A Utah Family Travel Writer's Adventures with Altitude
We’re back from an amazing 9 days in Maui and it was truly an adventure of a lifetime. We’ve traveled extensively and this was our favorite trip, ever.
Many more details are forthcoming but I’m wading through a deluge of deadlines and emails. Oh, and I decided to get sick at the very end so my all-nighter on our red-eye flight home was super fun.
In the interim, Jamie put together a fun video with some of our adventures.
I think I’ve mentioned the amount of stress I’ve been under lately, which has been waking me up at 4:15 a.m. Since I’m not coherent at that hour, I’ve been doing non-essential things like airing out my blog’s draft folder. Here’s a funny post I wrote a few summers ago but never published it.
(For background, you will need to first reread this post whereupon Bode, after a day of camping with The Boys, declared he liked musicals better than camping.)
Setting: Several months later, camping in Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada a.k.a. my favorite place on earth in July 2011. We cruised the bike paths adjacent to Waterton Lake on Surrey bikes, hiked Bear’s Hump with awe-inspiring views that peered into the United States , played in in the water at glorious Red Rock Canyon, snuggled up to the ranger’s campfire chats in the evenings and camped a stone’s throw away from Cameron Falls.
I’m aching to go back.
Princes of Wales Hotel
Hiking Bear’s Hump
Riding Surrey Bikes
Navigating Red Rock Canyon in Waterton
Boys will be boys at Welch’s Chocolate Shop
Prince of Wales Hotel
During the midst of our outdoor utopia, Jamie turned to Bode.
Jamie: “Bode, do you like camping or musicals better?”
Bode: “What are musicals, Daddy?”
Jamie: “That’s my boy.”
I live a pretty adventurous life. Last week I went to Costco and tried the spicy jalapeno dip. On another day, I blazed pass those annoying lingering parents in the carpool lane despite the threat of death.
Let’s just say the introductory class at the newly renovated 19,400-square foot indoor playground Woodward at Copper Barn at Copper Mountain, Colo. took me to the next level.
If you’ve never been to “The Barn,” it is a sight to behold. Offering year-round Snowboard, Ski, Skateboard, Bike and Digital Media programs, it recently underwent a half-million renovation project that opened up their adventure alley beyond snowboards and skis to include skateboards, BMX and style-style mountain bike. There’s a new beginner foam pit with 2-foot and 4-foot jumps and a pump track designed for the development of park skills.
The staffer I chatted up before our class proudly said many of the Olympians and hopefuls at Sochi had, at one time or another, trained at The Barn. My daughter Hadley and I were in esteemed company.
I was Maui-bound soon. My initial goal walking in there was to play it safe and not break my neck. But when my Hadley and I realized our class consisted of hip 20-somethings?
CLICK TO KEEP READING ABOUT OUR EXTREME PLAYGROUND AND IF I BROKE MY NECK.
My husband and I dream of owning a cabin someday and Breckenridge has long been at the top of our list. Only a 1.5-hour drive from Denver (I-70 traffic snares notwithstanding) this authentic mining town has everything I love: a world-class ski resort, the Blue River (a tributary of the raging Colorado River), an idyllic Main Street, gourmet dining, glittering boutiques, endless hiking possibilities and it is part of an 80-mile network of paved, motorized bike paths that connect other Summit County resorts like Dillon, Keystone, Copper Mountain and Vail.
We have spent long, languid summer and fall days in Breck but here’s my confession: we have never been there once the snow flies. And if you love winter like I do, you know that Breckenridge is one of Colorado’s best family vacations.
When you have young kids, no vacation is perfect but we were fortunate to have a nearly perfect trip with huge winds (the downside), huge snow totals (the upside) and knocking off an activity has been on my bucket list since I was born. Maybe I started dreaming about it in the
Dog sledding in Breckenridge, Colorado
womb because this trip was what dreams are made of.
If you’re looking for a fantastic getaway in Colorado’s mountains, these are my top recommended activities.
