list of names when I asked him about some of the people who are crucial in making this show happen each year. If you’re anything like me, finding activities and events to support during the holidays is time well spent. We wanted to understand what those involved bring to the project and give our readers a clear picture of why it's so special. For Kris, the answer starts somewhere unexpected. Six years ago, during COVID, she suffered a severe brain injury in a horse accident. In the aftermath, she found herself turning to something she'd always loved; trees, lights, the quiet magic of the holidays, as a way to heal. "It actually was a life-saving process for me," she says. "I just started literally building these trees therapeutically." That process became Branching Out, her Midway-based studio where she, with her partner, Sue Geyer, rebuild fallen and repurposed aspen branches into glowing sculptural trees — no needles, no evergreen, nothing store-bought. "We're the only tree in the show that's not an evergreen Christmas tree," she says, clearly proud of it. And while the Tree Show is where most people first discover them, trees are just one piece of what they do — they also design custom florals, home and corporate décor, and create one-of-a-kind installations for special events 34 // NEIGHBORS OF THE WASATCH BACK - ParkCity

and weddings throughout the year. Kris has donated a tree to the show for two years running, including a winter owl design that took home Best of Show. This year, she and her team are still in the design process, chasing something that feels right for the moment. "I think it's really important we bring people together right now," she says, "and give people joy and some hope." That sense of hope threads through everything Kris says about the show — and it's clearly personal. Her connection to Habitat runs back further than her own building career, to a sister-in-law who served on a Habitat board in Seattle and traveled the world helping build homes. "We've been firm believers and supporters of Habitat for a long time," Kris says. When Michael reached out two years ago asking if Branching Out would donate a tree, she didn't hesitate. "I love giving back. I love the holidays, the lights — that's just so euphoric and beautiful, and it brings a lot of joy." Lindsey Powers found her way to the tree show from a different direction, but the joy sounds the same. She's worked with Habitat since 2016, starting with home builds through America First Credit Union — including painting a house on Marsac Avenue that, she says, "has stuck with me ever since." When the tree show began, she jumped in immediately, decorating three trees over the years, each one wildly different. Her favorite remains her first: a full Harry Potter theme, complete with a sorting hat topper and ornaments made from pages of the books. "It was like one of my favorite things," she says. In a twist she still laughs about, one of her own employees ended up buying that tree for his wife. These days, Lindsey has handed the reins to her local branch team and last year their creation, "Grinchmas Cheer," took home Fan-Favorite. "I love to craft," she says simply. "And I love helping with the tree show." Ask her what first-timers should expect and her voice brightens immediately. "You could just use the tree show as a weekend to go see something fun that's holiday themed," she says. "You don't have to go with the intention to auction and buy a tree." Beyond the trees

themselves, there's a pop-up ReStore stocked with deeply discounted holiday décor, ornaments, and even clothing — Lindsey and her mom once found matching Dr. Seuss sweaters there. "I think the whole theme itself is just beautiful," she says. "Walk through the trees and the lights and do a little shopping while you're at it."

This year marks the show's fifth anniversary and it unfolds at Pendry Park City over two days. Friday, November 20 is premiere night — 30 to 40 trees, menorahs, and wreaths on display and up for auction, alongside hors d'oeuvres, cocktails, and entertainment, from 6 to 9 p.m. Personal invitations go out ahead of time, but the evening is open to anyone who'd like to attend. Saturday, November 21 belongs to the public: a free Community Celebration from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., where visitors can wander through the creations, purchase pieces held back just for the public day, browse the ReStore pop-up shop, and catch Santa from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Whether you come to bid, to browse, or simply to wander among trees, menorahs, and wreaths built by neighbors with stories like Kris's and Lindsey's, the invitation is the same one Habitat extends every year: come see what a little creativity, and a lot of heart, can build. INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE? Contact Michael at development@habitat-utah.org or 435-658-1400, or Carly at volunteer@ habitat-utah.org or 435-774-0954. A special thank you to our sponsors: Wells Fargo, George S. and Dolores Dore' Eccles Foundation, Ally Invest, Park City Mountain Resort, Epic Promise Vail Resorts, US Bank, Summit Sotheby's International Realty, American Express, Sierra Excavation, America First Credit Union, Charles Schwab, Park City Board of Realtors, BIG-D Signature Resorts and Residences, Canyons Village Management Association, Montage Deer Valley, Key Bank, BIG-D Construction, Mountainside Resort Foundation, JAFFA GROUP, CSA HVAC Services, Promontory Foundation OCTOBER 2026 // 35

SPONSORED BY BUDGET BLINDS OF WASATCH BACK

PARK CITY MINERS OCT. FOOTBALL DATE

TIME

TEAM

H/A

VS.

10/1/2026

4:00pm

Away

Wasatch

10/2/2026

7:00pm

Away

Wasatch*

10/6/2026

6:00pm

Away

Pleasant Grove

10/7/2026

4:00pm

Home

Timpanogos*

10/8/2026

7:00pm

Away

Timpanogos*

10/13/2026

4:00pm

Away

Deer Creek

10/14/2026

6:00pm

Away

Herriman

10/14/2026

7:00pm

Home

Deer Creek*

GIRLS SOCCER DATE

TIME

TEAM

H/A

VS.

10/5/2026

3:30pm

Home

Jordan*

10/5/2026

5:30pm

Home

Jordan*

10/6/2026

5:00pm

Home

TBA Opponent

10/8/2026

TBD

State Playoffs (TBD)

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36 // NEIGHBORS OF THE WASATCH BACK - ParkCity

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ARTICLE AND PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY PEYTON RIDPATH

ATHLETE LEADER OF THE MONTH

GenereuseDeleage

Coach Ella nominated Genereuse as Athlete Leader of the Month because of the hard work, dedication, and positivity she brings to the gym every day. Genereuse is not only a dedicated athlete, but also a great friend and teammate who is always supportive of those around her. She represents Black Diamond with kindness, a strong work ethic, and a positive attitude, making her a wonderful member of both our team and community. We are so proud of you, Genereuse!

From her dad, Michael: "We moved to Park City in December 2014, we wanted a different pace life than that of Southern California. We knew we wanted to move somewhere that would be great to raise a child. Genereuse was born in Millcreek/ Salt Lake City in 2018. During the summer between kindergarten and 1st grade we were looking for Genereuse to get involved one instrument and one sport. In July 2024, we thought we would try gymnastics, the staff at Black Diamond was very friendly and we signed her up for 1 month. We thought we would try 4 classes to see how she would like it, and by the 3rd class she was knew that she had found her sport. Gymnastics has been a wonderful experience, Genereuse is kind and shy child and gymnastics has given her a lot of confidence. I think as parents, what we enjoy most is that Black Diamond has well organized and disciplined program, in addition the coaches always try to make sure the children have fun. Not only is gymnastics great physical exercise, Genereuse has made 5 good friends at Black Diamond, who she probably otherwise would not have met. If you were to ask Genereuse her favorite activities, she would answer playdates with friends, gymnastics, art and playing guitar.”

OCTOBER 2026 // 37

y z a r C o JamieM

SPONSORED BY BASIN RECREATION • BY IZZY CRANDALL, JUNIOR CONTRIBUTING WRITER• PHOTOGRAPHY BY OWEN CRANDALL

ATHLETE OF THE MONTH

When Jamie MoCrazy was suggested as an athlete for this column, I did what I always do: Google her. Typically, an Instagram handle pops up, giving me an idea of their hobbies, or a race-results page mentioning a few acclaimed accomplishments. But as I typed “Jamie MoCrazy” into the search bar, before I finished entering her last name, Google was autofilling the rest, as if she were a celebrity. And then, as the page loaded, professional pictures, a New York Times article, and a Wikipedia page, linking her movie featured on Amazon Prime Video, appeared. It was at that moment I decided this wasn’t my normal article. But what I didn’t realize then was that in some ways, she is like so many I have featured: a local, a dreamer, a hard worker. A person who loves sport in a community that puts so much emphasis on it.

In 2010, at age 18 after winning Junior World Championships in slopestyle free-skiing in New Zealand, Jamie moved to Park City from Westport, Connecticut. “I wanted to move here because I thought it was the best place in the world to become a professional skier,” Jamie explains. And it was. Every day, she would ride her bike from her house to the Center of Excellence, training on water ramps with the U.S. Ski Team and AXIS (now Team Park City United). The first winter here, she re-tore her ACL, but with the help of her coaches, she still made it to X Games, a competition where only the top eight women in the world qualify. The next five years were spent competing and training, as she became the first woman to land a double backflip in competition at the X Games, building her résumé and putting her in a strong position for the 2018 Olympic team. But in 2015 at the World Tour Finals in Whistler, Canada, Jamie ended her first run in fourth place. She explains, “Being someone ranked first or second around the world in the prior three years, I wanted to upgrade from fourth place, so I chose to change my off-axis backflip to double flat 7.” As she landed this trick, which she had successfully done in practice for months, she caught an edge and crashed hard, whipping her head onto the snow. She remained in a coma for the next 10 days. Eight areas of her brain were bleeding, and her brain stem was damaged, paralyzing the right side of her body. When she emerged from the coma, she describes that she “had complete amnesia.” She had no recollection of day-to-day activities for a couple of months. Her abilities were similar to those of a year-old child—she was unable to walk, speak, and function. She had lost her sport, her identity, and her past life. The next five years were spent rebuilding a body with motor control, a brain that could write and do math, and a mind that could think on more than just the task at hand. It was during this process that her family and her community moved to the forefront. “Park City was fundamental to my recovery,” says Jamie. Utah’s Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Fund helped Jamie access essential physical, cognitive, and speech therapy. “My insurance would have covered something like 30 visits a year,” Jamie explains, but with support from the fund, she was able to receive 250 therapy sessions a year. She believes that “one of the biggest problems with rehabilitation and recovery is the ability to have therapy long enough.” People get cut off financially before they can regain the skills to create a viable future. “Not many states in the US have rehabilitation acts like that,” and it was because of Jamie’s eligibility that she was able to continue muchneeded therapy. But beyond traditional rehabilitation, Jamie needed more to get back on her feet. Her mom, Grace Mauzy, is now finishing her PhD in mind-body connection, with an emphasis on traumatic brain injury. During Jamie’s recovery, she took her knowledge—her master’s in psychology with an Early Childhood Brain Development concentration—incorporating tools such as meditation and movement, including yoga, while also focusing on basic skills, like relearning to write and do math. Grace was also crucial in reframing Jamie’s mind. “We know that our brains 38 // NEIGHBORS OF THE WASATCH BACK - ParkCity

