Salt Lake City may be famous for its snowy winters, but anyone who has spent a summer in “The Valley” knows that things aren’t always cool and comfortable. With temperatures well into the 90s, and air quality that sometimes borders on suffocating, the Valley can zap your energy for outdoor adventure.
For the active residents of Salt Lake City, this presents a problem. Stagnant days spent hiding from the heat result in boredom, frustration, and a sense of cabin fever that’s normally associated with the dead of winter.
Typically, when talking about ways to stay cool on scorching days the advice is consistent: crank the AC, stay in the shade, or find a friend with a pool. But that advice entails a summer of sitting around, and when you’re hooked on the active lifestyle, a sedentary summer is a boring summer.
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Here at Jans and White Pine Touring in Park City, Utah, we specialize in summer outdoor recreation. From biking and fly fishing, to hiking and rock climbing, we like to stay active even when the temperatures are soaring. So before things get too toasty down in Salt Lake City, here are our top five suggestions for cool summer adventures in the mountains of Park City that will help you beat the heat.
1. Historic Park City Bike Tour
The mining origins of Park City are well documented, but nothing beats getting up close and personal with history while cruising on a bike. Led by a select few history-buffs from White Pine Touring, the Historic Sites Bike Tour is as informative as it is cooling.
After one of our vans drops you and your rental bike off at Silver Lake in Deer Valley, you’ll ride predominantly downhill while stopping to check out the well-preserved sites of historical significance along the way. From mining infrastructure to points of cultural relevance, this bike tour combines a thorough history lesson with the joy of downhill cruising. Bike rentals and transportation to Silver Lake are included, and riders of all ability levels are welcome.
2. Rock Climbing Tours in the Uinta Mountains
Way up in the Uinta Mountains the air is fresher, the breezes stronger, and the temperatures much, much cooler. And there’s no better way to beat the heat this summer, while still getting the adrenaline going, than by roping in at 10,000 feet for some rock climbing.
With over 20 years of experience leading guided rock climbing trips in the Uintas, the guides at White Pine Touring are specialists in safe, fun, and thrill-filled trips for climbers of all ability levels. On the Full Day Guided Uinta Rock Climbing Tour, you’ll escape the heat while getting the blood pumping on the side of a soaring cliff face. All necessary rock climbing equipment and transportation to the Uintas is included, and these trips are very family-friendly.
3. Rent a Mountain Bike and Catch the Bus
Not all days spent mountain biking involve sweat and exhaustion. Up here in Park City our free (and bike-friendly) public bus system carries bikers up into the mountains. Exiting the air-conditioned buses at 8,000+ feet, not only do you benefit from the noticeably lower temperatures, but you also gain access to a wide range of flowing singletrack descents guaranteed to keep you cool and entertained. With buses running daily from 7:43am to 5:40pm, you can get as many laps in as your thighs will tolerate.
If you don’t have your own full-suspension mountain bike, you can still get in on the action. The Jans Park Avenue location offers a full range of mountain bike rentals and demos, and the staff there is more than happy to point you in the direction of their favorite shady trails.
4. Guided Fly Fishing at Thousand Peaks Ranch
Waist deep in a mountain stream fishing for brown trout is a sure way to beat the heat this summer. Fed by snowmelt flowing straight from the mountains, the rivers around Park City are a haven for cool adventure on hot summer days.
To make sure you get the most out of your day on the river, let the Jans Fly Fishing Guides show you their favorite spots. And for a real fly fishing adventure, consider one of our guided trips to the Private Waters at Thousand Peaks Ranch in Oakley. Situated right on the western edge of the Uinta Mountains, these waters are remote, quiet, and full of crafty fish. Fly fishing rentals and transportation to the rivers are included, and the guides are happy to work with anglers of all ability levels.
5. Mountains Around Town Hiking Tour
Once again, the name of the game when trying to escape the heat is altitude. And if a slightly more relaxing adventure is what you’re looking for, than a scenic hike is the answer. Led by the guides at White Pine Touring, the Mountains Around Town Hiking Tour is a great way to get above the heat while taking in the sprawling mountain scenery. With plenty of old mining relics to investigate, and the moderate grade of Park City’s hiking trails keeping things cool and relaxed, the Mountains Around Town hiking tour is a family-friendly summer adventure. Transportation to the trailhead is provided, and the tour lasts for approximately three hours.
Don’t let the heat of the Salt Lake Valley keep you from getting outdoors this summer. Just 30 minutes up the canyon, Jans and White Pine Touring in Park City are waiting to help you feed your adventurous side while escaping the heat. Check out all of our available rentals and guided trips, and book your cool summer adventure online at http://www.jans.com/.
Nate Tomlinson is a Senior Content Writer for jans.com.
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