Over the last two days, 100 goats and a few sheep flocked to a 0.75-acre property in a quiet neighborhood off Deer Valley Drive. 

With only an occasional bleat and the sounds of chewing, the herd got to work doing what they do best.

“Six-to-8-inch tall vegetation, like this grass here, 100 goats will eat 1 acre a day,” said 4 Leaf Ranch owner and goat whisperer, Greg Cover. 

During their short stay, the goats were tasked with removing dense foliage in the Good Trump District of Queen Esther Village, but not just as a tasty meal. They’re creating a fire break, explained Cover.

It’s something homeowner Jami Guttenberg and her husband, Steve, realized they needed after talking with Park City Municipal Fire Marshal Cherie Wellmon about how to make their wooded property safer in the case of a wildfire.

Then they called in landscapers, who said: “You need goats.”

Wellmon said while the goats are not a city program, it’s a project they’re happy to see in the area.

“For private properties with significant undergrowth, particularly on steep slopes, goat-based vegetation management can be an effective wildfire mitigation tool,” she said. “Property owners are welcome to consider this approach where appropriate.”

She said her office is available as a resource for understanding the best strategies for reducing wildfire risk.

Originally from Philadelphia, Jami said she thought the goat talk was a joke. But then she did the research and realized that not only is the option allowed in Park City, it’s also much cheaper than hiring humans.

“We originally looked at labor, and it was going to be like 10 times the cost to have humans come in and cut all this down,” said Steve, who is also the president of his homeowners association.

That’s including the extra time to saw everything back, load it all up and dump it, which is also more wasteful.

The goats, on the other hand, put all that vegetation to use and leave behind little gifts, Cover said.

“We’re not hauling trash out. They put it right back on the ground as a fertilizer,” he said. “For the weeds that are in here, they’ll capture them. They got four compartments in their belly and completely digest (the seeds) … so they get a weed control.”

With old and super green vegetation, Cover administers supplements in the animals’ water to ensure they still have a well-rounded diet with enough protein and nutrients. 

He said each goat has its own personality and preferences, which is clear to see when watching them eat. Some will go straight for the lush green leaves, while others will climb up on a tree branch to get a stick up high.

“It’s just like how we are a little bit. What are we in the mood for, an apple or steak?” Cover said. 

His 11-year-old border collie, Jons, is “the star.” Jons herds the animals whenever and wherever they’re needed, and back onto the trailer when it’s time to go home.

For a fire break, Cover will ensure his goats leave 5% to 10% vegetation. After 27 years of running his Kamas Valley-based business, he’s seen his method succeed across the state. 

But the goats aren’t firefighters, he said. This work is preventative, and he won’t send his animals out in the path of a fire — which people have asked — even if it is effective.

Cover said 4 Leaf Ranch is the only long-standing ranch that offers targeted grazing with goats and sheep, and he’s traveled all over the state for services. But with the rise in gas prices especially, he’d love more projects closer to home in the Wasatch Back to keep his business going.  

“We’re not getting rich. Ninety, 95% of what we make during the season goes to hay, just to keep these guys alive,” he said. “It used to cost me $50,000 in hay, just to keep them going through the winter. It’s doubled and tripled now.”

Anyone interested in goat-made fire breaks or weed mitigation can visit the 4 Leaf Ranch Facebook page for more information.

The post Looking for a wasteless, efficient fuel break? Consider a herd of goats appeared first on Park Record.

If you can’t find an open soccer field in the Wasatch Back this week, or have noticed an unseasonal uptick in traffic, that’s likely because of the Park City Extreme Cup. 

The expansive youth soccer tournament has once again taken over the area, returning for the 23rd year, featuring 463 teams in age groups U3-U19.

While a lot of teams are locally based, some traveled from other states to be here. 

Cup play, which includes games in in Park City, Heber, Oakley and Kamas, will run through Saturday. 

“We are welcoming the Mountain West soccer community to Park City,” said Park City Soccer Club General Manager Anthony DiCicco. “We’re excited to get to show off our community and the quintessential Park City hospitality.”

DiCicco appreciates the area’s patience with any added traffic the event causes. 

The general manager is coaching his club’s U13 and U17 girls teams this week. While running around the area to do so, he has also logged some time as a referee. 

Cora Reddan is in her ninth year running the cup for the club. 

“Pretty much every field in town has games on it,” DiCicco said. “The direct impact for the club is a six-figure infusion into our scholarship fund. It’s what allows us to provide playing opportunities and access on a year-round basis to a huge number of kids. Over 100 players are beneficiaries of the Park City scholarship fund.”

DiCicco sees the cup as a good way for his club’s teams to evaluate their games. It also serves as good high school season preparation for his girls teams, whose high school season begins next week. 

The Park City Soccer Club U17 girls team fell in its second-to-last match of the tournament to a team from Idaho on Friday morning at the fields in Quinn’s Junction. 

“It’s really fun out here playing the Extreme Cup,” said Park City girls U17 player Stella Arend. “We’ve been on a losing streak so far, so it’d be great to win this last game and get some goals.”

Despite the loss, Park City’s players left the pitch Friday with smiles. 

Also leaving the fields at Quinn’s Junction with smiles, and a win, Friday were the Vipers FC from Ogden. A couple of Vipers FC players said they were having tons of fun at the cup, from winning games on the field to swimming together at their team’s hotel. The same players had their parents and grandparents join them in Park City for the week. 

