Salt Lake City, UT

Early February marked Portland's first snowfall. This very rare event caused stress and anxiety all throughout town. My neighborhood only received a dusting, but the roads and sidewalks were icy. Historically, the city has preferred the use of magnesium chloride--a chemical salt that's applied as a liquid solution--over salt. It's considered easier on the environment, less corrosive to vehicles and roadways, and cheaper for the state to store and use.

I escaped the wintry "chaos" to visit my friend, Roy, in Salt Lake City (SLC). Despite the four-hour weather delay on Saturday, the hour and a half flight was relatively painless. Roy and I spent the evening catching up over dinner at The Bayou--a beer bar and Cajun restaurant just a short walk from his apartment. Across the street, Purgatory Bar is a lively watering hole with a modern, industrial feel. Interestingly, Utah law limits beer on tap to 3.2% alcohol. Full-strength beer can only be purchased in bottles in select places.

The next day, Roy went into full tour-guide mode. Having relocated from Pittsburgh three years ago, I was impressed by how well he knew the city. Most businesses are closed on Sunday, but we still managed a walking tour of downtown. The mostly flat city is laid out in an efficient grid system so that the streets are incremented by 100 and named by the position relative to the center (grid point 0,0), which is Temple Square.

The Salt Lake City and County Building

State Street is a wide highway that runs south from Capitol Hill. The State Capitol was constructed between 1912 and 1916, using granite from Little Cottonwood Canyon. It was modeled after the U.S. Capitol. The building and grounds contain several beehive images, paying tribute to the state symbol that represents industry and cooperation.

The spectacular view from the front steps includes the Wasatch Range and Oquirrh Mountains, and SLC below.

The cold but dry and sunny climate reminded me fondly of Denver. And of course, the mountains. Elevation 4,300'.



Temple Square is a 10-acre complex in the center of town, owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). Three city blocks contain nearly 20 attractions related to Mormon pioneer history and genealogy. The Salt Lake Temple is a global icon of the LDS Church. The massive granite edifice was constructed in a neo-gothic style over the course of 40 years between 1853 and 1893. Only LDS members are permitted to enter the temple. LDS theology shares the Christian doctrine of salvation through Jesus, but doctrines regarding the nature of God and the potential of mankind differ significantly from mainstream Christianity. The church president is believed to be a modern-day prophet led by the will of Jesus.

Roy and I stopped for lunch at Zest Kitchen & Bar, a health-conscious eatery with a creative plant-based menu.

The southern shores of the Great Salt Lake are a 20-minute drive west of downtown. 30,000 years ago, Lake Bonneville covered 20,000 square miles of land. After the ice age, the earth's climate became drier and it gradually receded to form the Great Salt Lake at 75 x 35 miles. Sailing is popular here, but the lake is shallow (maximum depth 33').

Great Salt Lake is the largest salt water lake in the Western Hemisphere. The salinity of the water averages about 12%, making it much saltier than the ocean. Why so salty? Because it has not outlet. Tributary rivers carrying dissolved minerals empty into the lake and become concentrated through evaporation. 

Great Salt Lake is too saline to support fish and most other aquatic species. Wildlife is abundant, however, on Antelope Island and in the lake's shoreline marshes (maintained by the ever-fluctuating water levels). Bison, antelope, deer, bobcats, coyotes and elk roam freely on the island. 

That evening, we took Roy's roommate's dog, Maddux, for a walk in Liberty Park. The 80-acre public park features walking paths, tennis courts, a swimming pool, pond, aviary and children's amusement park. This is where I would spend most of my time if I lived in town!

Seemingly out of nowhere, the bluebird day dissolved into a fierce snowstorm, which prompted a night in with take-out and old movies.

Monday started off strong with a visit to the public library in Washington Square. I loved this library. The five-story, wedge-shaped building is light and airy, complete with mountain views and a rooftop garden. Another highlight.







Roy and I spent the afternoon in Park City. Just 25 miles southeast of downtown, Park City is situated at 7,000' in the Wasatch Range. Besides skiing at Park City Mountain and Deer Valley Resort, the area is best known for hosting the annual Sundance Film Festival and the 2002 Winter Olympic. Although the resorts receive less snow and have a shorter ski season than their counterparts in Salt Lake County (i.e., Snowbird), they are much easier to access. In another life, it might have been a powder day, but I was just as content to stroll through the quaint shops and galleries on Historic Main Street. I also discovered my new favorite beer--an apricot hefeweizen-- at Wasatch Brewery!

 

Back in town, Roy and I hit a few more bars and restaurants, including BTG Wine Bar, before catching my evening flight back to Portland. My visit to SLC was short but worthwhile. Exploring new places is among my favorite things to do, and even better when it's in good company. As a fellow Pittsburgh native, it's exciting to see a close friend call home (at least temporarily) to a great city.