To Lift or Not to Lift?

By Dina Mishev

Photo courtesy Chris Figenshau

I’ve been riding the lifts — the high-speed quads, the gondola, the tram — at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort since 1997. Last week, an hour after the last lift had closed for the day, 70-some skiers donning headlamps, warm clothes, high spirits and special bindings skied up the mountain. A few hours later, after enjoying beer and appetizers at the mid-mountain Casper restaurant, everyone — laughing, pushing and headlamps glowing — skied down together.

But perhaps you’re still stuck on the fact everyone first skied uphill. I know, it sounds crazy. Why expend the energy skiing uphill when the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort has 12 perfectly good lifts? Well, everyone was participating in the very first Nachtspektakel, or German for social ski tour, to be held in the U.S.

“Wagons, Ho!” Riding Wyoming’s Historic Trails

By P. Taylor Huff

Growing up with Western television shows and novels, we decided to “Go West!” on vacation and scheduled a wagon-train trail ride with a family-run business outside of Casper. The day before our ride, we toured Casper’s National Historic Trails Interpretive Center to learn the history of four main wagon trails that crossed the North Platte River here: the Oregon trail, the Pony Express to California, the Mormon trail and the California Gold Rush route.

The following morning, we met Katrena, our trail guide, at Fort Caspar. She drove us over dirt roads to a horse trailer with several horses and mules tied to it. Nearby stood a lone, covered wagon built from authentic plans by Katrena’s father. After hitching two large Percheron mules to the wagon, our trail leaders saddled our mounts, two cow ponies and a 17-year-old mule named Zeb.  Katrena told us about when her family rode Zeb, horses and covered wagons from Independence, MO, to Oregon for the 1993 sesquicentennial commemoration of the first large westbound wagon train.

Whoa!

Final Stage of the International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race

The biggest event of its kind in the continental U.S. came to a halt over the weekend after making stops in several western Wyoming communities. The International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race was welcomed with open arms by the townsfolk in Evanston, Wyoming located at the southwestern edge of the state near the border shared with Utah:

DOGS

The Wyoming sled dog race has run annually since 1996. You can obtain complete information and prepare for next year here: http://www.wyomingstagestop.org/

Summer Days in the Middle of Winter

By Helen Coronato

The Accidental Cowgirl

Although you may not know it, my former stomping grounds, New Jersey, is considered “The Garden State.” Yes, it has the infamous Jersey Turnpike, but it also has acres upon acres of rich, fertile land, bearing an abundance of fresh, seasonal produce. My boys have always enjoyed picking everything from apples to zucchini, and I worried that the Black Hills might not have the same seasonal opportunities. Fortunately, I learned that the land here, like its people, are very generous.

Late last summer we enjoyed family apple picking at a neighbor’s orchard. It was the same day the owners had planned to use their apple cider press, so the time-honored tradition included a new aspect, too. The boys dutifully tested many apples and enjoyed several cups of cider while making new friends, running around the orchard and getting a tour of the farm. Back at home, we peeled, cored, cooked and jarred our hand-picked selections, being sure to share with our loved ones (and same some for ourselves).