© Best Version Media have neuroplasticity; we can rewire them with time and effort,” she explains. Jamie had the opportunity to work on this during hikes with her family. Still rebuilding her strength, she had to stop every five minutes, so she would have to call out, “I need a break.” (Grace eventually taught her to say, “Let’s look at the view.”) “All of a sudden, one that feels depressing and inadequate [turned to something] that feels like ‘Wow, we are somewhere we can see so much joy,’” Jamie adds with a glance out the window and a slight smile, “and it was so easy to look at the view when you live here.” Jamie turned “Let’s look at the view” into a metaphor for the remainder of her recovery, especially as the emotional part took its toll, focusing on being in the moment and seeing the good in it. As Jamie began to rebuild her physical abilities, one of the hardest challenges was rebuilding her emotional well-being. One way she relearned workplace and interpersonal skills was with the National Ability Center (NAC) as an assistant coach. She was an intern, never left alone or put in charge, but she still was able to regain skills for working. She explains that no one can teach you these things—communication, setting goals, or being professional. But the NAC gave her a chance to rebuild these soft skills in a safe environment. The NAC also allowed her to regain her love for outdoor sports. On the recumbent bike, she first began to feel independent. Over time, she got back to Park City Mountain Resort, “relearning on the bunny slopes how to ski.” With the support of instructors, whom she fondly called “coaches,” she quickly picked up the skills that were once the basis of her life. These coaches “were crucial,” not letting her overexert herself or put herself in a dangerous position before she was ready. She doesn’t do tricks anymore, or compete, due to the risk of second-impact syndrome being high, but her love of skiing continues. Jamie has learned to “climb alternative peaks,” as she likes to say. Her peak used to be professional skiing, competing around the world, and reaching toward the Olympic dream. But after her injury, she had a choice. “I could blame all my challenges and all my deficits on what happened to me,” she shares. “I could never accomplish anything else in life, or I could choose to make the modifications to climb an alternative peak.” So Jamie chose to find these alternative goals. With the help of her family, she started the MoCrazy Strong Foundation—which gives opportunities and rehabilitation to the brain-injury community worldwide—hosting in-person events at local centers, such as Snowbird and indoor skydiving in Ogden, as well as virtual meetings sharing her mom’s peer-reviewed research on complementary approaches to traumatic-braininjury recovery. Another alternative peak is Jamie’s career as a motivational speaker, through which she has shared her story and message at conferences around the world. She explains, “Every person will experience unexpected life trauma. It might be a divorce, losing a job, or the loss of a family member”—and it is how they react that can change the course of their life. Her most recent peak was summiting Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest peak in Africa this past June. Accompanied by Mom, 67-year-old Grace, who is a Park City ski instructor known as “Mama Fruit,” along with Kody Williams, another brain-injury survivor, Jamie summited in honor of her 10-Year Alive to Thrive anniversary. The summit was successful in part due to her training at Smart Fit Method, including what Jamie calls “oxygen deprivation” training. A Smart Fit instructor explained that the training involves intense stationary-bike workouts while wearing a mask that reduces the oxygen concentration, helping the body adapt to working with less oxygen. Jamie is now working with her guide, Gabby Leintz, to help build Kilisherpas Travel, with the idea of having meditation retreats in the Tanzania wilderness, while continuing her workouts at Smart Fit Method to stay healthy and fit for as long as possible. Jamie reminds us, “When we climb, there are going to be days when it is rainy and cold and you feel overwhelmed and stressed and cry on the floor... But if you keep climbing and putting one foot in front of the other, you’ll get a more amazing view than you ever expected.”

OCTOBER 2026 // 39

OPENING THE DOOR TO THE OUTDOORS:

Meet Basin Recreation Director Rob Parrish I sat down with Rob Parrish expecting to talk about trails, facilities, and long-range plans. What I got was a story about public service, historic preservation, and a deep investment in community—a combination that feels especially relevant to Park City right now. Rob is new here, but he’s not new to large landscapes or significant responsibility. He spent 15 years with the National Park Service, the last five and a half as a program manager at the Grand Canyon. His path there winds through some of the most iconic places in the country. “I’ve had projects for the Park Service from coast to coast,” he tells me, almost casually. “I put PV [photovoltaic] panels on the roof of Alcatraz… I worked on the Hurricane Sandy recovery at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island…projects at Grand Teton, the St. Louis Arch grounds, and the visitor center and display hall at Dinosaur in Vernal.” Those projects span many places many of us know as landmarks. Now Rob is bringing that experience to our trails, open space, and the Fieldhouse. FROM THE MARINE CORPS TO MOUNTAIN TOWNS Rob didn’t start out in the parks. He served eight-and-a-half years in the Marine Corps, earned a degree in construction management, and built single-family homes until the 2008 recession forced his hand. He found his way inside almost by accident: While visiting a Social Security office in Denver to replace a lost card, he noticed a sign nearby for the National Park Service Denver Service Center. “I realized it was the Park Service’s project management, design, and construction office,” says Rob. “I thought, ‘Wait a second, I do that.’ So I started digging, found a couple of jobs they had posted, applied, and they hired me.” Rob started a master’s program in historic preservation at the same time. The combination suited him: a construction-minded Marine veteran who loves the outdoors, helping preserve some of the country’s most beloved places. As he puts it, the Park Service “kind of had everything in one place that really attracted me.” FROM NATIONAL PARKS TO OUR BACKYARD Rob is from Columbus, Ohio—a proud Buckeye—but mountain towns aren’t new to him. He’s lived and worked all over the West. What brought him here was timing, opportunity, and wanting a different kind of public service. Inside the federal system, he was feeling the weight of budget cuts, staffing limits, and underfunded programs. Do more, faster, with less. “It just didn’t become a fun place,” he admits. “I wasn’t enjoying my day-to-day work. So I started looking for other opportunities…and I stumbled across this.” In the Park Service, he mostly worked on buildings and infrastructure, with little contact with the people using them. Here, that relationship is much more direct. 40 // NEIGHBORS OF THE WASATCH BACK - ParkCity

OCTOBER 2026 // 41

© Best Version Media “I really do get to be involved with our residents and the facilities we provide—our trails, our open space,” shares Rob. “It has everything that attracted me to the Park Service, just at a smaller scale. And being part of a special recreation district still lets me be a public servant, but at a more local level.” MORE THAN JUST TRAILS Ask 10 locals what Basin Recreation is, and you’ll get 10 answers. Rob knows it. “Some people just see us as the trails, some just as open space, and some just know us for the Fieldhouse,” he says. “But really, we’re all three.” The scale is unusual: nearly 200 miles of trails, when comparable districts nationwide have 10 to 20. Almost 2,000 acres of open space. And the Fieldhouse. You know what those places mean if you live here. In any given week, I’m on the Summit Park trails, which I half-jokingly call “heaven,” walking my dogs above Glenwild, or swinging by Round Valley just to be outside. That’s my routine—and, honestly, it’s my mental-health hack. The district is growing fast. Rob expects about 20 percent growth over the next decade, and that’s before the Olympics return to Utah in 2034. “The Fieldhouse is at capacity,” he says. “We know with all the residents coming, we have to look at how we're going to meet the needs of current residents and new ones.” PLANNING FOR GROWTH Basin Recreation is proposing a general obligation bond of up to $150 million on the November ballot. If it passes, it would fund two new facilities: one in Silver Creek Village on district-owned property, and one near Jeremy Ranch Elementary on county land. Silver Creek Village would bring a new lap pool to take pressure off the existing one, plus a recreational pool—somewhere families can go, in Rob’s words, “just to go and have fun.” The facility near Jeremy Ranch is being shaped around indoor winter space, youth sports, and a rockclimbing area people have been asking for. Both proposals emphasize indoor options for our long winters. Rob says he hears the complaints constantly—the Fieldhouse is packed, their kid didn’t get into a program, they wish there were somewhere to go in February. He sees the proposed bond as a way to address those concerns and keep the district from getting “caught short” 10 years out.

42 // NEIGHBORS OF THE WASATCH BACK - ParkCity

CELEBRATING

FIVE

YEARS COME CELEBRATE FIVE YEARS WITH US!

A BIT OF SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY That’s how Rob describes what Basin offers. Summer camps. Weight rooms. Trails. Open space. Together, they’re a big part of why people choose to live here. Rob pays taxes in the district too, so he feels the responsibility. He also knows people come from outside the district because what we have is worth driving for. “As a public entity,” he says, “we need to be able to accommodate our residents, and also welcome our neighbors.” I appreciate Rob’s honesty—growth is coming either way. The question is how we stay ahead of it without losing what makes this place ours.

4175 N FORESTDALE DR., UNIT 104, PARK CITY, UT 84098

COME RAISE A GLASS WITH US!

OFF THE CLOCK Rob is exactly who you’d hope a rec director would be: an outdoors guy. Half his garage is camping gear, by his own estimate. He’s got a Jeep for off-roading and a motorcycle for moto-camping. He lights up telling me about a Utah loop a couple of years back, one that ended at the Salt Flats, watching motorcycle speed trials. At home? He has three poison dart frogs in a planted vivarium. “They’re very low maintenance,” he laughs. “Throw some flies in there every once in a while, and they’re good.” Rob lives in Elk Springs, right in the middle of the growth he’s planning for. His partner, Sheila, is still in Arizona sorting out the move and a job, hoping to be here by the end of August —a reminder that behind every new name in leadership, there’s a real life in transition. WELCOMED TO PARK CITY When I asked how he’s been received, his answer sounds like the community I know: warm, curious, and encouraging, especially after open houses where people heard his story. One thing I’ve learned doing this work is that the loudest voices get the attention, but a quieter part of Park City is made up of people who genuinely care. My conversation with Rob fits right in. He’s used to thinking on a larger scale—Grand Canyon, the Statue of Liberty. Now his focus is local: our trails, fields, pools, and the places that help Park City feel like home.

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OCTOBER 2026 // 43

BY JACQUIE SYMES, ON BEHALF OF BLUE PINE HEALTH • PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEXIE LARSON, TAKE A HIKE PHOTOGRAPHY

Longevity You Can Trust

The Story Behind the Founders of Blue Pine Health Fourteen years ago, Tyson Smith started his career in locum tenens staffing, recruiting physicians for assignments at hospitals that needed temporary coverage. He spent his days at a call center desk with a stack of physician CVs, cold-calling doctors he'd never met at hospitals across the country. Most of those calls were transactional. The doctors were tired, abrupt, and anxious to get back to their patients. Then Tyson called Dr. Mohammad Anwar. "It seemed like the majority of the doctors I talked to were not the most friendly people," Tyson recalls. "But when we (Tyson and Dr.

Anwar) would communicate, it was very much just like, 'How can I help?'" That small difference — a staffing call treated as a conversation between friends rather than a transaction — grew into a real friendship. The friendship grew into a decade in business together, all of it long before either of them dreamed up Blue Pine Health.

he'd become friends with at the same hospital came to him with the same question. Twice, in a short window, people he trusted were asking for help he wasn't yet positioned to give at scale.

AN IDEA BORN FROM MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS

Then it hit closer to home. Tyson had been quietly struggling with his own health — intermittent fasting, the gym, half-joking to Dr. Anwar that he needed to figure something out. Dr. Anwar asked if he'd ever considered GLPs.

Blue Pine didn't start as a business plan. It started with a nurse Dr. Anwar worked with in Maine, who came to him subtly asking about GLP-1 therapy for herself. Then a pharmacist

Those conversations are the entire company, traced back to honest conversations between friends and trusted professionals. Dr. Anwar's decision to become board certified in obesity

44 // NEIGHBORS OF THE WASATCH BACK - ParkCity

© Best Version Media medicine (sitting for the boards this fall) came after their idea took shape. He has described it as discovering "a huge world of physiology that's completely negated in medical school." The expertise followed the need. That chronology matters: Blue Pine wasn't built to find customers for a product. It was built because two friends kept running into people who needed real help. TYSON'S REASON WHY For his 40th birthday, Tyson set out to get under 200 pounds the traditional way: diet, the gym every morning, discipline. He got there, felt great, and celebrated the milestone in Cabo — where, at dinner, a friend told him he looked great and asked, half-jokingly, if he was "on Ozempic." Tyson was almost offended; he'd done it the hard way. But the comment stuck with him, and his thinking eventually shifted after a conversation with his friend Mohammad: nobody calls taking vitamins cheating, so why call this cheating? Medication support isn't a shortcut around health — it's a route to it. Today, his "why" is simple and unglamorous: he has a six-year-old and a three-year-old, and he wants to be the kind of dad who can still keep up with them, the way his own father (still beating him at tennis in his 70s) keeps up with him.

IT STARTED WITH A CONVERSATION. Personalized care built on real relationships.

No long-term commitments. No one-size-fits-all approach. Just thoughtful care centered around what you actually need.