Mika Martinez, 8, came from Saratoga Springs for the cup alongside his parents, Yarhtib Martinez and Catherine Herrera, to play with his City SC Utah South U9 team. The team tied their first game Thursday and won their second game Friday morning in convincing fashion at the Francis City Park fields in Kamas. 

“It feels amazing,” Mika said. “I’m very proud of myself that I’m in a club and get to play soccer here in the Park City tournament. I’ve always dreamed of being a professional soccer player. My team has been working hard to win this tournament.”

Yahrtib believes the cup is extremely well organized. He’s enjoyed watching his son pursue his passion for the sport. 

“It really is appreciated when cities or valleys put on tournaments,” Yahrtib said. “It creates an opportunity for all these kids to come out. If Park City didn’t have a soccer cup, then we wouldn’t be here. … It’s been fun taking the back roads and just enjoying the country and then coming to the soccer field to watch some good soccer.”

For any further information on the cup, see parkcityextremecup.com.

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Community members gathered along the Rail Trail in Coalville Thursday morning to celebrate the dedication of “Quilted Together,” a new public art installation that honors the area’s railroad history, quilting heritage and evolving community identity.

The installation, created by artists Trevor Dahl and Garth Franklin, was commissioned by the Summit County Public Art Advisory Board as part of Summit County’s Rail Trail Corridor Project and funded through the county’s Recreation, Arts and Parks Tax program.

During the ribbon cutting ceremony, Summit County Council member Canice Harte said the artwork grew out of community conversations about the future of the Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail.

“In recent years Summit County has been exploring opportunities to play a larger role in the future stewardship of the Rail Trail,” he said. “One of the ideas that emerged was how art and culture could help tell the story of communities connected by the trail.”

The artwork combines a quilt-inspired pattern with imagery of birds taking flight. Dahl said the design was inspired by Coalville’s quilting tradition while reflecting the many people, industries and wildlife that have shaped the region over time.

“The concept was all the different pieces that create a community,” Dahl said to the crowd. “The animals, the Indigenous people, the pioneer settlers, the coal miners — everybody that’s created this community over the centuries.”

The quilt serves as a metaphor for those connections, while the birds represent change and migration.

“The birds leave and different peoples leave and come back,” Dahl said. “There’s always a constant flux. The symbolism of this piece is the social fabric and also the fluidity of that.”

Franklin, a Coalville-area resident, artist and furniture maker, led the fabrication of the installation. The piece is framed with repurposed railroad steel, a nod to the Union Pacific line that once ran through the corridor, he said.

The artists collaborated previously on a public art project in Park City and submitted a joint proposal when the Coalville opportunity became available. Franklin said the project felt especially meaningful because it is his first public artwork in Coalville.

“I biked here from my house not too long ago, just to get that whole feel of the connection,” he said. “It feels nice to connect with the town.”

Organizers said the installation is intended to become a lasting landmark for those who walk, run and bike along the trail.

“I think this should really be a special moment for people on the daily, walking down Main Street, or walking and biking,” Franklin said. “They can stop and enjoy it and remember this moment.”

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Beneath clear blue skies and a warm summer sun, visitors wandered through rows of artisan booths at Canyons Village while the sounds of Latin America echoed through the plaza.

Flags representing countries from across Latin America fluttered above the crowd as they walked towards the festival area. Families gathered around food vendors enjoying flavors new to some and nostalgic to others, while artists shared stories behind their work. Children decorated tiles, made custom prints and participated in interactive art installations. 

For many attendees, the return of the Mercadito — featuring artists and artisans from Utah and beyond — was one of the highlights of the weekend. There, people could discover a new art piece for their space, select a piece of jewelry that spoke to them, learn the story behind a colorful garment or simply eat a really good empanada.

Since its inception in 2016, the Latino Arts Festival has been a space for artists, vendors, performers and community members to celebrate the richness of Latin American culture that continues to shape Park City along with the broader state and United States as a whole.

The 10 year milestone of the event, participants said, arrives at a time when many Latino communities across the country face uncertainty and division. Throughout the weekend, however, artists and performers returned to a common message: Culture matters, representation matters and sharing traditions creates understanding rather than separation.

“It’s very important right now to bring awareness to what’s happening with Latinos,” Chilean artist Elissa Sabbö said. “Latinos are a big part of this community and this country.”

A returning artist whose work explores her Chilean roots, womanhood and personal experiences, Sabbö said events like the Latino Arts Festival create opportunities for people to learn from one another.

“It’s important not to forget mutual appreciation, community, respecting one another and loving one another,” she said. “We’re all brothers and sisters.”

She believes cultural events help people experience perspectives different from their own.

“It’s important right now to be part of this and see different cultures,” she said. “To keep an open mind and, more than anything, forget the hate.”

For artists participating at the festival, those conversations often begin one person at a time.

“It’s one of my favorite events of the year,” said artist Leon Araujo, who was participating for the third time. “For Latinos especially, having a space like this is incredible.”

A multidisciplinary artist whose work spans photography, murals, digital illustration and even paintings created with coffee, Araujo said the festival gives him the freedom to openly celebrate his heritage.

“I’m encouraged and supported to really show my culture and be my most authentic self,” he said.

Just as important, he said, is the opportunity to connect with people from different regions and backgrounds.

