This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
One of my favorite places in Utah is Logan Canyon. In the summer time, there's lots of green, the temperature is cooler than in the valleys and there's easy access to great hikes, lakes and the Logan River. But I wanted a winter experience in the canyon, so Monday I put on some cold weather gear, borrowed snowshoes from Jason Bergreen and launched up the canyon. What I found was closer to spring than winter. I arrived at the trail head to Wind Cave on the shoulder of U.S. Highway 91. Mud covered the first series of switchbacks. (See the photos of my boots.) There was some snow about 1/2 mile up the trail, but it didn't last long and wasn't worth unstrapping the snowshoes from my backpack. The trail up to Wind Cave is a steep 1.6 miles and the loose footing of mud and occasional snow made it more challenging. I was sweating and panting underneath my cold gear. When I arrived at Wind Cave, I had to choose my steps carefully. There was ice over a short sloop leading into the cave. (See the photos of the cave and of my backpack and snowshoes in the cave.) In somewhat of an irony, it began snowing on my return to the trail head. Logan Canyon has received a little more snow since Monday, but I doubt it's enough to cover the trail with snow for the weekend. — Nate Carlisle