MOHAMMAD'S REASON WHY Mohammad takes the medication himself. He's held his goal weight for about six months and plans to stay on a low, ongoing dose indefinitely. Not for the number on the scale, but for the anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular protection it offers. He's direct about why this is personal: Southeast Asian populations carry a lower BMI threshold for "overweight" and face heart-attack risk roughly a decade earlier than the general population. For people like him, he considers the medication close to essential, not optional or elective for the lucky few who can afford it. WHAT THEY BUILT Ask Dr. Anwar what he respects about his partner, and he’ll point to the parts of the business nobody sees; all the backend work, the finances, the quiet operational work Tyson handles without complaint. Ask Tyson the same about Dr. Anwar, and he’ll mention his reputation across every hospital he’s worked in: a doctor who carries more shifts than almost anyone, and never complains about it. That same work ethic shows up in the decision most business advisors told them was a mistake: Blue Pine doesn’t lock patients into a subscription. Patients can stop any time, no penalty, no pressure. Some of Blue Pine Health’s current patients have already come off the program after reaching their goal weight — with Blue Pine’s endorsement. As the founders see it, they’re a health center for people to get better first, not a business built around keeping them. If a patient gets healthy and leaves, that’s the outcome they wanted all along. If they start on a GLP-1 and pivot to another treatment to maintain their health or improve in more ways, even better. It’s a small, local, hands-on company, run by two people who still answer for the parts of the business that matter most: whether the person on the other end of the visit actually gets what they need, from people they can trust, without navigating anything that feels like a big-box health experience. Fourteen years after that first phone call, that’s still the whole idea.

WEIGHT MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS (GLP-1S) PEPTIDE THERAPIES • NATIONWIDE LAB TESTING PHYSICIAN-LED CARE • TRANSPARENT PRICING

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DIRECT ACCESS TO YOUR CARE TEAM. CALL OR TEXT THE DOCTOR DIRECTLY:

(657) 208-7463(PINE)

Please mention ‘BLUE PINE’ in your messge

OUR TEAM. YOUR PARTNERS. TYSON SMITH • Co-Founder & President DR. MOHAMMAD ANWAR • Co-Founder & CEO

OCTOBER 2026 // 45

EXPERT CONTRIBUTOR • BY DR. C. RYAN OSORIO, DMD - RISE DENTAL WELLNESS

THE INNER SMILE A beautiful smile involves more than just properly proportioned teeth, gums, lips and face. A great smile, in my opinion, includes a quality that has nothing to do with its physical appearance. For over 17 years, I have had the privilege of designing smiles. In my practice, I straighten what is crooked, brighten what has dulled, and restore symmetry to lips, gums, and teeth that time or circumstance has worn down. With today's tools — minimally-invasive porcelain veneers, precision orthodontics, facial aesthetics — I can build a smile that is, by every physical measure, beautiful.

Unlike a veneer or bonding, the inner smile isn't something I can place in a single appointment. It's cultivated — slowly, deliberately, over months and years — through the small rituals that shape how we move through our days. It lives in our morning routines and our evening wind-downs, in the way we greet a stranger or respond to a setback, in the posture we carry and the thoughts we allow to linger. It is, in the truest sense, a practice.

But somewhere along the way, I started noticing something. Two patients could sit in my chair with nearly identical, technically perfect smiles — and one would light up a room with a glowing presence, while the other, despite the flawless dentistry, still seemed to hold something back. The difference wasn't in the teeth. It was in the quality of radiance behind the smile.

As a cosmetic dentist, I believe my work is only half finished if I hand someone a beautiful smile and stop there. The physical smile is the frame. The inner smile is the light that fills it. Park City is full of people who already understand this instinctively — our community values wellness, mindfulness, and being outdoors in ways that few places do. I wanted to give this instinct a name, and an invitation. Many ask why my building includes both a dental office and a wellness studio. The workshops, events and classes in the studio allow for the development of the Inner Smile.

I've come to call this the inner smile.

CULTIVATING YOUR OWN INNER SMILE

WHAT THE INNER SMILE IS

Here are a few practices I share in our workshops — small, sustainable rituals that, over time, help the inner smile take root. I encourage you to practice any of these ideas that seem meaningful for you.

The inner smile has nothing to do with proper teeth proportions, alignment, or symmetry. It's the quiet radiance that comes from a person at peace with themselves — a kind of depth that no amount of dental or facial aesthetics can provide. You've felt it before: someone whose smile seems to have a glow about it. That's the inner smile at work.

▶ Anchor your morning before the world does. Before you check your phone, take three slow breaths and set one intention for the day — not a task, but a feeling you'd

like to carry (ease, patience, gratitude). How you begin shapes how you move through everything that follows. ▶ Practice the pause. When something irritates or rattles you, build in a halfsecond pause before responding. That tiny gap is where your inner smile has room to choose your response, rather than react on autopilot. ▶ Move your body daily, without judgment. A walk, a stretch, a hike up Park City's trails — movement isn't just physical maintenance. It's one of the fastest ways to shift your internal state and loosen a tense mind. ▶ Close the day with gratitude. Instead of running through your to-do list at bedtime, name three small things that went well. This rewires the mind, over time, toward noticing what's good rather than what's missing.

Dental Wellness + Studio

Discover the Rise Difference. We intentionally schedule fewer patients to allow adequate time to give you our full attention and address all your dental concerns. We offer wellness-based dental care to all ages as well as complete smile renovations. In our studio, we provide workshops for the development of your “Inner Smile” which encompasses overall physical, mental, emotional and energetic wellbeing.

• Co m p re h e n s i v e D e n t i s t r y • Smile Aesthetics

• Co m f o rt + C h a r m • Studio Rise

1800 Prospector Avenue Park City, Utah 84060

Becoming a patient is easy.

435-214-0544 www.risedentalwellness.com 46 // NEIGHBORS OF THE WASATCH BACK - ParkCity

Dr. Ryan Osorio

@RiseDentalWellness

Just scan here to schedule your dental visit.

PA R K C I T Y

▶ Soften your face on purpose. Throughout the day, check in with your jaw, brow, and shoulders — we hold enormous tension in our faces without realizing it. A conscious softening, a few times a day, sends a signal of safety to the whole nervous system. ▶ Choose one person to truly see each day. Give someone your full attention — no phone, no multitasking — even for just a few minutes. Genuine connection is one of the most reliable sources of the inner glow we're describing. ▶ Let your habits reflect your values. The inner smile isn't built in dramatic moments; it's built in the repetition of small, values-aligned choices — how you speak to yourself, what you consume, how you rest.

Skin fitness, powered by a plan.® An eye for beauty. A focus on science.

COMBINING THE PHYSICAL AND INNER SMILE

Your skin deserves a routine, not a one-off. Our providers build you a personalized blueprint — then keep you accountable to it.

I don't believe the physical and the inner smile are in competition — quite the opposite. When someone feels aligned, peaceful, and genuinely well from the inside, it often shows up in how they carry their outer smile too: more freely offered, more natural, more theirs. My work as a cosmetic dentist will always be about helping people feel confident in their smile, and I've learned that the most radiant smiles I see in my chair belong to people who've been quietly doing the inner work all along.

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My hope, in introducing the inner smile to our Park City community, is simple: that we begin to think of a beautiful smile as something we build from both directions — outside in, and inside out.

15% off your first treatment

Anyone interested in making either a small or significant change in their teeth, gums, and/or face is always welcome to schedule a complimentary consultation at my practice in Prospector Square, Rise Dental Wellness. We also practice general dentistry through a biological, wellness-based lens for anyone looking for a dentist in the area. Anyone interested in cultivating their inner smile can sign up for one of our half-day “Inner Smile Workshop” at Studio Rise. No need to be a patient at our dental practice to join a workshop. Our October workshop has been moved to November 7. Learn more at www.risedentalwellness. com or give us a call at 435-214-0544.

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October, the Metal Element, and the Quiet Work of Grief October doesn’t arrive all at once. The aspens on the ridgeline turn first, then the cottonwoods along the creeks. Mornings carry a thinner light. The air has a crisp edge. Something in us knows, before the calendar does, that the year is beginning to let go. Traditional Chinese Medicine calls this the season of Metal. Metal governs the Lungs and the Large Intestine, the organs of taking in and letting go. Its climate is dry. Its color is white. Its flavor is pungent. And its emotion, when the element is asked to speak honestly, is grief. That last word can make people uneasy. We are taught to treat grief as a problem to solve or a feeling to manage so we can get back to being useful. Chinese medicine offers a kinder view. Grief is not a malfunction. It is the heart and lung response to change. Leaves fall. Breath leaves the body. What has completed its work is released so that what remains can be refined. I often tell patients that healthy Metal is not the absence of sadness. It is the capacity to feel what is leaving, and still inhale. When Metal is balanced, grief moves. It has a beginning, a middle, and a place to rest. We exhale fully. We sort what is essential from what is familiar, and we release what is no longer serving us. When Metal is stuck, grief pools in the chest. The breath shortens. The skin dries. The intestines tighten or refuse to let go. Immunity thins. We hold on past the point of kindness, to a role, a house, a version of ourselves, a person who is no longer here in the way they once were. October is an honest teacher of this. Walk any trail in Park City and you will see it. The mountains do not cling to last season’s green. They let the color go. The beauty is in the release. Support the Lungs the way October supports the trees, with moisture, warmth, and room to breathe.

almonds, and a modest amount of pungent food such as onion, garlic, ginger, and mustard greens. Favor soups and stews over cold salads. Drink warm water. The Lungs dislike dryness. So does the skin, which Chinese medicine considers the Lungs’ outer coat. Breathe as practice, not afterthought. Step outside in the morning before the day claims you. Feel the cooler air at the nostrils. Let the exhale be longer than the inhale. Grief lives in incomplete exhalation. A few conscious breaths do more than most of us admit. Make one small ritual of release. Clean a drawer. Write what you have been carrying, then put the paper away, or burn it if that feels true. Walk until the mind loosens. Metal loves order, but it loves honesty more. You do not have to empty the whole house. You only have to let one thing go at a time. If the season brings tightness in the chest, a lingering cough, a sadness that will not move, or the sense that you are bracing against change, acupuncture can help the Lungs and Large Intestine do what they were designed to do: receive, refine, and release. Autumn treatment often opens the chest, moistens dryness, settles the po, the corporeal spirit of the Lungs, and reminds the nervous system it is safe to let the breath travel all the way out. This season is also a personal one for me. I am stepping into the practice Dr. Kallie Harrison tended with such devotion. Taking the keys of a clinic is its own kind of autumn. There is gratitude, and the tender work of honoring what came before while beginning something new. Kallie welcomed this community into her care for years. I receive that welcome now with both hands, and I will keep sharing seasonal Chinese medicine with you in this column, as she promised.