“I’m such a big fan of diversity and an exchange of cultures,” Araujo said speaking about meeting others from different areas of the same country. “I’m from Mexico, and I get to meet people from Chihuahua or Oaxaca and all over the place. I get to see the differences and the similarities that we all have.”

That spirit of connection could be found throughout the marketplace over the course of the weekend.

Brazilian artist and architect Fabiola Noschang described the festival’s energy as her favorite part. The event, she said, is a place where different cultures come together through shared experiences.

“It’s the music and the dance and the culture that brings everyone together in the arts,” Noschang said. “But it’s about the energy of the Latin community that sparks this beautiful unity and friendship.”

Participating in the festival carries special meaning for Noschang, who said Brazilians can sometimes feel disconnected from the broader Latin American community because of language differences.

She believes events like the Latino Arts Festival strengthen community while also helping visitors better understand their neighbors and become more integrated as human beings.

“They see that they feel good about it and they enjoy learning about Latin culture,” she said. “I think that awareness is important.”

For multimedia artist Pablo Ayala, the festival provides another important opportunity: storytelling.

“My experience here at the Latino Art Fest has really been about networking and connecting to the community at large and making sure people understand that our culture is a much richer experience than they might think,” Ayala said.

His artwork largely explores identity and immigration. In recent work, he’s have explored transformation through materials that react differently depending on light and surface conditions. Ayala sees a connection between that artistic process and the immigrant experience.

“These paintings are different paintings in different lights,” he explained, holding one of their pieces up to the sun. “I think that reflects a lot of immigrant values — how we change ourselves in different lights. We’re different people in different circumstances.”

As an immigrant himself, Ayala said the festival is a reminder that no one has to navigate those experiences alone. 

While visual artists filled the Mercadito, dancers and musicians brought the main stage to life throughout the weekend.

Many attendees also arrived wearing national team jerseys as the festival coincided with the opening days of the FIFA World Cup, creating a colorful display of pride, identity and connection that stretched beyond the stage. On Saturday evening, a sea of yellow and green filled the lawn for a watch party of the Brazil versus Morocco match, one of the ways organizers acknowledged the importance of the sport in Latin American culture.

The festival’s performances included the participation of Chilean folk ensemble Bafodach, which presented dances from multiple regions of Chile, including the Rapa Nui culture of Easter Island.

Bolivian group Somos Bolivia shook the stage with their captivating traditional dances including Caporales and Diablada.

Flowing, colorful skirts swept across the stage as members of Ballet Folklórico Quetzalcóatl performed dances representing Mexico. The large ensemble filled the stage with energy and pride, closing their performance to “México en la Piel,” whose chorus proclaims, “Así se siente México” — “This is how Mexico feels.”

“I love dancing and representing my country,” said dancer Milene Montalvo of Veracruz, Mexico. “It’s a way to share my culture and encourage others to learn about different cultures as well.”

One of her favorite parts of the festival, she said, was seeing families gathered together in the audience. For her, that sense of togetherness reflects an important aspect of Latino culture itself, where family remains at the center of community life.

That same spirit of community was on display Sunday morning when Julieta Gesualdo-Gallup took the stage to lead a high-energy Zumba session.

Gesualdo-Gallup is a compliance inspector with Park City’s Building Department and volunteer member of the festival’s advisory committee, so she joked that the Latino Arts Festival is the only opportunity each year for people to come dance with her.

A former tango dancer in Argentina, she discovered Zumba after moving to the United States and later earned her instructor certification with encouragement from a mentor who joined her on stage during the festival.

“Music and dance unite us,” Gesualdo-Gallup said. “Language doesn’t matter. Sometimes when we’re struggling, we dance for a while and forget our problems.”

Music’s ability to bring people together was evident when she was on stage, the scene unfolding around her seeming to prove her point. People emerged from every corner of Canyons Village Plaza to join the Zumba session. Children danced beside parents. Festivalgoers invited friends to join in. Even members of the resort’s medical staff paused to follow along. Visitors who had simply been passing through stopped and became part of the crowd, too.

In that moment, age, language and background mattered little as strangers moved to the same rhythm.

“When we hear a song, whether you’re from Argentina, Colombia or anywhere else, we feel more united, like Latino brothers and sisters,” she said.

Gesualdo-Gallup also spoke about the often unseen contributions Latino community members make throughout Park City. Whether visitors are skiing, dining at local restaurants, staying in hotels or enjoying a vacation in the mountains, she noted that Latino workers help make many of those experiences possible.

The festival, she said, offers an opportunity to recognize those contributions and celebrate the people behind them.

“Being Latino in the United States is remembering where you come from,” she said. “It’s your grandparents, your ancestors, the culture, the food, the language.”

For her that remembrance is important.

“Being Latino means creativity and reinvention,” she said. “It means starting over. It is nostalgia for what was left behind and uncertainty and hope for the path you’ve chosen. It is resistance. It is learning. It is brotherhood with our fellow Latinos. It is pride.”

Her reflections ultimately captured the spirit of the festival itself.

“It’s a moment to celebrate ourselves because we are part of this culture,” she said. “Some of us may be more visible than others, but we’re here. It’s a moment to say, ‘Today I celebrate you. I see you. And I thank you.'”

As the Latino Arts Festival came to a close, it served as both a celebration of culture and a reminder that the stories, traditions and contributions of Latino communities remain an essential part of Park City’s identity.