I love to surprise my kids and they love being surprised, which is a win-win for everyone.
A couple of weeks ago, we had one of our favorite winter vacations ever in Breckenridge, Colo., a charming resort that is the very definition of Ski Town USA. I’ll have many more details to come on our adventures dog sledding and skiing but it was our first day that was my favorite.
Now, keep in mind we’d just spent a very exhilarating afternoon dog sledding but Jamie and I had one more surprise up our sleeves. The kids were tired and it’s tough to compete with mushing.
“Mom, so where are we going for our surprise?”
“I’m not telling. Be here’s a hint: the movie, Frozen.”
“Ice castles? Are we going to see ICE CASTLES?”
My kids nailed it on the first guess. And much to our delight, the giant Ice Castles in Breck are a cut right out of Disney’s musical fantasy where you’ll swear you’ve been swept away in an eternal winter with magic at every turn. Disclaimer: mangy reindeer named Sven not included.
This is Brent Christensen’s fifth year building Ice Castles and his third go-around in Colorado (previous years were in Silverthorne and Steamboat). Conveniently located at 150 W Adams Ave. in downtown Breck adjacent to Blue River Plaza, the 1-acre frozen kingdom gives you yet another reason to visit this world-class resort town.
So, how do they do it? According to Christensen, each ice castle takes thousands of man-hours to make. More than 5,000 icicles are “grown” each day to be harvested and sculpted together. Newly placed icicles are then drenched in freezing water once or twice each day. The blend of icicle placement, changing temperatures, water volume and wind result in an astonishing and ever-changing variety of ice formations. Each ice castle uses about three million gallons of water to build and maintain. Wasteful? The Ice Castle is located next to a natural water source (the Blue River) and so all of the water returns directly into the environment to be used again by wildlife, people and plants.
I’m Canadian so I know snow and ice but there is something awe-inspiring about seeing the castle all lit up with the lighting actually frozen inside of the ice. My family visited late in the day when the ice takes on glacial tones of deep blue.
Blue Smurf Family
With the Ice Castles’ winding passageways, it was the perfect place to play hide-and-seek or, even more fun, Ditch the Mom.
I rounded the corner to see these three devious faces grinning back at me.
We bundled up in our ski clothes and returned later that night (your ticket is valid all day) to a luminous crystalline display. I pointed my iPhone up and snapped back-to-back photos of the ever-changing play of light.
Ice Castle Rainbow
Ice Castle Pretty in Pink
My kids’ favorite part was a tunnel that cut through a wall of ice. I’m not really claustrophobic but when I saw them shimmying through the tiny space, visions of Pooh Bear danced in my head. Getting stuck in ice was not my idea of a good time but I ultimately sucked it up because I didn’t want to be that mom who wouldn’t try new things.Cost
General Admission, age 12 and up: $10. Children 4 to 11: $8. Young Children under 4 years old: Free. Military / Seniors: $8 (must show ID). Season pass: $30
I don’t care what denomination you are (or aren’t). If you want to get into the Christmas spirit, Temple Square in Salt Lake City will send you into overdrive. The headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has literally thousands of festive lights, nativities, lanterns and garlands that set the city ablaze. In addition to the visual feast, the Church organizes a lineup of holiday concerts and other events that offer visitors acoustic experiences full of holiday cheer.
We made an evening of it with Jamie’s sister, the Twinnies and his mom by starting out at the newish City Creek Center’s Deseret Book. Our family tradition is when the kids turn 8 and get baptized, they each get their own beautiful set of leather-bound scriptures from the Deseret Book flagship store (Bode will have to wait until this summer to be given his).
Though we’ve been to Temple Square several times, the kids have never done an official tour so that is what we did. Two hundred “sister” missionaries are called from all over the world to serve here and speak more than 40 languages. I walked into the South Visitor’s Center and I queried the sister at the front desk.
“We are wondering when you are offering your next tour?”