Thank you for trusting this space, first with Eat in white and gold. Pears, steamed or Kallie, and now with me. poached with a little honey, moisten Lung yin and soothe a dry throat. Add cauliflower, With care, Dr. Grace Wathen, DACM, L.Ac., MSTCM daikon, turnip, parsnip, white rice, oats, 48 // NEIGHBORS OF THE WASATCH BACK - ParkCity // ADVERTORIAL

Dr. Grace Wathen Dr. Grace Wathen, DACM, L.Ac., MSTCM is a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist. She earned her Doctorate in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine from the California Institute of Integral Studies and her Master of Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine from Five Branches University. Her doctoral work focused on dermatological conditions. She previously served as a Pediatric Acupuncturist at Primary Children’s Hospital. Dr. Wathen specializes in integrative care, women’s health, pediatrics, sports medicine, TCM dermatology and facial rejuvenation, and supportive care for fertility.

www.kallieharrison.com 2078 Prospector Ave., Suite 2 Park City, UT 84060 (Inside The Prospect Executive Suites)

385-256-0022

WHAT SHOULD YOU EAT BEFORE AND AFTER A WORKOUT? BY DR. TIMOTHY DUERLER, OVATION PRIVATE HEALTH Walk through the nutrition aisle of almost any store — or spend a few minutes on social media — and you might think getting the most from your workout requires a complicated combination of protein powders, supplements, electrolyte drinks, creatine, and, increasingly, peptides. For most people, it doesn’t. Nutrition matters when it comes to exercise, but the basics are less complicated than much of the marketing would have us believe. Before a workout, the goal is primarily to give your body enough energy to perform. For many people, that means a meal or snack that includes carbohydrates for readily available energy, along with some protein. The amount and timing depend on the workout. A long bike ride or strenuous day on the slopes requires different fueling than a 30-minute walk or moderate strength-training session. After exercise, the priorities shift toward recovery. Protein provides the amino acids your body needs to repair and build muscle, while carbohydrates help replenish energy stores. You don’t necessarily need a protein shake the minute you finish exercising. What matters more is getting adequate protein and good nutrition throughout the day. Those needs can change as we age. Maintaining muscle becomes increasingly important in our 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond. We naturally lose muscle mass with age, and resistance training combined with adequate protein can help counter that decline. Women may need to pay particular attention to maintaining muscle and bone strength during and after menopause. Men also experience age-related changes in muscle mass and strength. This is where supplements can become confusing. Protein powders can be a convenient way to help meet protein needs, but they aren’t inherently better than protein from food. Creatine has also received a lot of attention, and unlike many supplements marketed for performance, it has a substantial

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body of research behind it. When combined with resistance training, creatine may help improve strength and support muscle mass, including in older adults. Peptides are a different story. The term covers a broad range of compounds, and some peptide medications have legitimate, FDA-approved medical uses. But a growing market also promotes peptides for muscle growth, recovery, weight loss and longevity without the same level of evidence or regulatory oversight. I would be cautious about treating them as another workout supplement. Ultimately, good exercise nutrition doesn’t begin with a supplement cabinet. Eat mostly whole, minimally processed foods. Get enough protein. Include quality carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables. Hydrate. Strength train as you age. And adjust your nutrition to your body, your health, and the activity you’re asking it to perform. The latest product may sound more exciting. But when it comes to fueling an active life, the fundamentals still do most of the heavy lifting.

Be known. Be well. “The goal isn’t simply to live longer. It’s to live better.” — Timothy Duerler, M.D. ADVERTORIAL

OCTOBER 2026 // 49

EXPERT CONTRIBUTOR • BY NICHOLE DREYER, LAC., AUTUMN BEAR WELLNESS COLLECTIVE

A Warmer Way To Welcome Fall There’s a moment every fall when you can feel the season changing before the calendar says it has, especially here in Park City when summer can turn into fall in one day! The mornings get darker. The air turns crisp. The leaves start turning beautiful colors. Suddenly, the cold smoothie that sounded perfect in July doesn’t seem quite as appealing. You find yourself reaching for a sweater, a warm mug, and something that has been simmering on the stove. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), that instinct is worth paying attention to. Chinese medicine views food not simply in terms of calories and nutrients, but also by its temperature, flavor, preparation, and relationship to the season. Rather than following a rigid list of foods to eat or avoid, the idea is to adjust our habits as our environment changes.When autumn arrives, the emphasis shifts from summer’s lightness and abundance toward warmth, nourishment, and preparation. MAKE ROOM FOR WARM FOODS Summer naturally lends itself to fresh fruit, salads, chilled drinks, and lighter meals. Fall invites us to cook. In TCM, cooked foods are traditionally considered easier to digest than large amounts of cold or raw food, particularly as the weather cools. That makes autumn the perfect time for soups, stews, roasted vegetables, oatmeal, rice, baked apples, and hearty grain bowls. Think carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, cabbage, apples, pears, and dark leafy greens. You don't have to give up your favorite salad or smoothie. Instead, notice what your body is asking for. A bowl of berries may have been exactly right in August; warm cinnamon-spiced apples might be what sounds good in October. PUT SOUP ON THE MENU If fall had an official food, it might be soup. A

simple pot can bring together nearly everything you need for a satisfying meal. All it takes are vegetables, beans or lentils, chicken or tofu, grains, herbs, and spices. Ginger is especially common in Chinese food culture and is traditionally considered warming. Try adding fresh ginger to soups, stir-fries, tea, or roasted vegetables.The best part? Fall cooking doesn't need to be complicated. Throw a few ingredients into a pot, let them simmer, and you have dinner. Freeze the leftovers and you have an easy lunch that you just need to warm up. PREPARE FOR THE MONTHS AHEAD Chinese medicine places a strong emphasis on prevention and supporting the body before you feel run down. Fall is a good time to establish simple routines before winter arrives. Aim for regular meals, consistent sleep, daily movement, time outdoors, and enough rest. Keep your pantry stocked with ingredients for easy meals so that a busy week

doesn't automatically turn into a week of takeout. None of these habits are particularly glamorous. That's exactly why they're sustainable. LET FALL BE FALL Seasonal eating doesn't have to become another wellness project to perfect. Start small. Cook a little more. Choose more seasonal produce. Swap one cold breakfast for a warm one. Make soup on the weekend. Drink something warm when you come inside. Most importantly, pay attention to what your body is asking for and how your cravings change. WHAT DOES YOUR BODY NEED RIGHT NOW? Sometimes the answer is a crisp salad. Sometimes it’s a steaming bowl of soup. And sometimes it’s simply sitting down to a warm meal and giving yourself a few quiet minutes to enjoy it. Fall invites us to slow down, get grounded, and nourish ourselves for the ski season ahead.

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THE

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H E A LT H A N D W E L L N E S S C O R N E R

EXPERT CONTRIBUTOR • ARTICLE AND PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY HANNAH STOUGHTON, RENDEZVOUS RUN

Chasing Gold:

THREE FALL TRAIL RUNS IN PARK CITY

Most people move here for winter, but I stayed for fall. As a North Carolina native raised on big forests of oaks and maples, I didn’t expect a Utah October to win me over the way that it has. It snuck up quietly and now I make sure to soak up as much as I can of the crisp, cool mornings, golden aspens and fiery maples. Whether you are running, hiking, or biking Park City has plenty of big fall views for you to enjoy whatever your ability level. Here are three of my favorites, scaled from "big day" to "coffee still warm in the car." Armstrong to Mid Mountain (out and back) An absolute fall must. This is the one I send people on when they want to earn the view. Climb Armstrong through the aspens, about 4 miles of steady, shaded singletrack up to Mid Mountain. Make it an out and back to control the distance and enjoy the fall colors both directions. Bikes are allowed to ride up Armstrong so share the trail. Or avoid bikes at your back by going up Dawn’s Trail (hikers only) and down Armstrong. Rob's to UOP, down Moose Puddle My pick for the middle of the difficulty menu. Rob's Trail gets you up and out of the neighborhood fast. It’s about a 2 mile climb to the Olympic Trail/Mid Mountain junction. Turn onto Olympic Trail and run along the ridge above the Hi Ute Ranch. This section of trail has spectacular fall colors and views. Enjoy the descent on Moose Puddle, cut back into Olympic Park near the bobsled start toward Legacy Loop and run or hike down the road back to the trailhead. Parking at Rob’s Trail

AFTER

is limited so get an early start. RTS loop at the Olympic Park Short, rolling, and genuinely welcoming. The full RTS loop is about 2.5 miles with small climbs and big payoff. This is where I take first-time trail runners, anyone easing back in, and anyone who has thirty minutes. Fall is short so grab a friend and head out on an adventure. Rendezvous Run is a community running and hiking shop at Kimball Junction. Come tell us where you ran.

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EXPERT CONTRIBUTOR • ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY BY LACY HARRISON, OWNER PEAK|45

FALL RESET:

Finding Your Way Back to Routine

There's something about fall in Park City that feels like a reset. Summer rarely follows a schedule, but once school starts and mornings turn cooler, we naturally start looking for rhythm again. At PEAK|45 Park City, that shift shows up every year. Familiar faces return to favorite class times, and new clients walk through the door ready to try something different — because wellness doesn't always require a dramatic overhaul. More often, it's built through consistency: finding something that makes you feel stronger and continuing to show up for it. Part of the Park City community since 2020, PEAK|45 offers a 45-minute workout on the patented Megaformer, combining high intensity with low impact to build strength, balance, and endurance while staying easy on the joints — ideal preparation for the skiing, hiking, and mountain living that define life here. For owner Lacy Harrison, the connection between movement and community goes back long before the studio opened. With a background dancing for the NFL and NBA and years training athletes, she's seen firsthand how movement builds more than physical strength — it builds confidence and connection. "There is something really special about watching people find their place and their individual strength in the studio," Harrison says. "Consistency — and knowing there is a community here waiting for you — is a big part of what keeps people coming back." That sense of community extends beyond the studio, with PEAK|45 regularly supporting local organizations and causes throughout Park City. "Fall has always felt like a reset," Harrison says. "It's a chance to recommit to yourself — not with huge resolutions, but simply by getting back to the things that make you feel strong and grounded." PEAK|45 Park City is located in Kimball Junction at 1612 Ute Boulevard, the area's only official Lagree Fitness studio. Learn more at peak-45.com or info@ peak-45.com.

OCTOBER 2026 // 53

BY BETSY DEMANN • PHOTOGRAPHY BY DANA KLEIN

Taking the Plunj With Kim Ence

When I sit down with someone for a story, I start with who they are, not what they do. The business, hobbies, and family roles are puzzle edges; the person is always at the center. With Kim Ence, her story begins in an unlikely place for a wellness entrepreneur: a slaughterhouse on the Snake River in Idaho Falls. Kim grew up in what she calls “the very industrial part of town,” in a house that came bundled with her dad’s business. “It was not a very nice house, and it was very isolated,” she shares. “There were no kids that lived around me, so I pretty much grew up playing outside.” Her two older brothers were often out fishing and not especially interested in their little sister tagging along, so Kim learned early how to be on her own. Her childhood is stitched with cinematic scenes: the business burning down twice, the Teton Dam flood in 1976, and a father who refused to stop inventing. “We lived right on the river. We saw the wall of water coming,” Kim remembers. “It was a crazy thing to live through as a kid.” The slaughterhouse eventually became King B Jerky, and her dad reshaped an entire category of snacks—the first individually wrapped jerky stick you could just grab, then the shredded jerky in a can. Products now familiar in every gas station were once experiments in his head. Jack Link’s bought the business in the late ’90s, largely for that Jerky Stuff. While other kids had paper routes, Kim made cosmetics, ran quality control, and kept books. “Lots of responsibility that I probably shouldn’t have had, but my dad just trusted us. He said, ‘You can do it.’ And we did it.” That sense of responsibility followed her out of Idaho Falls, through Skyline High School and on to BYU. There, she met Derek—a karate instructor she and a friend wrote off, until she spotted him at the law school. “I was like, ‘Hey, karate guy is a law student. So he’s got some prospects.’” The day Kim graduated from BYU, Derek graduated from law school. They moved to Las Vegas, where he joined a firm and 54 // NEIGHBORS OF THE WASATCH BACK - ParkCity

© Best Version Media she started graduate school at UNLV. “We just moved there and had a baby and started school. Three babies later, I graduated. School took a long time.” Five children, in the end—four in those early years, and a surprise fifth just as Kim thought she was stepping into a more independent chapter. “Derek and I were standing in the garage saying, ‘Do we want any more kids?’ And I said, ‘I don’t think so. I’m happy. I like my job.’ The next month, I was pregnant. We started over.” Kim is disarmingly honest about motherhood. There’s no Pinterest-perfect version here. “It’s great and busy and challenging. I’m not a nurturer. I’m not that by nature. I was really worried about having kids—am I gonna be a good mom? I never liked being around other people’s kids,” she laughs. And yet, she built her life around being present for her own—stepping away from teaching when the youngest arrived, returning later to teach English literature at BYU–Idaho.