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Park City High School seniors received 149 scholarships totaling approximately $199,300 during this year’s annual scholarship awards assembly, as students, families, educators and community members gathered to celebrate graduating seniors and the network of support helping them move into their next chapter.

The scholarships — funded through local businesses, nonprofits, alumni groups, civic organizations and individual donors — recognized students pursuing a wide range of futures, from traditional four-year universities and community colleges to trade programs, healthcare careers, aviation and entrepreneurship.

But while scholarship names, donors and recipients filled much of the morning, speakers repeatedly returned to a broader message: Student success is rarely achieved alone.

Programs like Back to Our Roots and Bright Futures supporting first-generation students featured prominently throughout the ceremony, with speakers emphasizing mentorship, encouragement and community support alongside financial assistance.

Bright Futures Counselor Pepper Elliot said approximately 250 students are now receiving support through first-generation programs at the school, a significant increase from previous years, made possible by the Park City Education Foundation.

“The seniors are fantastic,” Elliot said. “They’re going to do really well in college and life beyond.”

Throughout the ceremony, presenters represented nearly every corner of the community — from healthcare organizations and sports groups to local businesses, alumni organizations and community nonprofits — reinforcing the level of community investment behind graduating students.

Scholarship advisor Monica Settlemire emphasized the role community support plays in creating opportunities for students while introducing donor Tommy Tanzer and recognizing his years of supporting students pursuing higher education and trade programs.

“He is a Park City local, kind and passionate about supporting students to continue higher education in college or trade school,” Settlemire said.

As Tanzer later called scholarship recipients to the stage, students stretched nearly the full width of the Eccles stage.

For Park City High School alum Ashley Nava, returning to speak at this year’s assembly meant giving back to programs and people she said helped shape her own path after graduation.

“As a proud first-generation college student and as a daughter of immigrant parents, pursuing higher education came with a lot of challenges,” Nava told students. “But I was fortunate to have people who believed in me and encouraged me along the way.”

Since graduating from Park City High School, Nava earned associate degrees in health sciences and dance teaching while completing a minor in English through Weber State University, and she later earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Joyce University in 2025.

Along the way, she also became a mother.

“Balancing school, work and motherhood taught me resilience and perseverance and the importance of community,” Nava said. “It truly does take a village.”

Nava credited family members, mentors and programs supporting first-generation students for helping her continue pursuing higher education.

“My family has been my foundation, making countless sacrifices so I could continue pursuing my goals,” she said.

She also thanked mentors from programs including Bright Futures, Dream Big and Back to Our Roots, saying their encouragement helped shape her path.

“These scholarships helped me continue furthering my education,” Nava said. “Today I stand here as a nurse, a college graduate and a mother.”

Nava said she hopes to continue her education with the goal of becoming a nurse practitioner and giving back to the community that supported her.

The emphasis on family and community support continues throughout the ceremony. While presenting the Lala G. Martinez Scholarship, Elli Reyes recognized the role families played in students reaching graduation.

“I’m happy to present the Lala G. Martinez Scholarship, which is named after my mother, a lifetime educator. She would be so proud for the students to receive the scholarship today.” she continued in Spanish, saying, “I would like to recognize all of the parents who are here today. It’s thanks to your support that your students are graduating. Thank you and congratulations.”

Others reflected on the community connections that inspired their scholarships.

Kelly Thomas, whose family gives several scholarships annually, said the awards reflect both family traditions and long-standing ties to Park City.

“Our scholarships are very important to our family, as the Park City community is very important to our family,” Thomas said.

Tami MacFarlane said scholarships created in memory of her late husband, David, were founded on a simple belief: “Every hardworking student deserves the opportunity for a higher education.”

Another Park City High School alum spoke about her experience as a first-generation Latina. After graduating in 2022, she went on to complete an honors degree in political science at the University of Utah, with plans to pursue a master’s degree and later become an attorney.

“As a daughter of Mexican immigrants, education has always represented sacrifice, opportunity and the hopes my parents carried when they came to this country,” Jessica Hinojos said. “Being a first-generation student is incredibly meaningful, but it can also feel isolating at times, especially when you’re navigating spaces without a clear roadmap or family experience to lean on.” 

She thanked Tanzer and his work with Back to Our Roots for providing a “sense of belonging and support,” and encouraged graduates not to underestimate the importance of maintaining connections beyond high school.

“Those relationships do not end at graduation,” she said. “They continue to shape your future in ways you may not even realize yet.”

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Park City High School senior Jose Vazquez Colmenero admits he didn’t care much about school during his freshman year. Now, he’s preparing to join his older sister at the University of Utah.

Born and raised in the Park City area, Vazquez Colmenero spent his entire life in the community he now prepares to leave. But his path through high school wasn’t always straightforward.

After struggling academically during his freshman year, a conversation with his mother over the summer changed his perspective.

She told him about growing up in Mexico, where she was forced to leave school after third grade to help support her family. Education, she explained, had never been a choice for her.

“That kind of changed my mindset toward school,” he said. “I started taking it seriously.”

His grades improved, his study habits changed and his goals became clearer, driven in part by a desire to honor the sacrifices his family made.

Programs like Bright Futures and Dream Big, part of the Park City Education Foundation, became an important part of that transformation. Introduced to him through school outreach and family connections, those programs helped him navigate academics, scholarships and the college application process.

“It’s nice to have guidance,” he said. “They help with the typical subjects of college, scholarships and all of that.”

