Drive to Solitude Mountain, Utah

BIG COTTONWOOD CANYON DRIVE TO SOLITUDE MOUNTAIN

The weather was perfect for A. Paul 's & my drive through Big Cottonwood Canyon to Solitude Mountain.  Along the way, the mountain began showing the signs of spring as streams flowed between the layers of snow, sports enthusiasts took to the road, and  exposed rock formations spilled to the road.  It was a picturesque drive and a visual display of the changing season for Utahns.

Even though the mountain was clearly in a state of emergence, there was still plenty of snow at Solitude. The skiing was fabulous with the snow soft under foot on this 50 degree day.  A. Paul & I enjoyed the sunshine, taking time to catch a few rays on the chairlifts.  

The warming weather is a reminder that our trip is rapidly coming to a close as we soon head home to gear up for our gallery season.  We have had such a great time and have experienced so many memorable events and met extraordinary individuals along the way. 

Tomorrow, we plan to enjoy our remaining day in Utah exploring the Museum of Fine Art in Salt Lake City before heading to Telluride, CO on Thursday. 

We continue to enjoy ourselves on our trip but I cannot close tonight's blog without commenting that we are not immune to the current affairs of Japan. The sadness over the losses of so many is in our hearts as I am sure it is for our readers.


DRIVE to SOLITUDE SLIDESHOW

Art in Park City, Utah

ART in PARK CITY, UTAH

The morning began with an overcast sky and light rain as A. Paul & I headed towards Park City for a day of gallery exploration.  Park City, Utah is approximately 40 minutes east of Salt Lake City in the Wasatch Mountain Range and beyond its superb skiing offerings, there are approxiately 20 galleries and an art center dotting its historic Main Street. 

 


Kerry & Thomas Edberg
Hope Gallery & Museum
artwork by Valdemar H.N. Irminger

(1850-1938)

Our first stop was in the Hope Gallery and Museum of Fine Art where we met Gallery Director Thomas Edsberg whose family has owned the gallery for over three generations.  The Hope Gallery  represents 16th to early 20th century Scandinavian and European master works by artists such as Durer and Bloch.  Many of the artists represented at Hope demonstrates the Edsberg family's dedication of bringing master artists works, that have mostly been overlooked during the Impressionist and Modernist Movements, to the public.  The collections offered are extensive and privately held by the family and in its 12,000 square foot facility in Park City, one of three locations in

Utah, is much more an intimate visit to a museum than gallery, though all  works are for sell.    You can visit the Hope Gallery & Museum of Fine Art at http://www.hopegallery.com/    Thank you, Thomas, for all your time, information, and enthusiasm for the artworld.



"Amor in the Lion Pit"

Valdemar H.N. Irminger

As the sun began to break through the clouds and rain subside, A. Paul & I continued our visits to the Terzian Gallery  http://www.terziangalleries.com/ , Mountain Trails Gallery http://www.mountaintrailsgalleries.com/ ,  Meyer Gallery http://www.meyersgallery.com/ , Gallery Mar  http://www.gallerymar.com/ , Coda Gallery  http://www.codagallery.com/ , Thomas Anthony Gallery http://www.thomasanthonygallery.com/ and District Gallery http://www.districtgallery.com/.  All which participate in the Last Friday Gallery Stroll.

L-R: Jane Riley & Minda Stockdale

Kimball Art Center Gallery

We ended our visit at Park City's Kimball Art Center where Studio Manager Minda Stockdale and docent Jane Riley provided insight into the activities of the art center.   Beyond its three exhibit galleries, the non for profit Kimball Art Center offers workshops to children and adults in various mediums with a complete ceramic studio, photography darkroom, and welding facility. In addition to these offerings, the Center also hosts artist talks and coordinates  Park City's Art Festival, a top major festival in the country.  You can view the Center's offerings and exhibits at http://www.kimballartcenter.org/

As we headed back towards Salt Lake City, the clouds began to gather over the mountain vistas with the sun finding its way through a break.  The result was breathtaking.  As we reached the valley, the sunshine was abundant,  promising a beautiful day for tomorrow's visit to Solitude Mountain for a bit of skiing.

VISIT TO PARK CITY, UTAH










WYOMING TO UTAH via IDAHO

DRIVE from GRAND TARGHEE to UTAH via IDAHO

A. Paul & I left Wyoming with a cloudy sky with tinges of blue peeking through the clouds.  The vistas from the drive down the Tetons into the snow covered fields left us feeling as if we were on a cloud or in another world. 