Scattered and thriving are her five kids: a chemist; a nurse; two who each run a Plunj location, one in Utah and one in Arizona; and a youngest who finished high school in Park City.

it. Park City checked every box—close to the kids, real community, and that mix of outdoor life and calm that makes a place feel like both retreat and launchpad.

They didn’t intend to land in family business together. And that’s exactly what happened.

As her youngest approached graduation, Kim realized she didn’t want to drift into an empty-nest version of herself.

After a stretch in New York City, Kim and Derek asked the wide-open question: Where do we actually want to live? His work is remote, the kids were settling in Utah, and Kim wanted mountains, not desert. St. George in July settled

“I knew Lars, our youngest, would be graduating, and I knew I wanted to be busy. I didn’t want to teach anymore. I wanted my own business. I don’t want to work for somebody else.”

OCTOBER 2026 // 55

© Best Version Media Her son introduced her to Plunj in Provo, a contrast-therapy space built around cold plunges and saunas. She walked in with curiosity and a firm boundary. “I said, ‘I will not get in that cold water. I hate being cold, but I’ll get in the sauna.’ And I did it. And I loved the cold. After the third time I was just like, ‘Wow, I feel so good.’” What struck her wasn’t just the physical reset. It was the name, the brand, the feel of the place—and the recognition that she didn’t want to build something better from scratch. She and Derek approached the founders about a Park City location, then helped franchise the concept, drawing on his background in hospitality and law and her lifetime in family-run business. Plunj Park City finally opened after three years. Today, it’s more than tubs and saunas. It’s a social nervous system for a town full of remote workers, endurance athletes, and people quietly managing stress, pain, or isolation. “There is a high barrier to getting in that cold water,” says Kim. “I can see it in their body language. But once you do it, you realize it’s not going to kill you. The endorphins kick in. It’s a reset.” She sees it in jet-lagged pilots home from Hong Kong, in athletes who drag themselves in after a

long ride, and in people who aren’t there for their muscles at all. “So many people come,” Kim continues. “They might say it’s for recovery, and they are getting all the physical benefits. But I can literally tell they come because they want to chat with somebody.” Unlike most urban locations, Plunj Park City is

busiest midday—remote workers log off, ski or ride, then drop into the tubs and into conversation before heading back to laptops and carpools. One use of the space may say the most about what Kim has built. A rehab facility for first responders brings groups in on Saturdays—men and women in treatment for PTSD, addiction, and the toll of years in crisis mode.

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© Best Version Media “They’ve had a really rough week of therapy, digging through all the stuff in their life,” she says. “There’s just this little cloud that comes in with them. And they leave smiling. The activities director said, ‘This place is amazing. You do here what we can’t accomplish.’” For Kim, who remembers the isolation of that industrial house on the river, this is close to sacred work. “They need all those boxes checked, and they’re all being checked here,” she shares. “It just fills my soul knowing that I’m a little part of lifting their load.” I can tell this is the part that matters most—not the franchise count, but the small human moments. Calling people by their first names. Offering a little extra care to the ones who don’t think they deserve it. Kim grew up in a family business that fed people; now, she runs one that restores them. The setting has changed—from an industrial lot on the river to a quiet building behind the Rail Trail with a mountain view—but the essence hasn’t. Work is family. Community is medicine. And sometimes the bravest thing you can do is take a deep breath, lower yourself into the cold, and trust that when you come up, you’ll feel a little more alive.

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EXPERT CONTRIBUTOR • BY KINAL PATEL, OWNER/ PHYSICIAN HEBER VALLEY CHIROPRACTIC & NORTHSHORE ANIMAL CHIROPRACTIC

Two Legs or Four:

Helping the Wasatch Back Move Better

Living in the Wasatch Back, movement isn’t just something we do, it’s how we live. We ski, golf, hike, bike, ride, train, chase after our kids, and bring our dogs along for every step of the journey. We ask a tremendous amount of our bodies, often without realizing how much we’re compensating until pain sets in or we’re sidelined from what we love. I see the exact same pattern in animals. A dog might hesitate before jumping into the truck. A horse might suddenly struggle to bend to the left or pick up a correct lead. Sometimes the signal is obvious; more often, it’s remarkably subtle. As a sports medicine clinician and chiropractor who treats both people and animals, I’ve learned a fundamental truth over the course of my career: movement tells a story. My job is to listen closely and decipher what that story is telling us. MORE THAN "WHERE DOES IT HURT?" When someone walks into my office, I don't simply adjust the area that hurts and send them on their way. I want to understand why it hurts in the first place. How are you moving? Where are your restrictions? What is compensating for a hidden weakness? Is an old, forgotten injury altering how your body functions today? With a foundation in sports rehabilitation, my

approach to care is rooted in whole-body movement mechanics. While a spinal adjustment is often a key piece of the puzzle, effective treatment requires a full toolkit. Depending on what your body needs, care may integrate dry needling, cupping, soft-tissue therapy, Class IV laser, shockwave, spinal decompression, or targeted movement rehabilitation. Tools are never applied arbitrarily; every modality serves a specific purpose, and every care plan must be as unique as the individual standing in front of me. And sometimes, that patient happens to stand on four legs.

DIFFERENT PATIENTS. SAME PHILOSOPHY. Treating both humans and animals is easily one of the most rewarding dimensions of my practice. A golfer needs rotation and mobility through the spine to swing freely. A skier relies on multi-planar stability and coordination. A performance horse requires efficient mechanics to carry weight fluidly under saddle. And a trail dog needs comfortable, resilient joint motion to join you on the trail, or simply leap into the car for the next weekend adventure. The patient changes, but the clinical philosophy remains identical. With animals, I evaluate movement patterns,

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58 // NEIGHBORS OF THE WASATCH BACK - ParkCity

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© Best Version Media posture, joint mobility, muscle symmetry, and subtle performance changes. Alongside chiropractic adjustments, therapies like Class IV laser, shockwave, and PEMF (Pulsed Electromagnetic Field) therapy allow us to address tissue healing and recovery at a deeper cellular level. WHAT SHOULD YOU LOOK FOR? In human patients, indicators worth investigating include persistent neck or back discomfort, tension headaches, sciatica, chronic tightness, reduced range of motion, recurring athletic injuries, or simply a feeling that your body isn't firing the way it used to. In dogs, watch for subtle signs like hesitation on stairs, stiffness after resting, changes in gait, reluctance to play, or trouble getting up from their bed. In horses, keep an eye out for difficulty bending through turns, trouble holding a lead, altered stride length, sensitivity during grooming or saddling, resistance under rider, or an unexplained drop in performance.

Helping people & dogs build strong relationships and adventure safely outdoors

One of the most frequent things I hear from an owner or rider is: "I can't quite explain it, but something just feels off." Trust that intuition. That observation is invaluable. Chiropractic care does not replace primary medical or veterinary diagnostics. I believe strongly in integrative, collaborative care and in recognizing precisely when a condition requires chiropractic care, and when it requires a different medical pathway.

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Whether I’m working with a patient in my Heber or Park City clinic or meeting a horse out at the barn, I always begin with one question: What do you need to get back to doing? Maybe that means playing 18 holes without your lower back seizing up. Maybe it’s carving turns down the mountain with your family, returning to heavy lifting, hiking local trails with your dog, or competing comfortably in the arena. There is no assembly-line protocol waiting for you here. The treatment must adapt to the patient, never the other way around. Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of treating everyone from active local families to high-level competitive athletes. Expanding into animal chiropractic gave me a fresh perspective on biomechanics, recovery, and human movement as well. At the end of the day, whether my patient walks on two legs or four, the core mission never changes: help them move better, recover better, and live fully. There’s too much life to enjoy here in the Wasatch Back to sit on the sidelines. Let’s keep you moving.

Visit petesadventurepack.com/contact to schedule a free consultation. OCTOBER 2026 // 59

BY CASEY LANE • PHOTOGRAPHY BY JILL BAKER

PARK CITY CHAMBER & VISITORS BUREAU:

Elizabeth Bolton,

Partnership Development Manager

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© Best Version Media Elizabeth Bolton is the “Mountainkind,” a phrase coined by Park City’s own Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau to reflect the kind of locals who live along the Wasatch Back, and the kind of tourists they hope to welcome. She herself, I deduce early in our conversation, is also…kind, mountain or not. And as with her passion for cornhole (more on that as we go), she happily welcomes a little unconventional competition. “It’s a noun, it’s a verb, and an adjective,” says Elizabeth, partnership development manager at Park City Chamber & Visitors Bureau, of the newly constructed tagline. She jokingly describes her role as “low-key sales.” “Which it’s really not,” she quickly adds with a laugh. “We always say we don’t hard-sell memberships because we’re not just trying to get everyone in. We want to make sure that it’s synergistic for the business and they’re going to get benefit out of it.” Normally, this type of claim would fill my inner critic with that holier-than-thou response pronounced plainly as “Yeah, right,” since most chambers rely solely on dues, and nothing more. But for Park City Chamber & Visitors Bureau, whose membership fees are merely a sliver of their annual revenue, Elizabeth’s integrity, like her cornhole points, trends refreshingly high. Chambers have a complicated past. Depending on the town, they can be described as anything from glorified event companies––trailing a kaleidoscope of expressively emotive reviews (which vary based on the member’s industry, proximity to said events, and, if we’re being totally honest, the sometimes

“off-season” sports—such as mountain biking, hiking, and fishing—ultimately positioning Park City as a year-round destination. So, how do you preserve the natural resources of a small town that welcomes more than 4 million annual visitors? By defining success for all. And what kind of success do we want? Say it with me: The “Mountainkind”! Very good. Class dismissed.

totally unrelated health of the individual business itself)––to mediocre marketing firms relying on old-school networking events that tend to skew, as Gen Z eloquently describes, cringe. “Historically, chambers are seen almost as a good-ol’-boy club,” admits Elizabeth, who recently completed a three-year training program through W.A.C.E., the Western Association of Chamber Executives, and who strikes me as a straight shooter. “One of the things that stuck out to me [during the training] was, ‘If you’ve seen one chamber, you’ve seen one chamber.’ And it’s true, because every chamber is super different and impacted by the geographic location and resources they have in their business community.”

“Part of the reason why they came up with [the word] was because they wanted to have a stronger message to our community and to the rest of the world, on who we are here in the Wasatch Back and what makes us different,” explains Elizabeth. “We have a sustainable tourism plan that spells out our goals, and we have a team that works on just that. We are constantly setting and adjusting goals based around the needs of the community.”

Those resources grew substantially, thanks to a 2011 deal with Summit County, which allocated 90 percent of Park City’s Transient Room Tax (TRT) to Park City Chamber & Visitors Bureau—a multimillion-dollar deal that fueled Park City’s global influence and helped attract high-income tourism to what was already a world-class Olympic destination. The deal was so successful (growing Park City’s visitorship by more than a million annual visitors) that it was amended in 2017 to divert a portion of the TRT funding back into local infrastructure—roads, public transit, emergency services (to name a few)—in order to effectively support the increase.

So, exactly, who are we, and what makes us different? Well, it’s likely pretty clear to anyone on the inside––environmental stewardship, an investment in the local economy, wildlife preservation, and respect for your neighbor top this list of golden, resort-town rules––but for tourists, whose day-to-day might not involve clean and available public transportation, stopping for wildlife, using compostable flatware, and following trail etiquette, Mountainkind embodies a persona they can temporarily inhabit that seamlessly reflects the environment around them, as in animal, vegetable, and…silver mine-er-al (you see what I did there?).