For first-generation students — someone whose parents or guardians did not complete their education — that kind of support can make a major difference, he said.

“There’s a lack of knowledge on the American education system: deadlines, fees, where to go,” he said. “Doing that by yourself, you wouldn’t really know where to go without a program such as Bright Futures guiding students across that.”

The program also introduced him to students with similar goals and ambitions.

“I created so many memories with these people,” he said. “Our values kind of formed together.”

This spring, his work earned recognition beyond the classroom. At the Park City High School scholarship awards assembly, Vazquez Colmenero received three scholarships, including one from Bright Futures and the Park City Community Foundation’s Eileen G. Bailey Back to Our Roots scholarship fund.

He plans to attend the University of Utah in the fall to major in medical laboratory sciences. His interest in medicine has grown over several years and was partly influenced by his sister, who shares similar interests.

But much of Vazquez Colmenero’s motivation still comes back to his mom.

“My mother would feel bad if I didn’t pursue college. … She wants me to be happy as well, but I want her to be happy as well. So that’s why I decided to keep going down the path of education,” he admitted.

Making his family proud and inspiring other students in similar situations to follow that same path is top of mind as he continues his journey. 

Looking back, he says one of the biggest lessons he learned was to build strong habits early.

“Explore different study habits,” he said. “Find what works for you while you still have time.”

He also emphasizes balance.

“Make a schedule,” he said. “Focus on your time management.”

As graduation approaches, he said he’s looking forward to what comes next. He’s excited to meet new people and enjoy “the college life,” but more than anything, he said he’s excited to keep learning. 

“During that switch between freshman year, I grew to love school. It’s something I’m good at. It makes me feel good. I like learning,” he said. “So I’d say the coursework and the classes I’m taking in the fall, I’m excited for those.”

After earning his bachelor’s degree, Vazquez Colmenero said he will decide whether to pursue medical school or a laboratory-based career. For now, he says he’s ready for the next chapter.

The post First-generation Park City High School student reflects on a changed trajectory appeared first on Park Record.

For most riders dropping into one of Deer Valley Resort’s mountain bike trails this summer, the work beneath their tires may go unnoticed.

The sculpted berms, smooth rollers and carefully shaped jumps are designed that way.

“Flow style” mountain biking — where riders move continuously downhill with minimal braking or pedaling — only works when thousands of hours of labor disappear into the background.

After a year of closures, construction impacts and one of the largest transformation periods in resort history, the crews responsible for maintaining Deer Valley’s summer terrain say reopening trails this season has been equal parts rebuilding project, engineering challenge and race against time. 

“I think of it as waking up the trails from their hibernation,” said Deacan Spierling, a bike patrol trail worker, as he used a shovel to pat down and smooth out the approach to a jump on the Tsunami trail. 

As the trails emerge from their winter slumber, timing and weather play a critical role in the process to get things ready for opening day, crews say. 

“If people aren’t up there riding them, nature tends to take over a little bit,” said Dan Ward, the resort’s mountain bike trail supervisor, while walking between work zones on the upper mountain.

That takeover comes quickly, he said.

Grass creeps into trail corridors. Fallen trees accumulate. Winter runoff cuts channels into surfaces. Snow lingers long after lower elevation terrain has dried out. And after large-scale resort construction altered portions of the mountain, some trails required something more substantial than maintenance.

“The ski run construction totally eliminated probably about a quarter mile of trail right here,” Ward said, referencing the meadow section of the Tidal Wave trail. “We’re left with the task of redesigning and putting features back in.”

Throughout the upper mountain, crews have spent weeks reopening trail corridors, rebuilding jumps, reshaping turns and reconnecting trail systems before opening day which is scheduled for June 13.

Despite the workload, staff estimated roughly 90% of terrain was approaching readiness for the season by mid-May.

The work itself is considerably more technical than many riders may realize.

On jump trails, trail builders begin by measuring grades and estimating rider speeds before construction even starts.

A black diamond jump trail, for example, typically follows specific downhill grades that help crews estimate how quickly riders will approach features, explained Ward.

“There’s no school of mountain bike building a jump,” he said, noting that construction relies on testing, experience and repetition.

Crews build features, visually inspect them and eventually ride them repeatedly before public opening. Adjustments to takeoff angles, landing zones and speed control often happen multiple times before trails are considered complete.

“We’re not just throwing people at it willy nilly,” Ward said.

That process becomes more important on trails where mistakes carry consequences.

Some jump lines feature gaps ranging between roughly 25 and 35 feet and are ridden at high speeds.

“If you hit the jump and it puts you forward or back, there can be consequence to it,” he said.

Safety, workers say, shapes nearly every decision.

Many members of the trail crew also work winter ski patrol, creating a beneficial overlap between emergency response experience and trail construction.

Crews inspect trails daily, coordinate with bike patrol staff and intentionally build rest areas into trail networks where riders can stop before fatigue becomes dangerous.

“If people are just jamming the whole trail, they get fatigued, and that’s when accidents start happening,” Assistant Patrol Manager Steve Campbell said.

The result is a balancing act between progression and accessibility. Trail crews must create experiences that are exciting for experienced riders while remaining approachable enough for beginners and resort visitors.

That balancing act has become increasingly important as summer visitation changes.

Workers say demand for hiking continues growing alongside mountain biking, and resort leadership is increasingly focused on summer operations and expanding recreational opportunities.