“They’re actually on-demand.”
“OK, I’m demanding it.”
I assure you it came off funnier in person.
It has been years since I’ve toured the various buildings on Temple Square and I loved how technologically advanced the exhibits are and the beautiful spirit as we learned about the Assembly Hall, Tabernacle, North and South Visitor’s Center, Welfare Square, Family History Library and of course, the cornerstone of it all: the fairy-tale-esque Salt Lake Temple, which took 40 years for the Saints to complete.
The famous Christus in the North Visitor’s Center
We visited all my favorite haunts including the Lion House Pantry, cafeteria-style dining in the Historic Home of Brigham Young. We didn’t stay for dinner but grabbed the most delectable item on earth: Lion House rolls.
I’m not kidding when I say I could have eaten every single one of them.
The top floor of the adjacent Joseph Smith Memorial Building offers the best views looking down on Temple Square.
Photographer Bode’s photos of Temple Square
Lion House rolls and hot chocolate for dinner?
This was a picture-perfect evening surrounded by beloved family and sites that warmed my heart.
Every time I go to Utah, I walk away moderately obsessed with moving back. Said Obsession usually wears off within a few weeks of returning to Colorado. But with the pervasiveness of the coverage marijuana’s legalization is receiving, it may take me longer to recommit myself to my beautiful state that is literally going to pot. Can you tell I’m on a major soapbox about the moral decline of my community and the “pot tourism” that is threatening to take over? But onto happier things: UTAH!
Hiking
One cold, clear morning (20 degrees), I hiked to the Living Room for some of the most glorious views Salt Lake City has to offer.
Really, the only drawback of our trip to Utah was the nasty inversion and thick layer of pollution. Another morning, I went for a foggy run up City Creek Canyon and stopped to meander Memory Grove where Jamie and I had our engagement photos taken.
I only nearly died once when the Freedom Trail hugging the cliff turned into a sheet of ice.
Skiing
A trip to Utah in the winter would not be complete without a ski day at Park City Mountain Resort. The kids had an absolute blast tackling the Adventure Alleys. 
Hadley’s first solo run on the alpine coaster
And the resort’s burger at Legends Bar & Grill is, welp, LEGENDARY.
We stopped by my fellow Snowmama Kristen’s new dream home and I am now committed to moving to Jeremy Ranch, a suburb tucked in the hills of Park City. I mean, just look at this kitchen and view!
I am smiling but really, secretly plotting her demise so I can inherit it all.
Brigham Young University
What would a visit to Utah be like without swinging down to our Alma Mater in Provo? Fact: Jamie and I studied in the same department, walked in the same graduating ceremony, played on the same volleyball court one summer and had many common friends but didn’t meet until six years later. So, it was kind of like a stroll down memory lane without any memories of each other.
But it was awesome and we’d love nothing more than for our kids to go to BYU. They played air hockey at the bowling alley. Gorged at the bookstore’s famed candy counter. Ate lunch at the Wilkinson Center. Bought Cougar gear. Were inspired by the touching paintings of the Savior at Sacred Gifts, a world-class exhibit at the BYU Museum of Art.
Candy, the arts, food, air hockey, mountain adventures. What more could you want out of a college?
Oh yeah, the education. That pitch will come later.
Our family has already established we have a love affair with the opulent Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. If Utah has an equivalent, it is the Grand America Hotel. Built in the lavish manor of Europe’s grand hotels, it has the distinction of being the only AAA Five Diamond hotel in Salt Lake City and has more than 450,000 square feet of hand-tooled marble and granite.
On the day before Christmas, my generous mother-in-law treated the whole family to a delicious brunch.
I thought the extensive buffet would be the highlight and it was one of them. But what followed next was truly magical for the kids.
Every year, the Grand America unveils 13 whimsical hand-crafted window displays in their retail windows that are open to the public. This year was a behind-the-scenes glimpse at Santa’s workshop with 36 elves building everything from toy ray guns to motorized stockings to elf flying machines to my favorite: a yeti made of faux fur with marbles for eyes and press-on nails for teeth. 