But the deal still meant that 60–70 percent of the TRT would continue to be reinvested into marketing the town’s active lifestyle, which, during seasonally slow periods, means leaning further into

“It’s meant to encompass the spirit of people that live and work here,” says Elizabeth. “Our mission

OUR TOWN: THE PEOPLE’S HEALTH CLINIC CARING FOR THE BACKBONE OF PARK CITY Park City is known for its world-class resorts, beautiful mountains, and vibrant tourism industry. But behind the experiences that draw visitors from around the world is a workforce that makes it all possible. Many of those workers face significant barriers to accessing healthcare. That is where the People’s Health Clinic comes in. “We really take care of the uninsured workforce of Park City,” says Mairi Leining, CEO. “That’s who comes to us for care.” Today, the clinic serves approximately 11,000 active patients, many of whom are the people working in the service and hospitality industries. They are cooks, housekeepers, resort employees, restaurant workers, and other essential members of the community who help Park City function every day. “The people we care for are the ones that keep our community running,” Behavioral Health Medical Director Linsey Broadbent, explains. “They make the mountain be able to work. They allow tourists to come and experience our beautiful area.” Her philosophy is simple: “If we keep them healthy, we keep the community healthy.”

Patient Access Director Patty Garcia

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800.453.1360 1850 Sidewinder Dr. #320, Park City, UT 84060 OCTOBER 2026 // 61

© Best Version Media [at Park City Chamber & Visitors Bureau] is to serve our mountain community. We inspire sustainable travel, we drive equitable economic prosperity, and we catalyze positive change.” As a mission statement, these are broad and ill-defined but admirable north stars; as core beliefs leveraged for world-class economic change, Park City Chamber & Visitors Bureau—along with a few key events (cough cough Sundance, cough cough the Olympics)—has put Park City and its local economy on the alfresco map. Now, about that whole cornhole thing… Park City is a town of transplants, and most, if not all, find themselves eager to slip down a mountain the minute they park their all-wheel, all-terrain, all-sport everything. But for Elizabeth, skiing wasn’t driving her decision to relocate, and it certainly wasn’t her reason to stay. “I don’t just ski,” Elizabeth says, refreshingly, admitting she was late to learn winter sports. “I axe-throw, I love cornhole, I shoot pool, I hike, paddleboard, ride my bike. I was the kid that could go from wearing flannel and building tree forts with her brothers outside to doing dress-up runway shows at home. I was kind of just a total all-over-the-place kind of kid.” A Jacqueline-of-all-trades, Elizabeth’s partner is a cornhole pro (yes, that’s a real thing!). They call him “four-bagger” (the game’s version of baseball’s “RBI”), and he taught Elizabeth a thing or two. “One

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of the things I love about cornhole is it’s competitive. I’m a competitive person,” says Elizabeth. “It’s the kind of thing that you can always get better at. And ultimately, my favorite thing about it is the community. There aren’t a lot of women players, so it’s kind of fun when I can beat the boys.” But Elizabeth’s versatility doesn’t stop with airmail shots or blockers (a few more of the sport’s strategic terms)—she is also a volunteer DJ at KPCW spinning a surprisingly soulful genre of Rat Pack standards. “I grew up listening to Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, and Louis Armstrong––he is my all-time favorite artist. I love to sing, and I feel like there’s probably parts of that I want to explore more on the side, just for fun.” Just when I thought Park City was pigeonholed into gold-standard trails and unending terrain, I’m surprised to learn the subculture of this mountain town is alive and well. Who knows, maybe the future of Park City’s tourism lies in the hands of those undiscovered segments of off-piste play, performed by career hobbyists and partnership development managers whose passion for relationship, community, and economic growth can fuel a new generation of tourism. Those who come to experience Park City as both Mountain and Maverick.

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Parenting comes with questions, especially around speech, language, and development. Join us monthly at the Kiln in Park City for an open, supportive Q&A led by a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist specializing in autism and neurodevelopment. Bring your questions about late talking, social communication, AAC, feeding, early signs of autism, or school supports. No presentations. No pressure. Just real conversation. Connect with other parents and leave feeling supported, informed, and not alone. KILN, REDSTONE, PC

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© Best Version Media MOTHERHOOD WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE DONE ALONE. The Motherhood Circle, hosted by Christian Center of Park City and The Hive Family Collective, is a welcoming space for new and expecting moms to connect, find support, and discover resources for the journey ahead. Through our community baby showers and resource fairs, moms can receive essential baby supplies while connecting with local organizations that support maternal health, family stability, and early childhood development. If you’re expecting or have a little one 6 months or younger, you’re invited to join our circle. Follow along for information about our next Motherhood Circle events and how to get involved. Because a little support can go a long way, and no mom should have to feel alone. Go to this link or scan the QR code to learn more: ccofpc.org/motherhood-circle/

Find out more about this program and how to get involved by scanning the QR code (435) 649-2260 @ChristianCenterofParkCity

PARK CITY CAMPUS 1283 Deer Valley Drive Park City, Utah 84060

HEBER VALLEY CAMPUS 55 East Center Street Heber City, Utah 84032

OCTOBER 2026 // 63

BY ERIC RAMIREZ • PHOTOGRAPHY BY DEB DEKOFF

JohnClimaco In spring, when alpine conditions are favorable and rock and snow are relatively stable, Park City local John Climaco goes vertical. He has built a life recreating in the mountains around the world and even working in them as a mountain guide. From his first trip to Chamonix at 19 to filming a three-month-long expedition with climbers in the Karakoram in China, the lifestyle has continually drawn him back to thinner air. Throughout those adventures, he was driven to do what others had not: to explore and climb new routes, as well as give back. When he decided to separate passion from work, he went to law school and made partner at a large, regional law firm. However, that drive would guide him up a different mountain within his professional career. “I was trained as a corporate lawyer, and I primarily worked in emerging growth markets, helping startup companies raise money, form, and scale. Around 2000, I met with some physician scientists at the University of Utah, who were working on a diagnostic technology for scoliosis, but I didn’t know anything about that, and they knew very little about creating and financing a company,” John explains. So, with John’s expertise, they formed Axial Biotech. “We proceeded to raise about $50 million from companies like JNJ, Medtronic, and Smith and Nephew. We used it to perform groundbreaking research, using the Utah population and its unparalleled family records, to identify genetic markers for severe scoliosis requiring surgery. The product, ScoliScore, was marketed and sold by our strategic investors nationwide.” He continues, “It was incredibly gratifying to know something I had a hand in creating was helping kids in the clinic every day.” John found that, as a non-scientist without a baseline of technical knowledge, he relied—and still relies—on a network of clinician-scientists to help evaluate new ideas and therapies. Where he might lack technical background, he possesses an uncanny ability to articulate stories about groundbreaking research in heartfelt and relatable terms. Naturally, getting others on board meant proving the promise of the breakthrough. Reminiscing about having finally scaled a rock feature in the western Uinta Mountains this past spring, he says it took five attempts to climb it; he and his climbing partner 64 // NEIGHBORS OF THE WASATCH BACK - ParkCity

© Best Version Media now hold the first ascent. Recognizing his own tenacity for seeing a project through, he humbly admits, “It’s not because I’m smarter than anybody else, or better. Maybe I’m just going to push a little harder, and maybe a little longer.” That might even mean that the project is larger than his work with just one company.

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During those years with Axial, John had been working two full-time positions, one as a corporate attorney and the other as the startup’s CEO. In 2007, his law partners made him choose between scoliosis research and his law practice.

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It was an easy call for John: commit to making a difference. “We started that research company in 2003, I went full-time as CEO in 2007. We sold the company in 2012.” That opened some time to climb a little more for a while.

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Alpinists like John push through the elements and physical limitations, treating setbacks as opportunities to solve a route. For John, that same persistence carries from summits to funding clinical research.

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Most recently, John worked with scientists who had found a promising chemotherapy intended to cross the blood-brain barrier. Berubicin, developed by CNS Pharmaceuticals, was the first of its kind. It would prove to be a leap forward in brain cancer treatment. Glioblastoma, or GBM, is a type of brain cancer with a poor prognosis. It manifests few outward symptoms and often remains undetected until an MRI in the emergency room reveals it, so it ends up being diagnosed in a later stage. Anthracyclines are potent chemotherapy agents that were needed to treat GBM. However, they generally do not cross the bloodbrain barrier effectively, which helps shield the brain from toxins. Kristie L. Kahl wrote in 2018, “The drug [Berubicin]—which belongs to a class of powerful anthracyclines—is the first of its kind to cross the blood-brain barrier and attack brain tumors directly in clinical testing,” for Curetoday.com. John remained with CNS for eight years as its CEO. In a CNS press release, John said before leaving the company, “‘…it provided valuable insight and proof in a large dataset that Berubicin is safe, well-tolerated, and has activity against GBM, attributes that few compounds have ever shown in the last 30 years.’” “It had been developed at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston,

Wednesday, November 4th Author, Mountaineer, World Record Holder Jenn Drummond @ GRIT Moto Ranch Visit www.winparkcity.com to get your spot, learn about membership and the CoLAB. Sign up for our emails and watch for all kinds of awesome workshops in 2026.

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© Best Version Media and it came backed by gold-plated science. They needed somebody who could raise significant funding and run a company, which is what I’d been doing,” John says. He saw what Berubicin meant for GBM, and he wanted everyone to have the opportunity to invest in its development. In an unorthodox campaign, he used the crowdfunding platform Republic, through which CNS raised more than $600,000, with fewer than 700 investors. He shared the story widely and raised millions of additional dollars to fund clinical trials. GBM treatment continues to evolve, and John is encouraged by the tools changing the research landscape. “We know so much more about this disease than we did ten or even five years ago,” notes John. “We are starting to see patterns, because AI in drug development is a real thing. While I’m not in love with AI for a lot of reasons, it’s enabling us to start to answer questions in drug development that we didn’t even really know we could actually ask with a straight face.” That research evolution plays to one of John’s strengths: explaining the science

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clearly and why investment matters. “I’m advising a couple companies in glioblastoma, developing different drugs, and looking at a couple of others that might need a CEO,” he says. “Meanwhile, I’m climbing and skiing.” John’s fortitude is characteristic in his work and recreation. He has climbed in Chamonix, France, year after year since that first trip. Over those years, he has watched glaciers change so dramatically that some climbing and skiing seasons have shortened, while some routes may be completely lost. In another kind of difficult landscape, more than once, he has been left alone as oncologists and board members filed out of the room, exhausted by the heavy nature of brain cancer. John continues exploring alpine zones all over, still skiing first descents and climbing first ascents, as well as naming new lines like Particle Accelerator Couloir on Mount Beulah and Cenotaph Spire on Reid’s Peak in the Uinta Mountains. “We all have talents of some sort to make a contribution in some way. I focus in a place where there’s a clear, unmet need,”

Trust Isn’t a Sales Pitch. It’s Our Name. HONEST ANSWERS. No upselling. John says. “If I can lend my skills to the skills of others and help people, that’s probably what I should be doing. If it isn’t meaningful or additive to the world and community, we need to step back and ask: ‘Why? Why should I bother doing that?’” In the meantime, he plans to keep pushing toward the same goal: a viable, effective treatment for glioblastoma. 1. https://www.curetoday.com/view/engineered-drug-may-directly-fight-glioblastoma-tumors 2. https://www.biospace.com/press-releases/cns-pharmaceuticals-reports-full-year-2024financial-results

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OCTOBER 2026 // 67

BY KIRSTEN KOHLWEY • PHOTOS PROVIDED BY KIRSTEN KOHLWEY & CARL HENDERSON

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As we drive to St. George from the north, signs of recent fires show how quickly forests can turn into black poles sticking out of the ground. The smell of smoke still lingers in the air. We pass towns recently threatened by the Cottonwood Fire, which burned almost 100,000 acres. That is roughly equivalent to one acre for each resident of St. George—a daunting thought. St. George has become a sprawling city in the last few years, growing by about 15 percent since 2020. Its historic Main Street features an art walk: Several artworks line the walkways on each block, complete with information about the artist, the purchase price, and a rental fee. This is the first time I have seen a city art project that lets people rent art for special events or occasions. I don’t know how long St. George has been doing this, but perhaps Adam Lenhard, Park City’s new city manager, has some insight. He was St. George’s city manager from 2018 to 2022. A mix of historic buildings and new businesses ranging from churches to popsicle parlors greets us as we explore the area. We decide to start with a historic building, the Brigham and Amelia Young Home. St. George was settled in December 1861 by pioneer families sent by Brigham Young, who moved into this house on December 15, 1873, and spent the next winters here until his death in 1877.