New terrain under construction near Deer Valley’s East Village expansion will largely focus on cross-country riding, workers said, while hiking infrastructure continues receiving additional attention.

The growth comes as crews confront another challenge entirely: getting visitors to stay off trails before conditions are ready.

During spring melt, muddy riding creates deep ruts that significantly increase repair work.

Workers pointed to fresh tire tracks crossing still-soft sections of trail while explaining that early season riding often extends closures rather than shortening them as it can be difficult to smooth out those tracks.

This year, crews said conditions have helped.

Lower snowpack and earlier melt allowed workers to begin projects roughly three weeks ahead of anticipated schedules, particularly on the upper portions of the mountain, which, in the past, have not opened until a few weeks into the season.

Machines are operating seven days a week in some areas while hand crews move between maintenance projects across the mountain.

For riders arriving this summer, most of that work will remain invisible.

And that’s the point. Because the best trail work, the crew suggested, is the kind riders never notice at all. 

For those looking to improve their skills, learn the ins and outs of the mountain trail network or new to mountain biking, Deer Valley’s mountain bike school offers private lessons and a variety of bike clinics for all ages and skill levels. 

For information on lessons, see deervalley.com/plan-your-trip/bike-lessons.

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Cheers echoed through the halls of South Summit High School as students received gifts, honors, scholarships and applause from classmates and teachers during the school’s annual awards assembly on May 13.

South Summit’s Class of 2026 received 127 local scholarships, and totaled about $3.7 million in combined local awards and university scholarship offers. The event drew support from dozens of local donors — including businesses, nonprofits and community members — contributing nearly $289,000 in local scholarship awards for graduating seniors.

“We have a really supportive community,” said South Summit School District Superintendent Greg Maughan. “They come out, and they represent big time.”

For Maughan, the ceremony represents more than academic recognition. He said the scholarships help students overcome one of the biggest barriers to continuing their education after high school — cost.

“Finances are probably the No. 1 barrier to kids getting into their post-high school avenues,” Maughan said. “The scholarships add up, and they go a long way.”

Students often spend countless hours completing applications, writing essays and gathering recommendation letters in hopes of earning financial support.

“It actually is quite a bit of work to apply for a scholarship,” Maughan said. “(We) love to see the success of the students getting those scholarships because it does take a lot of work and time and effort to apply for those.”

Among the 2026 donors was Park City-based nonprofit Back to Our Roots, which expanded its Eileen G. Bailey Fund scholarship to South Summit students for the first time this year. The scholarship honors the legacy of a beloved educator and friend of the founders while building pathways for local students to succeed beyond graduation.

Tommy Tanzer, who attended on behalf of the organization, said the atmosphere inside the school stood out to him immediately.

“It was the most joyous thing I’ve seen,” Tanzer said. “It made me so proud to be included and part of it.” 

Among the students recognized was 18-year-old Melany Campos Juàrez, a first-generation college-bound student who received 10 scholarships totaling just under $75,000.

Campos, the daughter of Mexican immigrant parents, will attend the University of Utah this fall — starting with 54 college credits earned in high school — to study political science before pursuing her goal of becoming an immigration lawyer.

“I personally know what deportation does to your family,” she said. “I don’t want any child or person to ever have to experience that.” 

While Campos has known she wanted to study law since third grade, she said those experiences and the current immigration climate helped shape her decision to pursue immigration law.

“Knowing that I have the power to do something about it, I’m going to take that opportunity,” she said. 

During her time at South Summit High School, Campos immersed herself in leadership and service opportunities. She served as president of the school’s Interact Club and as president of the school district’s first Latinos in Action chapter, which she helped launch.

“It was scary at the beginning because it was something so new to all of us,” she said. “My goal was just to be the best version of myself and the true version of myself to our younger Latino youth. Especially in this current time, that’s something very important that we need.”

Latinos in Action student organizers planned fundraisers, cultural celebrations and community events during the inaugural year.

“We were able to give back to our community that is so small, but when we show up for each other, we’re pretty great,” Campos added.

As a first-generation student and daughter of immigrants, she said much of her success is rooted in the opportunities her parents worked to provide.

“My parents came to this country for a reason,” she said. “The opportunities they were never given were all given to me.”

Rather than being a burden, that sense of responsibility is a source of motivation for Campos, fueled by gratitude for her parents. 

She said she kept her scholarship awards a secret from her parents until the ceremony, making the moment even more emotional when one of the largest scholarships of the night was announced.

“When (my mom heard) that I got those $40,000, the smile on her face was a smile I’ve never seen before in my life,” Campos said. “It just made me feel like, maybe I did it, maybe I’m making them proud.”

Describing her experience of being raised in a Latino family, she said those are words not often heard. 

“We often don’t hear the words from our parents, ‘I love you,’ or ‘We’re proud of you,’ because they themselves have never been told that,” she said. “In that moment, I was so proud of myself.”

She said the moment brought her back to the late nights spent writing scholarship essays and requesting recommendation letters.

“I just thought to myself, ‘It’s all going to be worth it,’” she said.

While embracing her parents in the audience, Campos said her father told her, “Estoy tan orgulloso de ti,” or “I am so proud of you.”

“Hearing that from my dad just honestly felt amazing,” Campos said.

Maughan said moments like those are what make the ceremony meaningful not only for students and families, but for teachers and community members.