To make it even more fun and interactive, there is a scavenger hunt where the kids answered easy questions at each display and upon completion, they received a chocolate prize. They played at JouJou, a fantastical toy boutique, and gawked at the life-sized gingerbread house made of 1,200-lbs of flour, 400 lbs of sugar, 1,200 eggs and 25 lbs of chocolate. 
Believe me, we’ve almost consumed its equivalent this holiday season. Thanks to my in-laws for the wonderful memories!
Sure, I know we’re already blazing through December but November, how I loved November. I’d be pretty darn remiss if I didn’t give a few of my favorite November moments a mention before they’re lost forever.
We had our first family ski trip of the season at one of my favorite Colorado ski resorts, Copper Mountain. Many more details to come but for now, our first of what I hope will be many pictures on the lift together.
And then there’s Hadley. This fun, free-spirited, strong-willed girl of mine and I may not always agree but there’s no place we bond more perfectly than the outdoors. 
There was plenty of bonding for the whole family on the slopes and off.
That evening, the kids tried to make me jealous when they abandoned me for Jamie’s side of our booth at Casa Sanchez Mexican restaurant.
Nope, I didn’t feel envious even one bit.
When people say they have no desire to ever try skiing because it’s too cold and difficult, I honestly feel sorry for them because they think a ski vacation starts and stops on the slopes. Soaking in a hot tub under the stars and white lights as you listen to the groomers on the mountain is truly a magical end to the day. 
Boy with creepy beady eyes notwithstanding.
Jamie and I had a great month in the romance department. It turns out that if you sing “You don’t bring me flowers anymore” that if you married a good man, he will deliver.
We went on some memorable dates but none was more memorable than when we were at a preview for the History Colorado Center’s new Living West exhibit and we tried the two-seater outhouse.
Let’s just say I saw him in an entirely new light.
Jamie cut out a big pumpkin and put “grandma” on it. We all know what he really meant.
For the third year in a row, we served Thanksgiving dinner and made cards for low-income seniors through Volunteers of America.
I get a little choked up thinking about all the wonderful people we met that afternoon that really brought home the whole spirit of Thanksgiving. November, you’ve never been a favorite but you will be most welcomed next year.
In typical bipolar fashion, I decided to do a holiday newsletter, then opted out and then upon receiving newsy holiday newsletters from friends, decided it should be back on. After all, the world must know what the Johnsons did in 2013!
Overall, we had a great time full of family and friends, travel and minimal hospital visits (our gauge for a good year). We took plenty of fantastic ski vacations all over Colorado and a week at our favorite, Park City Mountain Resort in Utah. Last summer, the kids and I spent almost a month in Canada on a 3,000-mile trip that covered two countries and six states (Colorado, Montana, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Utah). Jamie was only able to join us for a week of our trip, citing “someone has to work to support your playtime.” Wise man; I couldn’t agree more.
Here’s a quick glimpse at our happenings. Click on the links for more details!
Atop 14,265-foot Mount Evans
Hadley
Hadley (9 going on 19) is in fourth grade at her Waldorf charter school and continues to love their arts-based academic education. Our free-spirited, fun-loving girl has been on several camping trips with her class and keeps busy with piano and volleyball. She’s also a stellar skier and for my birthday, we had a girl’s weekend of mogul-busting, snowshoeing, lake-skating and sledding. Hadley is a huge fan of horses and was delighted to spend a week at overnight Camp Chief Ouray last summer. She loves Fat Kitty, swimming, hiking, crafting, gardening, cooking and she was the top-performing girl in her grade at her school’s Fun Run. I should know. I ran beside her the entire way until our fifth mile when she blazed past me and I walked with a limp for a week. Her love for Scooby Doo has been replaced by mind-numbing shows on the Disney Channel like “Jessie” and “Dog with a Blog.” It looks like we have a tween, folks.