Once we dropped into Idaho, the scenery alternated between freshly tilled fields with occasional views of wildlife taking advantage of fresh springs grasses to snow capped passages. 

We were welcomed to Utah with an extraordinary view of the city skyline imposed upon a backdrop of snowy mountains.  The drive was abundantly pictureesque making it difficult to choose which images to share so I apologize for the number of images but hope that you enjoy the vistas.




DRIVE from WYOMING to UTAH

LAST DAY at GRAND TARGHEE

It was a gorgeous day in Alta Wyoming.  A. Paul & I caught the early morning light  in a clear blue sky reflecting off the mountain precipice adjacent to the ski run we were skiing.  The conditions were fabulous and, by midday, the resort plaza was filled with skiers and attendees of the Targhee K9 Avalanche Dog Fundraiser.



Char



Several colorful individuals added their own whimsy to the scene.  Kids tucked away in mandmade igloos simulating avalanche victims were rescued by trained avalanche dogs while onlookers watched the demonstration.

After watching the K9 rescue demonstration, I strolled over to Grand Targhee's Nordic Naturalist  center where I met resort naturalist Mike Lillrose who introduced me to the snowshoe animal tracking adventure offered at the resort.

Naturalist Mike Lillrose

The guided outing is complimentary with the rental of snowshoes and offered Thursday through Sundays twice a day.  The snowshoe adventure has been in effect for 12 years and operates year round when the resort is opened.  The naturalist guided tour not only educates its attendees about the wildlife of the area but also the ecology and geology of the surrounding environment. Mike informed me of two bears on the property that will come out after the resort closes, a resident red fox (who is most likely responsible for the tracks I see outside my window in the morning) and his capture and relocation of weasal critters who found their way into the lodge.  The nauralist adventure is also a great opportunity for photographing wildlife and mountain & valley vistas.

If you are adventurous and plan to be in this area during the winter or summer (when bear tracking is active), you may want to contact the resort for further details.  If we were staying longer, I would most definitely be taking advantage of this oppotunity.  Thanks, Mike, for your time and for the information.

Overall, our stay in Alta has been wonderful.  The weather held out for us and we thoroughly enjoyed the day activity and low key nights at this resort tucked away in the Tetons. Tomorrow, we head out to Utah.

 

DAY IN TARGHEE

Day at Grand Targhee, Teton Mountains Wyoming

DAY at GRAND TARGHEE  TETON MOUNTAINS  ALTA, WYOMING

The expected snowstorm ended up only adding a few inches to the ski basin so A. Paul & I took to the slopes with the sun dancing in & out of the clouds.  The runs were fabulous on the mountain and the sun finally won over the clouds, casting sunshine over the entire Grand Targhee area.  We were not alone in our enjoyment of the mountain.  The parking lot filled with skiers but with the open terrains on the mountain it easily handled the number of skiers.

On the trails, the shadows of the tree boughs against the snow created lacelike patterns that were hard to ignore.  Even the birds came out to enjoy the beauty of the day adding their own beauty for our viewing.

After a pleasant day of skiing, A. Paul ducked into the Teewinot Lodge to warm up and enjoy the company of other skiers doing the same.  I took off to enjoy a small walk outside, always looking for signs of wildlife.  (The signs warning to be aware of bears and big game crossing signs on our way to Grand Targhee were a lure for me)  Unfortunately (or fortunately whichever way you want to look at it) I did not see any big game so I snuck back to the lodge to catch up with A. Paul and his conversation companion Jack.

Tonight, the mountain expects another small snowstorm but with luck we will end up with another beautiful day as it was today. Sunday, weather permitting, we head to Jackson Hole for a quick spin to the galleries then onto Utah and Colorado as we slowly make our way back home.

Day at Grand Targhee Slideshow

Sun Valley to Grand Targhee, Alta Wyoming

DRIVE from KETCHUM to ALTA, WY

We departed Sun Valley with overcast skies casting a soft blue hue across the landscape.  The ethereal quality of light simply added intrigue to the vast Craters of the Moon lava desert that we crossed in Idaho. 


The isolation and lack of signs of human life for miles felt as if we had been transported to a different planet.  The sporadic farm equipment appeared more like lunar equipment as they sat in snowcovered fields surrounding by lava structures molten for life. 

 Eventually, the beauty of the vastness overwhelmed me and I couldn't leave the fields until I had actually touched, and ,yes, kept a couple small pieces of lava to take home with me.  After passing the well guarded National Lab of Energy and Nuclear site, I did take a peek in the back of the car to make sure the rocks were not glowing; they were not I am happy to report.