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The Brigham and Amelia Young Home offers free tours starting at 10:00 a.m., Monday through Saturday, and at noon on Sundays, with tours ending at 6:00 p.m. The house is located at 200 N., just off Main Street. Most of the furnishings are not original to the home, but they do represent its style and layout. What surprises me the most is that much of the wood is painted to resemble more expensive varieties. Local craftsmen used the available wood and turned it into furnishings you might find on the East Coast. They look like oak and maple but are really pine. If you have toured the Salt Lake Tabernacle, you may have seen a similar technique. In that building, the marble columns are wood, painted to look like marble. Brigham Young had an office built next to the home, where he worked on church matters during his winters in St. George. He was self-taught in academic skills but was a master carpenter. The historic district is a mix of businesses and government offices. For dinner, we enter Cappeletti’s, a family-owned and -operated Italian restaurant with an Argentine flair, at 36 E Tabernacle Street, a cross street to Main Street. Prices approach Park City levels. A steady stream of locals and tourists enters as we wait for our meals. The wall next to us

displays family photos of immigrants, making it look like the business is much older than its 2010 founding. The food is good, and the homemade tiramisu dessert is huge. You may want to share that one. Another interesting monument we find is for the Ironman 70.3 North American Championship, which St. George hosted for the last time on May 10, 2025. In fact, National Championship and North American Championship Ironman competitions were held in St. George from 2010 to 2025. Even in May, this race was known for grueling conditions. It reminds me of the first story I ever wrote for this magazine. I introduced Gene Peters, who is still competing at the Ironman, now in the 80–84-year-old category. He raced in St. George at least twice. This year, he chose to participate in Oregon. At the top of Main Street, we find a local bar complete with billiard tables in use. The Station II Bar by Zion Brewery is a restored 1918 firehouse that is now open every day except for Monday. Each section has its own vibe, from old-time charm to relaxed seating on the balcony. On Sunday, most of the retail stores on Main Street are closed, but we find an innovative popsicle store serving customizable popsicles. You can choose from many fruit-flavored ones, have it dipped into any of four chocolates, then covered with your choice of about 20 toppings. I recommend the mango flavor, especially on a hot day. Headed south from the historic district, we drive to Petroglyph Park at 1460 W Navajo Drive. This neighborhood pocket park is surrounded by homes, which explains its posted hours of 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The main feature is a large rock covered in petroglyphs, with a viewing platform to make it easier to see them. Given how close the residences are to this park, it is quite surprising to find such a variety of Native American petroglyphs intact. In a lesson of how much you can learn in tiny spaces, this small park also highlights plants used by Paiutes. Did you know that rabbitbrush leaves and roots could be used for tea, its branches served as roofing material, and in late summer, the bright yellow blooms signaled that pine nuts were ready to harvest in the higher elevations?

We saw plenty of rabbitbrush on our trip to Nine Mile Canyon many months ago, but I had no idea its uses were so versatile. This park is well worth the stop. We also learn about Paiute Indian homelands reaching all the way north to Nephi in 1850, the names of the different bands, and where they lived. When I first moved to Utah, St. George was known as the place that older Utahns would move to upon retirement, but the city has expanded so much that it feels increasingly shaped by younger residents as well as retirees, including students who attend Utah Tech University and remain after graduation. We see people of all ages enjoying themselves despite the heat. Cooling off in the swimming pool seems like a good idea, so we join in the fun. Hiking during extreme heat is just not my favorite activity. And I am not good at it either. Just ask my daughter—I joined her for 10 days on the Camino de Santiago trail in France during the heatwave. My hiking speed slows to more of a stroll once the afternoon heat arrives.

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The sprawl of the city means the larger natural landscapes north of St. George, such as Red Cliffs National Conservation Area, are even closer to the outskirts of the city. To get to the Red Cliffs Dinosaur Track Site, you drive beneath I-15 in a one-lane underpass from Harrisburg. Despite not encountering many vehicles on the way there, we find ourselves waiting for three vehicles before we can go through the tunnel. Driving past a historic cabin, we arrive at a campground set among stunning red cliffs. The dinosaur tracks we find are smaller than others we have seen, but they are well-labeled. The campground has clean vault toilets and shady spots, but the hiking trails offer little shade. If you aren’t spending the night here, plan an earlymorning or evening hike and bring water, even though some of the hikes are short. This area charges a $5 day-use entrance fee per vehicle unless you have a valid America the Beautiful Interagency pass. Not far away is the Silver Reef ghost town. Currently, it is open only four days a week, so check online before you plan your trip. The displays have regularly been updated over the years, so even if you visited the town a few years ago, you are bound to see some new exhibits.

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SAVOR THE SENSATIONS. Join the club. Join the fun. parkcitywineclub@gmail.com parkcitywineclub.com OCTOBER 2026 // 69

BY MELISSA FIELDS • PHOTOGRAPHY BY SARAH SEVERSON

Live to Play Another Day

HOW THE LUNDBERG FAMILY TRANSFORMED LOSS INTO BUILDING AWARENESS AND EDUCATION FOR TWO-WHEELED SAFETY.

“Jen [Lundberg] is truly a powerhouse. She does so much good,” says Dr. Richard Ingebretson, MD, program director of the University of Utah School of Wilderness Medicine, the largest outdoor medicine program in the world. And he should know. Together, he and Jen created a new first-aid course specifically for mountain biking coaches. The Advanced Biking First Aid/ CPR course, which meets the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA)’s

requirements for Level 2 and 3 middle school and high school mountain biking coaches, occupies an intermediate space between a basic first-aid course and the more time- and cost-intensive Wilderness First Aid (WFA) course. And through the bike-safety advocacy nonprofit Jen founded and runs, Wilderness Instruction for Outdoor Life Skills (WILS) Foundation, the Advanced Biking First Aid/ CPR course is available to youth mountain bike

coaches at an affordable price. But creating a much-needed in-the-field medical training course for mountain bike coaches is not all Jen has done—and continues to do—to promote bike safety. Through WILS Foundation, Jen collaborates with Basin Recreation and several other organizations to present the annual spring and fall Bike to School days. She partners with Park City’s Youth Sports Alliance (YSA) to provide first aid

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© Best Version Media and CPR training to middle- and high school students, as well as an e-bike safety class. And, in partnership with the Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine, the WILS Foundation funds free helmets to University of Utah students who sign a pledge to wear the helmet every time they are on a bike, scooter or skateboard. So, yes, Jen is indeed a force for good. What’s even more impressive about her is that her deep commitment to promoting two-wheeled safety was seeded by a devastating and life-changing loss. Jen and her husband, Wil—a.k.a., Big Willy Wilz—first visited Park City in April 2011 after a snowstorm derailed their planned Southern Utah river trip. “We’d been looking at other mountain towns to move to at the time, like Jackson and Steamboat,” Jen says. “But as soon as we saw Park City, we immediately fell in love.” Jen, a registered nurse, visited Park City Hospital during that visit as well, and she found the job prospects good. Three months later, the couple and their two kids, Addz and Tre, then aged 3 1/2 and 10 months, respectively, moved to Park City. Over the next decade, the Lundberg family immersed themselves in the community, particularly within its vibrant mountain biking scene. Both kids participated in the Young Riders mountain bike camps and rode on their school’s mountain bike teams. The Lundbergs also frequently rode together as a family. “When the kids were little, we loved to ride up Park City Mountain’s Armstrong and Pinecone trails to the Wasatch Crest, where we’d camp for the night. In the morning, we’d ride back down to town and go to breakfast,” Jen recalls. Wil worked remotely as a mechanical engineer and would often hop on his mountain bike or electric skateboard to grab lunch or roll out to ride home with Addz and Tre after school. On July 2, 2021, Wil took his skateboard and headed out on the Rail Trail on his way to meet Jen, as he had countless times before. “I was running late to meet him and was just getting on my e-bike when I got the call from the Summit County sheriff,” Jen says. “When I got to where he’d fallen on the Rail Trail, I saw his phone, baseball hat, sunglasses, and skateboard there on the ground—and no helmet. They were already flying him down to University of Utah Hospital.” Jen recalls leaning into the professional nurse part of her brain as she drove herself and her kids, who by then were age 10 and 13, down to Salt Lake City that day. “I found myself telling them that their dad had just fallen and gotten hurt,” she says. Wil was already on his way into surgery when Jen, Addz and Tre arrived at the hospital. “I saw the flight team that had transported Wil in the helicopter and I knew it wasn’t good,” she remembers. After his surgery, Jen learned that Wil had suffered a significant and irreversible brain injury.

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© Best Version Media “He made it through that first night, enough time for one of his brothers to arrive here from Colorado to say goodbye,” Jen shares. “Right after he passed the next morning, Wil was taken to the operating room for organ procurement. The silver lining was that by the evening, there were two kidney recipients heading to the hospital for transplants.” The next few months were, of course, a blur. “I knew I wasn’t going back to the same roles I had been in before Wil’s accident,” Jen says. To be home with her kids to help them navigate their new family dynamic, Jen changed her work schedule from full-time as a Surgical Services Manager to a more flexible PRN role. Then about three months after Wil’s death, a friend asked, “What do you want to do?” The question made her start thinking. “Wil was very involved with the kids’ sports, and I had worked as an instructor educating emergency department nurses on how to treat trauma,” she says. And so she began looking at ways to increase Utah high school mountain bike coaches’ first aid knowledge and give them the skills and confidence to care for an injured rider, coach, or another rider or hiker they might come across on the trail. “I learned that, following a basic first-aid class, the next step in gaining more in-the-field first-aid knowledge was a Wilderness First Aid class, a course requiring 16 hours of in-person instruction, and that costs around $350 to complete. So, I decided what I wanted to do was establish a happy medium between the two and make it affordable,” Jen explains. That’s when she was connected to Richard, who helped her create the curriculum for the Advanced Biking First Aid/CPR course, which takes eight hours to complete, with four hours of online coursework plus another four hours of in-person instruction—much of which Jen teaches herself with help from University of Utah Medical school students. “The in-person piece is critical in making what people have learned online stick and giving them the self-confidence to use those tools when the occasion arises,” says Jen.

Now, all the Lundbergs—Jen, Addz (18), and Tre (15)—continue to ride both competitively and for fun. In August, Addz began her freshman year at the University of Utah and plans to take the spring semester off to compete in the U23 mountain biking division. “She is very competitive, and her goal is to go pro,” Jen says. Tre now prefers the downhill aspect of mountain biking. Jen continues to run the WILS Foundation around her nursing hours at Park City InstaCare and ski clinics, while still cheering on her kids. In addition to supporting WILS Foundation events and education, every June, the Lundbergs remember Wil with Wilapalooza, an all-ages mountain bike ride with food and live music open to the entire community. “It was hard for my kids that Wil took off without a helmet on that day,” Jen says. “But now we’re doing everything we can to try to prevent that from happening to another family.” For more information about the WILS Foundation and the Advanced Biking First Aid/CPR course, visit wilsfoundation.org.