Hadley’s first scary leap into the Rooster Tail at the lake house in Vernon, B.C.
Skating at Copper Mountain
Summer hiking group at Mount Falcon
Bode
Our resident geek, Bode (age 7) loves all things space, educational and ensuring everyone is following the rules all the time. He is moderately obsessed with being the best-behaved kid in his second grade class (yet somehow is also among the most well-liked), thrives in academics, is a great little soccer player, skier, hiker, cook, master pumpkin grower and lives for his bi-weekly WiiU and technology sessions. For the second year in a row, he and Hadley were my child models at the 9News Back-to-School fashion show and he put Zoolander to shame. He and his sister went to Avid4Advenventure’s Survival Camp last summer and I now feel confident they can survive exactly two hours solo in the great outdoors. He never shuts up on the piano loves to play the piano, enjoys to read Calvin and Hobbes, bike down to our neighborhood skate park and play with LEGOS. His current obsession is constructing dream mansions for us out of giant wooden blocks and creating intricate maps of his designs. We strongly encourage this as a future profession.
First solo flight to see Grandma in Utah!
A snowy hike in Evergreen=joy
First fish fly fishing at The Ranch at Emerald Valley
Jamie
The Pumpkin Man had a great year. He grew his biggest pumpkin ever, 1,220-pound Stanley, and we landed a picture of him in The Denver Post. A professional carver drove down every day from Fort Collins for a week to chisel a marvelously creepy face into the giant gourd. And then Stanley and Jamie went on tour visiting both of the kids’ schools and harvest festivals, thereby cementing his status as a local celebrity. In other news (though really, is there any other news?), Jamie’s web development business Pixo Web Design and Strategy continues to grow, he has a few employees and is always busy. We marked our 10-year wedding anniversary last February and he surprised me by recreating the magical night we got engaged that included a limo ride to the swanky Briarwood Inn. He was recently released from the Bishopric at church and not even five days later, he was called as a stake clerk over technology, a real stretch.
Atop McConkey’s lift for the first time as a family at Park City Mountain Resort
Stanley the Pumpkin
Stanley’s scary carving
Amber
I’ve had a busy year working for the newspaper and various freelance opps in the travel industry. Our favorite gig is writing for AAA Five Diamond The Broadmoor’s magazine because they pay their writers in trade, which amounts to an opulent, indulgent vacation like no other in Colorado Springs. I love hiking every week, skiing, boot camp, volunteering at school and in the community. I received an award in recognition of journalistic excellence as a community blogger from Digital First Media, The Denver Post’s parent company. But my real prize was when I was at a media luncheon hosted by the Maui Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and my name was drawn as the winner of a trip to Maui (we’re going in February). At church, I was sad to be released from the Young Women (favorite calling ever) and now serve in the stake’s Public Affairs where I work with community leaders and media. I’m also the volleyball coach and our ward’s Primary pianist and have mastered The Look from across the room, which quickly corrects the behavior of any misbehaving kids. We all have our talents.
Solo hike to Maxwell Falls in Evergreen, Colo.
9News fashion show
Girl’s only birthday ski trip
Fat Kitty
He’s still fat, snuggly, sleepy, sweet and lives for his backyard adventures of stalking mice and eating grass ’til he pukes. We often walk in on him licking himself in Cirque du Soleil-esque positions but it was this shot I took of him on my bed that convinced us all that he’ll be America’s Next Top Model. Look for him on a Kitty Litter advertisement coming your way soon.
America’s Top (Cat) Model
We feel infinitely blessed this holiday season for wonderful family, good friends and the gospel in our lives.
Merry Christmas!
XO
The Johnsons
I'm a Canadian-born mom of two, former Denver Post columnist, family travel writer, editor of MileHighMamas.com and 9News contributor. Expert on all things Utah, Denver, family and travel. Lover of laughter and life. Happily married to a man obsessed with growing The Great Pumpkin. Learn More