The road diverted us through a few small towns, jarring us back to this world as we entered into Idaho Falls and its mutliple cattle, horse, and potato farms, never dropping lower than 4700 ft in elevation.  For the next hour we climbed and dropped into valley after valley with amazing vistas of the landscape. 

Eventually, we climbed to 6800 ft to Alta, Wyoming where we will settle for the next few days. With the amount of snow and the pass to Grand Targhee, we most likely will not be traveling into the town of Driggs to scout out the scene.  It appears that the snow is not done falling in the Tetons.  Within hours of our arrival, we learned of a snow storm moving in for the night promising to bring about a half of a foot of new snow accompanied with 35 mile hour winds.  Tomorrow morning will be a surprise to say the least. The extended forecast continues to show snow in our future.  We can only hope that the pass over the Tetons to Jackson Hole is navigable by Sunday.

If you are interested to read about the Craters of the Moon National Park and the area's history it will be worth the effort, especially after taking the trip with us below  cratersofthemoon.areaparks.com/


DRIVE THROUGH  IDAHO LAVA FIELDS TO ALTA, WYOMING Grand Tetons

Last Days in Sun Valley, ID

LAST TWO DAYS in SUN VALLEY, ID

Alpine Kerry?

Inspired by all the historic photos in the Sun Valley Lodge, I thought I might try out for the 75th Anniversary celebration poster. What do you think?   LOL..A. Paul & I couldn't resist the temptation of the cutouts as we walked the Sun Valley Village on our last day here.

River Run Lodge

The past two days, the sun battled cloudy skies but still offered up pleasant days of skiing.   The trails were not too crowded at this time of year and the temperatures relatively mild. At the River Run Lodge, which is absolutely beautiful and accommodating to its skiers' every need,  we met many people from all walks of life who call Sun Valley home in the winter; some as far as way as our neck of the woods on the Cape.

James Cook artwork

Gail Severn Gallery

 Each day after skiing, A. Paul & I continued visiting the galleries in Ketchum.  We were so impressed with the level and quality of art we viewed in the galleries. Yesterday's visit to the Gail Severn Gallery left me with gallery envy as the space was fully built by the owner for gallery specific activities. The special roll up exterior wall permits the gallery to move pieces into the space using a forklift, a job that Gail states she enjoys doing herself with extra hands for guiding the placement of the artwork.

 It is at Gail's gallery that A. Paul & I discovered the textured and vibrant works of James Cook and mixed media on paper of Allison Stewart www.gailseverngallery.com/  



Around the corner from the Gail Severn Gallery is the Sun Valley Center for the Arts. http://www.sunvalleycenter.org/  The Center focuses on both visual and performing arts.   The main gallery of the Center exhibits contemporary artwork that is steeped in history and/or is revelant or of interest to the community.  In speaking with Kristine Bretall, Marketing Director for the Center, the Center works closely with the school system and sponsors  a lecture and performance arts series. At the time of our visit, the Center was gearing up for visiting lecturer Ari Fleischer at a local venue and De Temps Antan at the Sun Valley Opera House.  The main gallery exhibit was visually jarring with a large skeletal installation hanging admist mixed media artwork for the "Creatures: From Bigfoot to Yeti Crab" show.  

"The Summer Day is Done" 
Mike Stilkey



  At our last gallery visit of the day, the Gilman Contemporary Gallery, gallery owner L'Anne Gilman was setting up the gallery for the coming Friday Artwalk.  Several pieces by artist Mike Stilkey were being carefully placed along and on the walls. Stilkey's masterpiece works are created from stacks of used books carefully arranged by size then drilled and attached  in stacks of 10 books.  Each stack is then placed in a pattern then finally the exterior surface is painted with Stilkey's imagery.   Also on view were artist Ashley Collins resin and mixed media pieces.  The illustrated subjects in her work balance the negative texured spaces in her artwork and the result is dynamic. 

Work by Ashley Collins

www.gilmancontemporary.com/

Alas, we must bid farewell to Sun Valley tomorrow morning as we head towards Alta,Wyoming, where we will stay until Sunday.   Until tomorrow, I leave you with images of the twon of Ketchum, ski shots, gallery artwork and two closing images of the Kennedy's on vacation in Sun Valley which grace the historic Sun Valley Lodge.

SUN VALLEY IMAGES