Utah's famous powder every year inspires shutterbugs to try and capture that perfect shot of a skier or snowboarder. And every year, Ski Utah hosts a contest whose winners win prizes ranging from a five-night winter vacation to having their photos included in Ski Utah's Winter Vacation Planner.
The contest is open to amateurs and professional; more than 1,000 images were submitted last year. Deadline for entries is April 30; all photos must have been taken in Utah during the 2008-09 winter season.
First-place prize for professionals is $1,000. The top amateur shooter wins a five-night vacation that includes airfare, lodging, resort passes and a gift certificate for camera equipment. The contest is co-sponsored by Canon and Pictureline.
For more information on the contest or to view last year's submissions, visit www.skiutah.com/photocontest09/. Submissions may also be e-mailed with complete contact information to photocontest09@gmail.com.
Enough swans to make you swoon
Up to 35,000 tundra swans will stop in Utah when the birds' migration peaks in Utah in mid-March. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, together with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, will host a free viewing day on March 14 to help Utahns see and learn about these beautiful birds. The event will take place at three sites -- the Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area west of Farmington; the Salt Creek WMA west of Corinne; and the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge west of Brigham City. Spotting scopes will be available to help visitors get a close look at the swans. Viewing at Farmington Bay and Salt Creek will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Viewing is from sunrise to sunset at Bear River, where visitors can see hundreds of swans along the refuge's 12-mile auto tour loop.
The Bear River Wildlife Education Center, 2155 W. Forest St. in Brigham City, will also host photography and birding workshops that day and has maps and more information about the refuge. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Einstein, an American white pelican from the Ogden Nature Center, will visit the center on March 14. To reach the center, exit I-15 at Exit 363, and turn west. It is about one block west of the freeway.
More information about the workshops is available at http://bearriver.fws.gov. To learn more about tundra swan day, listen to the latest DWR radio show at www.wildlife.utah.gov/radio, or call the DWR's Northern Region office at 801-476-2740 or the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge at 435-723-5887.
Skinny tire bikes head for Moab
Utah's road cycling season kicks off March 14-16 with the Moab Skinny Tire Festival, which offers supported rides through the area's redrock country. This year's offering is a "best-of-the-best" routes through Moab's world-renowned scenery, including the Colorado River corridor, Arches National Park, and Dead Horse Point, with its breathtaking view across Canyonlands National Park.
Registration closes at 1,000 riders to ensure a quality experience for participants.
Proceeds from the festival are donated to cancer-fighting causes. Since its concept, roughly $1 million has been raised and donated to national and regional organizations.
Riders are encouraged to visit SkinnyTireFestival.com now to secure a spot. Visit SkinnyTireFestival.com or call 435-259-2698 for more event information.
Volunteers sought for Baby Animal Days
The American West Heritage Center in Cache County's Wellsville is looking for volunteers for an event that draws thousands of people over Easter weekend, this year April 9-11. The event requires more than 200 volunteers, who do everything from help manage animals to assisting people in the parking lot.
Volunteer groups are encouraged to inquire early so arrangements can be made to accommodate them. Groups should be age 12 and up. Individuals and families may also volunteer. For more information, contact Lorraine Bowen, volunteer coordinator at the Heritage Center at 435-245-6050 ext. 24 or by e-mail at lbowen@awhc.org.
Plant a willow, clean a river
Green-minded citizens are needed for a tree-planting and river bank clean up on March 28, 8 a.m. to noon, at Bend-in-the-River Urban Treehouse and Green Space, 1030 W. Fremont Ave. (1100 South), Salt Lake City. Volunteers will be served breakfast before forming into teams for the cleanup and planting. RSVP to Tara Poelzing and at tpoelzing@sa.utah.edu or call 801-587-9027. Please bring your own mug and/or water bottle to reduce waste. For more information, visit www.bend-in-the-river.org.
BLM looking for a few good men or women
The Bureau of Land Management is seeking nominations for five positions on its Utah Resource Advisory Council, which provides advice and recommendations to the agency on the use and management of 22 million acres of public land in Utah. The RAC has 15 members, each of whom serve three-year terms after being approved by the Secretary of the Interior.
Nominees are evaluated on education, training, and experience with issues involving public lands in Utah. They are not compensated for their time but are reimbursed for travel and meal expenses. Nominations must be accompanied by at least two letters of reference. Nomination forms are available from BLM offices or the agency Web site, www.blm.gov/ut/st/en.html. Deadline for sending nominations and letters of reference is April 13; send to Bureau of Land Management, Utah State Office, 440 West 200 South, Suite 500, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84101, Attn: Sherry Foot. For more information, contact Foot at 801-539-4195.