“With all the negativity that you hear about or see in the world, it’s so refreshing. It gives hope,” Maughan said. “As you experience those kinds of things, to see the hope in students’ eyes, the excitement of having received a scholarship for something, and just, for me, and I think for a lot of people that are involved with giving scholarships, that’s why they do it. They feel good.”

Maughan said community members or organizations interested in contributing to future scholarship efforts can reach out directly to South Summit High School or connect through the Kamas Valley Community Foundation’s education initiatives.

The post Local donors contribute nearly $289,000 in scholarships for South Summit High School graduates appeared first on Park Record.

Echo Reservoir received a fresh wave of rainbow trout Monday morning as the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources stocked 9,000 fish into the popular fishery ahead of the busy summer recreation season.

The trout, each measuring around 12-inches long, arrived from the Division of Wildlife Resources Kamas Fish Hatchery. They’re part of the greater Utah system that operates 10 state-of-the-art fish hatcheries across the state, a large-scale operation producing roughly 1.1 million pounds of fish annually. 

The release was performed near the reservoir’s boat ramp by division staff using a specialized transport truck equipped to safely move thousands of pounds of live fish. Pretty soon, splash after splash — and an occasional thud — disrupted the stillness of the chilly morning.

For delivery truck driver and biologist Barry Nielsen, it was another familiar day on the job. Nielsen, who has worked with Utah’s fish hatchery system for decades, has spent the last eight years transporting and stocking fish across the state, watching thousands of trout surge from the backs of specialized tanker trucks into reservoirs, lakes and community fisheries.

He said the division’s two fish transport trucks travel constantly across Utah delivering fish, sometimes transporting species brought in from out of state. Recent trips included hauling catfish from Nebraska for stocking efforts in Utah.

“These are going to be the main fish people are catching during the summertime,” said Chris Penne, aquatics program manager for the Division of Wildlife Resources’ Northern Region. “Especially if they’re out in a boat trolling or if they’re fishing from shore.”

For local and visiting anglers, the stocking means increased opportunities to catch fish throughout the summer months, whether from shore, by boat or eventually through the ice during winter.

Penne said another 10,000 rainbow trout are expected to be stocked into Echo Reservoir this fall to help maintain fishing opportunities year-round.

Echo Reservoir supports a diverse fishery that includes wild brown trout that migrate from the Weber River, along with cutthroat trout, mountain whitefish, yellow perch and walleye. Still, rainbow trout remain one of the reservoir’s most popular species because of their accessibility to fishers of all experience levels, Penne said.

While the public only sees the final release, Division of Wildlife Resources staff said the process begins years in advance, first as fertilized eggs within the state’s hatchery system before being raised to reach stocking size.

“A 12-inch fish takes over a year to get to full size,” said Nielsen.

According to Penne, the 12-inch size is intentional.

“Dollar for dollar, that is the best size that we found for getting returns to the end of anglers’ lines,” he said. “We’ve kind of got that dialed in.”

Biologists regularly monitor reservoirs like Echo through fish surveys and netting operations to determine how many fish should be stocked and how fisheries like Echo Reservoir are performing.

The work also depends heavily on environmental conditions. Water temperature, oxygen levels, algae blooms and drought conditions can all impact when and where fish can safely be released.

“Rainbows don’t like water much past 70 degrees,” Penne said. “As the temperature goes up, oxygen availability for the fish goes down.”

Despite the technical logistics, both Penne and Nielsen said the broader goal is simple: creating opportunities for people to spend time outdoors.

“This is funded by fishing licenses,” Penne said. “When people buy those, that helps fund the hatcheries that we use to raise the fish and the personnel that we use to get them in the water.”

He added that the agency’s mission goes beyond stocking fish.

“We have a mission at the Division of Wildlife to protect and steward wildlife for everyone and make sure people are getting those experiences with wildlife,” Penne said.

For Nielsen, one of the most rewarding parts of the job is seeing young anglers experience fishing for the first time.

“My most favorite thing is to see kids catching fish,” he said. “They’re new at it, and it’s just fun. It’s a fun job.”

Some of the stocked trout will likely be caught quickly, especially as anglers monitor Utah’s online stocking reports for recent releases. Others may remain in the reservoir for years, growing well beyond their original 12-inch size.

“It’s not uncommon for us to see fish over 20 inches, which is a pretty good rainbow trout,” Penne said. “For this reservoir and nearby ones like Rockport, we’ve seen rainbows as big as 29 inches. They can grow pretty well if they stay in the water.”

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources maintains an online fish stocking report at dwrapps.utah.gov/fishing, where anglers can track recent stockings across the state.

The post It’s homecoming for 9,000 rainbow trout released in Echo Reservoir appeared first on Park Record.

Park City’s no-cost, safety-net health clinic is expanding pediatric and behavioral healthcare to meet rising demand.

Dr. Zainab Kagen, a pediatrician who has lived in Park City since 2017, and Denisse Zepeda, a new behavioral health counselor, have joined People’s Health Clinic as part of a broader effort to integrate medical and mental health services for children.

Clinic leaders say the need is growing.

“Volunteer pediatricians are noticing an increase in the number of children they are seeing who have recently lost insurance,” said Dr. Mairi Leining, the clinic’s CEO.

Kagen, who splits her time between the clinic and University of Utah Health, said expanding access to care is a priority, especially as families face uncertainty in coverage.

The need comes amid broader shifts in health coverage. Enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies — first introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic and extended through 2025 — expired at the end of last year after Congress did not renew them, increasing costs for families and leaving more children uninsured.