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BY BETSY DEMANN • PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEXIE LARSON - TAKE A HIKE PHOTOGRAPHY

Because Care Doesn’t Clock Out. Fetch is staffed on-site, 24 hours a day — because your dog’s needs don’t end at 5.

THE PATHWAY IS THROUGH THE PEOPLE

TONY SAYLOR ON STAFF, SERVICE, AND WHY THE RIGHT NUMBER OF DOGS IS FEWER Part two of a series on Fetch Park City

Plenty of places will watch your dog. Far fewer will know your dog. Arbor and Flint have been Fetch dogs for seven years—long enough for me to notice the difference without ever being sure what produced it. From the outside, it looks simple. A van comes. Dogs go. Dogs come home wrecked and happy. Then I sit down with Tony Saylor and learn how much thinking goes into the simple part. Tony co-owns Fetch—the kennel-free ranch on SR-248 toward Kamas—with his sister Tori and their mom, PJ. Last month I wrote about Tori, who built this place because she sees everything from the dog’s point of view. Tony’s focus is what it takes to sustain it: the staff, the systems, and the service that have upheld his sister’s standard for 12 years. THE PATHWAY IS THROUGH THE PEOPLE Ask Tony what makes Fetch work, and he doesn’t start with the acreage. He doesn’t even start with the dogs. “The ultimate goal is to provide fun and care and safety for the dogs,” he tells me. “But the pathway is what I focus on, and that’s through the people.” He means both groups—the families that hand over their dogs and the staff who take them. His attention goes to the latter: better wages over time, better equipment, a workday people can sustain for years rather than months. Which leads somewhere I didn’t expect a business owner to go. “I have a different mentality of having fewer dogs,” he says, “because ultimately, it’s really the dogs that create the workload for the staff. The more dogs you have, the more damage you have to the operation, which creates more workload for the human being.”

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In a growing market, in a town with more dogs arriving every year, the guy doing the math has concluded that the right number is fewer. Not because they can’t fill the spots, but because every additional dog adds wear on the vans, on the ground, and mostly on the people. Growth that costs you your staff isn’t growth. Tony’s shorthand: fewer dogs, higher value, deeper trust. Set it beside his sister’s philosophy, and the two are coming at the same idea from different directions. Tori wants dogs to have room. Tony has worked out what it costs to give it to them. THIRTY MINUTES OF “PAIN IN THE BUTT” You can see it in how a dog joins Fetch. Officially, it’s a meet-and-greet. Tony’s own description is funnier and more honest about what it asks of everyone. “We do this ‘pain in the butt’ meet-and-greet for 30 minutes, and this is why we ask all these questions, because dogs don’t speak English, and we have to earn their trust.”

TO SCHEDULE SERVICES OR MAKE A RESERVATION: TEXT OR CALL: 435-218-8375 FETCHPARKCITY.COM 74 // NEIGHBORS OF THE WASATCH BACK - ParkCity

© Best Version Media Half an hour—before a dog spends a single day there. If efficiency were the only measure, it might seem like a waste of a morning. I’ve been on the other side, and I can tell you what it feels like: relief. They aren’t guessing how your dog will do; they’re finding out. It’s also what makes room for the dogs who need more space than most, and who gradually find their footing here. THE PICKLE Tony keeps steering back to service, which he calls “the cheapest way to create value.” The idea stuck with him from a customer-service training session in the resort world: two fast-food chains, one that charged extra for a pickle and one that didn’t. The one that said yes to the small, reasonable ask won the customer’s loyalty. At Fetch, that looks like a driver checking the client’s name before walking up, so if you open the door, it’s “Hey, Cynthia, how are you doing? Anything I can do for you today?” Sometimes it’s carrying groceries in or picking a few things up for someone recovering from surgery. None of that appears on an invoice. And here’s the part I appreciate Tony admitting: People who take jobs working with dogs usually aren’t doing it for the human interaction. “A lot of the people that come in to work for dog-specific type businesses are not necessarily ‘people’ people,” he notes. So rather than telling his staff to be charming, he builds systems that make it easier—introducing the team online so that clients recognize a face before they meet it, and training that spells out expectations instead of leaving people to guess. The result, from where I sit: My dogs come home with stories attached. Who Arbor played with. How Flint settled. What happened at bath time. FEWER DOGS, MORE CARE Pull the curtain back at Fetch, and there’s no slick machine behind it. A family runs the numbers on how to do all of this better. Tori advocates for the dogs who don’t fit the mold. Tony works out what it costs to keep saying yes to them, as well as how to build a workplace people don’t leave. We don’t see most of it. Not the conversations about temperament and grouping, not the math on van repairs, not the 30 minutes someone spent asking questions about a dog nobody else would take. Our dogs feel it. And so do we.

THE DAY THEY CLOSED A few years ago, Tony invited me to join a Fetch team day. Not being on staff gave me a useful vantage point. They closed daycare. Boarding dogs were still there and cared for, but there were no pickups, no drop-offs, no revenue—an entire operating day handed over so that the people who work there could spend it together. Tony had brought in a Wim Hof instructor. We spent the morning learning breathing techniques, and we later took turns climbing into large tubs of ice water for four minutes each, with everyone else gathered around cheering. I watched the same sequence cross every face: doubt first, then the decision, then, four minutes later, surprise by what they’d managed. The group left closer than it arrived—and noticeably calmer. I’ve thought about that day every time Tony talks about his staff. It is easy to say you value your people. Closing the doors on a full workday and eating the cost is a different kind of statement.

OCTOBER OCTOBER 2026 // 75

EXPERT CONTRIBUTOR • BY HEIDE FOWLER, OWNER HEALTHY PETS SUMMIT COUNTY

WHERE'S THE KIBBLE?

Heide here, from Healthy Pets. Did you know that how you store your dog or cat's dry food (kibble) can be as important as the actual food? Dry foods have fats from protein that go rancid from air exposure. The bag your food comes in actually has an inner layer that helps prevent this. Rancid fats are highly carcinogenic and can cause a laundry list of health and digestive problems. Many people use a secondary container to store food. If this is you, let's look closer at the best ways to do that. Since air exposure or "oxidation" is what causes the food to spoil, keeping it airtight in a cool, dry, dark place is best. Glass, metal, or a high-quality hard plastic are good choices. Ideally, you want the original bag that the food comes in to fit inside. A thorough cleaning with soap between bags is also really important to remove any residual fats, especially the crumbs at the bottom. If you dispose of the original bag, be sure to take a photo of the batch/lot # in case of a recall. Where you keep the container is also important. The garage is almost never the right place, as 70° is about as warm as you'd ever want your storage area to be. Both the expiration date AND the date you open the food are important. When stored properly, kibble is only fresh for 4-6 weeks. Even under perfect conditions, the fats will go rancid in that amount of time. Never store in the same place as chemicals, cleaning products, or lawn care items. Remember that this is food, and contamination could have terrible consequences.

On a side note… as a dietician, I think this is a good place to mention that adding anything fresh and high in moisture, i.e., warm water, bone broth, kale, green beans, broccoli, blueberries, or whatever your pet loves can add loads of nutritional value as well as tail wags!

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EXPERT CONTRIBUTOR • BY AUDREY BRADY, PARK CITY ANIMAL CLINIC

Keeping Your Pets Safe This Halloween

Halloween brings lots of festive fun! That being said, it can also bring a lot of unique risks for pets. At Park City Animal Clinic, we would like to remind owners that constant doorbell rings, costumed visitors, flashing lights, and extra foot traffic can cause stress, escape attempts, and accidental ingestion of toxic items. Before October 31st, create a plan: confirm microchip information, set up a quiet "home base" with familiar bedding and water, and keep emergency contacts (like your veterinary clinic or a 24-hour emergency clinic) handy. Let's have a fun and safe Halloween! THE BEST PART OF HALLOWEEN? THE CANDY, OF COURSE! Chocolate as well as many other candies are toxic to pets; darker chocolate and baking chocolate contain the most theobromine and caffeine, while products containing xylitol can also cause life-threatening hypoglycemia and liver damage in dogs. Early signs of this include vomiting, diarrhea, restlessness, panting, and an elevated heart rate; more severe ingestion can lead to tremors, seizures, irregular heart rhythms, and collapse. If your pet eats

chocolate or any other candy, remove access, save wrappers, and call the Poison Control Center (888-426-4435) or our staff at Park City Animal Clinic immediately. TRICK OR TREAT? During trick-or-treating hours, it is best to supervise your pets closely to prevent running away and reduce anxiety from repeated doorbell ringing. Walking your pets earlier in the evening can help expend energy. Using secure leashes or a crate can help if your pet is comfortable with it. Keeping windows and curtains shut can reduce sights and sounds as well. Consider pheromone diffusers, calming music, or placing your pets in a quiet space away from the front door. If your pet has severe noise or stranger anxiety, consult our doctors — Dr. Johnson, Dr. Catania, and Dr. Spainhour — well before October 31st to discuss behavior strategies or short-term guidance. LET'S PAWTY! It's very common to throw parties during Halloween time! It's important to keep all party food, alcohol, and candy out of reach and in closed containers, since onions, garlic, grapes/

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raisins, chocolate, xylitol-sweetened treats, fatty foods, and alcoholic beverages are common hazards. Be sure to tell your guests not to feed your pets, use high counters and covered trash cans, and remove costume pieces that can be swallowed or chewed. If you dress your pet, ensure the costume doesn't restrict breathing, movement, vision, or hearing, and test it briefly at home; for outdoor visibility on evening walks, add reflective gear or an LED light. HAVE FUN! Most importantly, have fun! Most Halloween incidents are preventable with simple preparation. If you suspect poisoning, ingestion, or injury, call us at Park City Animal Clinic immediately or your nearest emergency veterinary hospital; if after hours and you need poison guidance, call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. For advice about anxiety, medication, or safety planning, schedule a visit with Dr. Johnson, Dr. Catania, or Dr. Spainhour by going to our website: www.parkcityanimalclinic.com Or calling us at: (435) 649-0710 Happy Spooky Month!

ARTICLE & PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEXIE LARSON

SOJA & IRIE “Your dog is your mirror,” Cody Holloway says. A powerful sentiment, one I agree with.

In 2017, Cody met his soul dog, Soja, which he describes as “an amazing relationship the whole way through.” The two learned from each other over the years, from walking the city blocks to backpacking around the Uintas. Sweet Soja passed at age 12, surrounded by the people who loved him most. A dog of that magnitude does not just leave this plane of existence; he grows wings, gaining the ability to communicate through time and space. A tether reaches from here to there. A long-distance phone call, where Soja is on one end, Irie the other.

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Plenty of places will watch your dog.

Few will know your dog.

Irie came along after Soja, but I know the two are in cahoots, probably conversing in dreams, a friendship that never had the opportunity to meet nose to nose. Irie is Cody’s mirror, happy-golucky, a pal in waiting. Cody manifested Irie: a sprinkle of stardust and dog hair, and there she was, purposely picked out from a friend’s litter, just for Cody. He calls himself an odd, welleducated helicopter parent. I call that being a fantastic owner. The world would benefit from more people like Cody—people who look into the mirror and can see beyond. Soja was seen fully as he was; now Irie is, too, her beautiful reflection shimmering. I’m sure the two dogs are chatting tonight, through the heavenly phone, their interdimensional phone bill must be absurd.

WE KNOW YOUR DOG. THEY KNOW FETCH. 50 acres of kennel-free care. Endless tailwags. @FETCH_PARKCITY OCTOBER 2026 // 79

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