Edward Abbey salute
Ken Sanders Rare Books, 268 S. 200 East, Salt Lake City, will host a celebration of Edward Abbey's life and work on March 14 at 7 p.m. The event will feature such "friends and kindred spirts" as Tim DeChristopher, a 27-year-old University of Utah student whose bidding scuttled a recent BLM auction of pubic lands in Utah; and Ken Sleight, a river runner, wilderness advocate and long-time champion of wild places whose was Abbey's inspiration for the character of Seldom Seen Smith in The Monkey Wrench Gang .
Butterflies and the men who love them
The Utah Lepidopterist Society will host a viewing of the Jack Wolfe butterfly collection on March 14, 10 a.m. to noon, in room 319 of the Utah Museum of Natural History, 1390 Presidents Circle, on the University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City. Wolfe Joined the Utah Lepidopterists' Society in fall of 1991.
Wasatch Mountain Club outings
Sunday » Backcountry skiing on Dogbut Loop; time TBA; call Bob Cady, 801-274-0250 or rcady@xmission.com.
Sunday » Snowshoe, organizers choice, time TBA; call Liz, 801-486-0909.
March 10 » Snowshoe in Park City, time TBA; call Vince at 435-649-6805 or vincedesimone@yahoo.com.
March 10 » Backcountry ski tour, time TBA; call Chris, 801-485-1543 or proctorgtr@aol.com.
March 12 » Snowshoe/hike, The Cottonwoods, time TBA; call Norm, 801-266-3703.
March 12 » Climbing gym night at Momentum Climbing; call Peter, 801-733-0313 or wmc-alpinist@hotmail.com.
March 13-15 » Canyoneering, Northwash; call Rick, 801-255-8058 or gone2moab@hotmail.com.
March 14 » Snowshoe, organizer's choice, time TBA; call Heidi, 801-942-8088.
March 15 » Snowshoe Millcreek area, time TBA; call Jim, 801-733-0627.
Audubon birding trips
Beginning birders are always welcome and carpooling is encouraged. Suggested contributions are $5 per person for round trips less than 50 miles, and $10 per person for round trips over 50 miles. Be sure to call the field trip leader to confirm that arrangements are still as published.
March 18, 8:30 a.m. » Johnson Mill and Provo River in the Heber Valley. Bring a snack and drink and dress for a higher elevation. Meet at 8:30 a.m. in the parking lot west of REI, 3285 E. 3300 South, Millcreek. Call leader Allene Keller at 801-467-3960 to confirm details.
March 25, 8:30 a.m. » Monthly half-day of birding at Farmington Bay Waterfowl Managment Area. Meet inside the McDonald's just north of the Centerville I-15 exit 319 at 8 a.m. for breakfast or 8:30 a.m. to head out. Bring your own water and snacks. Call Deedee at 801-272-8060 if you plan to attend.
March 27-29 » Gunnison sage grouse, Monticello, San Juan County. View the sage grouse and their mating behavior at dawn with leader Pat Jividen. An orientation to the outing will be provided by a Division of Wildlife Resources biologist. Meet at the Monticello Library, 80 N. Main, on March 27 at 7 p.m. for orientation and details about the trip on March 28. Group size is limited to 15. Bring binoculars, spotting scopes, cameras and water. For those who can stay on March 29, the group will visit the Devil's Canyon Campground in search of such birds as acorn woodpeckers, pygmy nuthatches, sage sparrows and possibly scaled quail. Call Pat at 801-944-5001 to pre-register.
Ogden Nature Center outings
The center is located at 966 W. 12th St., Ogden. For more information on these events, call 801-621-7595.
March 11, 7 p.m. » Take a hike in the full moon to Picnic Grove with a naturalist to look for signs of wildlife, share hot chocolate and, if weather permits, share stories by an outdoor fire; for ages 12 and up. Cost is $10, $8 for members. Call 801-621-7595 to register.
March 14, 10 a.m. » Join Ogden writer and photographer Charles Trentelman and learn to use a pinhole camera to take nature photos. Participants will each make their own camera, head outside to snap a photo and then have their picture developed to take home. Class size is limited, and pre-registration is required by calling 801-621-7595; for ages 12 and up. Cost is $15, $12 for members (supplies included).
State Parks news and events
March 14 , 11 a.m. » Join the park naturalist at the visitor's center at Antelope Island State Park, Syracuse, to learn about the island's pronghorn population. At 3 p.m., the naturalist will take participants on a track adventure. This activity is designed for children six to 12, but everyone is welcome; 801-721-9569.
March 14 » Master bead artist Wanda Ketchum will lead a class on how to make beaded rosettes at Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum in Blanding. Limited to 10 participants and registration is required by calling 435-678-2238. The fee includes all materials.