“Studies have shown when adults are affected, the children are affected, too,” Kagen said. “We’re expecting there may be more pediatric patients who are uninsured, and we want families to know we’re here as a resource.”

The clinic recorded more than 1,300 pediatric-related visits last year, with wait times for dedicated pediatric appointments stretching up to 10 weeks. Kagen said part of her role is helping shorten that gap, including offering same-day visits for urgent needs.

“Kids get sick last minute,” she said. “We want families to be able to call and be seen that day.”

At the same time, the clinic is expanding behavioral health services for children — an area Kagan said is increasingly urgent as more and more kids are being diagnosed with things like anxiety and depression at younger ages.

Zepeda, MSW, MA, who began working at the clinic in April as a Behavioral health councilor, previously provided therapy services in Park City schools through a University of Utah program that lost funding late last year. 

“There’s so much need,” Zepeda said. “I was really happy to come back and help the community that I was supposed to be helping.”

Her path into mental health work has been shaped by personal experience, years in education and a desire to better support children navigating complex challenges, she said.

Zepeda brings an experienced foundation to the role, shaped by years of study and hands-on practice across disciplines. After initially earning a degree in engineering, she obtained a master’s degree in literature from the University of Utah and transitioned into education, spending nearly a decade working in schools. 

Before becoming a therapist, she worked as a teacher in Utah, where students often came to her with problems they weren’t sharing at home.

“I realized how much kids need someone to listen to them,” she said. “They’re often misunderstood, and their problems get minimized.”

Those experiences — including working with students facing trauma, family instability and loss — ultimately led her to pursue a master’s degree in social work. 

Her background blends classroom experience, clinical training and cross-cultural perspective, positioning her to support a wide range of patients, particularly children and families navigating complex challenges.

Now at the People’s Health Clinic, she is part of a model aiming to bring pediatric and behavioral health care under one roof, allowing providers to coordinate care more closely and reduce barriers to access.

Zepeda said one of the most meaningful parts of her work is seeing patients begin to open up to the idea of mental health care — especially in communities where stigma remains.

“I’ve seen patients that I would have never imagined considering mental health help,” she said. “I feel honored to be part of that stage in their life.” 

She noted that stigma around therapy can still be strong, particularly within Hispanic communities, where seeking help is sometimes misunderstood or discouraged.

“There’s still a lot of beliefs like, ‘You only go if something is really wrong,’ or ‘You should handle things on your own,’” she said. 

By offering services in a trusted, community-based and bilingual clinic, Zepeda said the goal is to make care more accessible to families who may not otherwise seek it.

“I think this clinic is really a bridge,” she said. “To create access for the people who have not ever considered therapy before or who don’t have the resources to go to a place in a much more accessible way.”

She said she hopes to expand access to therapy so more patients can experience the kind of supportive therapeutic relationship that has had a meaningful impact on her own life.

Integration between physical and mental health care is critical, Kagen said, especially as more children experience anxiety, depression and other challenges at younger ages.

“It’s a known trend,” she said. “I want to see how we can integrate pediatric care and behavioral health together, especially for school-age and teenage patients.”

Much of pediatric care, she added, is preventative and extends beyond physical health.

“We’re looking at growth, diet, stress, sleep, vision, their social life,” she said. “How are they handling what’s going on with friends, with family? Pediatric care is really about the whole picture.”

That whole-child approach also extends to parents and caregivers who can find answers to questions about themselves and their children through the clinic. Kagen said this is especially important for families who face barriers to care, including language, cost or access to insurance.

“Oftentimes we are answering a lot of the questions that they have,” she said. “Maybe about themselves or about parenting and understanding the future for their kids, too.”

She added, “I just really love helping people in this community, especially children who may need extra support.”

Kagen has two children in local schools, an experience she said shapes how she approaches caring for patients and families in the community.

Leaning on her experience, Kagen brings a strong clinical background that includes training at Indiana University, medical school at the American University of the Caribbean and a pediatric residency in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Now more than a decade into her career, her work has increasingly focused on early diagnosis and identifying concerns before they escalate, particularly in areas like developmental delays and behavioral health. That emphasis, she said, is critical in pediatric care, where early intervention can significantly improve long-term outcomes for children.

In Zepeda’s experience, the clinic stands out for how quickly families can access behavioral health care, noting that patients are often able to be seen within a few weeks — a significantly shorter timeline than in many other settings, where pediatric mental health appointments can take months to secure.

With the addition of Zepeda, access is expected to improve further, allowing the clinic to reach patients even more quickly.

Zepeda said the work requires both resilience and deep empathy.

“You cannot do this job without passion,” she said. “It’s not an easy job, but I’m happy and honored to do it.” 

Looking ahead, she hopes her work can make even a small but meaningful difference.

“I hope I get to be the person who helps someone think that maybe there’s a reason to wake up tomorrow,” she said. “If I do that for one person, that’s enough.” 

Both providers said they are focused not only on expanding access, but on listening to families to better understand what the community needs.

“I don’t want to just assume,” Kagen said. “I want to hear directly from families.”

As People’s Health Clinic continues to grow, leaders say the addition of both pediatric and behavioral health providers reflects demand and a broader shift toward more integrated, equitable care in the community.

The post People’s Health Clinic expands pediatric and mental healthcare amid rising demand appeared first on Park Record.