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Show The Ogden Valley news April 15, 2019 USPS MARKETING MAIL POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 11 EDEN UT POSTAL PATRON EDEN-LIBERTY-84310 HUNTSVILLE-84317 OGDEN CANYON- 84401 HCR 843AO Your Community Newspaper Annual Ogden Canyon Cleanup Joins With Ogden Marathon Effort to Keep Ogden Canyon Free of Litter & Debris By Rick Kearl Winners Thing One and Thing Two at the 2019 Snowbasin Pond Skim held April 6. The pond was 90 feet long this year. Photo courtesy of Snowbasin Weber County Commissioners Plan Meeting at Ogden Valley Branch Library The Weber County Commission is holding their regularly scheduled commission meeting at the Ogden Valley Branch Library in Huntsville, April 30 at 6:00 p.m. The Commissioners have decided to rotate commission meeting location and time every quarter to ensure all areas of the county are represented and their constituents have an opportunity to attend an evening session. They are doing so, anticipating that this may be more convenient for residents’ schedules. Ogden Valley is the first location they will rotate to in this new process. UDOT Announces Bridge Work in Ogden Canyon Imminent Construction crews have begun pre-construction activities on the Ogden Canyon Bridge Rehabilitation and Replacement Project on State Route 39. Crews are mobilizing equipment to the site and conducting routine surveying and site preparation. Homes near the bridgework site are being inspected and videotaped prior to onset of construction. Until this process is complete, the start of project work is on hold—the initial start date previously targeted for April 8. Once actual work begins, crews will install a temporary stop light near the Gray Cliff Lodge bridge site where traffic will be limited to one lane through the completion of construction, which is estimated to continue through fall 2019—the duration of the project estimated to Get Out And Live (GOAL): More than a marathon! In its 19th year, the GOAL Foundation is widely known for its marquee event, the Ogden Marathon. The Zions Bank Ogden Marathon is one of the most scenic Boston Marathon qualifiers in the country, attracting runners from all 50 states around the globe. The GOAL Foundation has worked hard over the years to make sure there is something for everyone, even non-runners, so all can participate in Marathon Weekend events. The weekend kicks off Friday, May 17 with the NordicTrack Fun & Fitness Expo, followed by the Mayor’s Walk, which is a free community event this year. The Mayor’s Walk is a 1-mile walk that is dog- and stroller-friendly that starts at 18th and Grant and crosses the finish line. New for 2019—a Rock the Block Party Friday be six to eight months. During this time, commuters should plan on delays of at least 15 minutes, and plan to use alternate routes when possible. This project is being completed in response to structural deficiencies related to the bridge. Work will include widening of the bridge, replacement of deteriorated barriers, and improvements to drainage on and around the bridge to prevent the pooling of water. More information will be available soon. Immediate information about the project can be accessed by visiting udot.utah.gov/ By Shanna Francis go/ogdencanyonbridges, contact the public For now, some North Ogden and Ogden involvement team at 801-509-5906, or email Valley residents can breathe a little easier after <ogdencanyonbridges@utah.gov> the recent announcement that Nordic Valley Resort owner Mountain Capital Partners’ plans to expand the sleepy resort are, at least, on hold. Owner’s initial plans included expanding into U.S. Forest designated “roadless” areas situated above the resort—increasing the size of the many others who have come to Ogden Valley— resort community by 2000%. The proposed plan men, like Mr. Ogden, trappers of a sort themselves, also included building a gondola that would span ready to tap resources of the mountain hideaway. the mountain from North Ogden to Liberty— While trapping beaver had all but vanished by about a 12-minute ride. In North Ogden, riders the turn of the 20th century, trapping of another could leave their vehicle or public transportatype was figuratively and literally on the horizon tion and access the gondola, which would then of Ogden Valley’s mountain skylines. A new rec- carry them to the significantly-expanded Nordic reation commodity was soon to take the area and Valley Resort’s base area about 4.3 miles away the country by storm. Continuing in popularity as the crow flies. After initially submitting their request to year by year with each fall of snow, amplified by phenomenal lake effect in local mountain snow- the U.S. Forest Service for the expansion, the fall accumulations, the stage was set for Ogden request was suddenly pulled before a decision was officially rendered by the Federal agency. Valley’s next economic avalanche. In a Standard-Examiner article dated April In the late 1930’s, Norwegian immigrant Alf Engen arrived, introduced and popularized alpine 5, it was reported that “The Forest Service was skiing in the shadow of Mount Ogden in what would become Snowbasin ski resort. From its humble beginnings, Snowbasin grew to be Ogden night from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., downtown near the amphitheater. Race Day includes the following race options: Full Marathon, Half Marathon, Relay, 5K, and a Kids K in the afternoon. Over the course of the weekend, there are about 16,000 people who contribute, ensuring the success of the event. This includes athletes, spectators, vendors, and, of course, an army of volunteers! Marathon Weekend makes it easy to see what the GOAL Foundation does, but it’s not as easy to see why. The GOAL Foundation’s mission is to “inspire the greater Ogden community and its visitors to ‘Get Out And Live!’ by participating, volunteering, and spectating at recreational events, programs and activities.” While MARATHON cont. on page 12 Nordic Valley Expansion Plans Currently ‘close’ onto issuing Hold a formal response to Nordic From Beaver Traps to Tourist Traps— Making “First Tracks” In Ogden Valley By Dave Martin Nearly 200 years ago, Ogden Hole, aka Ogden Valley’s namesake, Peter Skene Ogden, set dozens of beaver traps in the waterways of the newly discovered valley. In a week’s time he had procured over 600 beaver, a record haul by any measure of the time. On Tuesday May 17, 1825, Mr. Ogden recorded a single day catch of 244 beaver. Of this, BYU professor of history Jay Buckley commented, “It is possible no other group of trappers took so many beaver, in so short a time, in such a small geographic location as were taken in Ogden’s Hole by Peter Skene Ogden.” Valued at $75K in today’s dollars, in his own journal Mr. Ogden records of his Ogden Valley experience enthusiastically, “[this place] has well repaid us for the time we have spent. I only wish we could find a dozen more like it.” These sentiments of Mr. Ogden ring true to The community would like to give a huge “shout-out” to Nick and Gale Breeze and Keith and Belinda Rounkles who have provided an invaluable service to Ogden Canyon for many, many years by organizing and sponsoring the annual and semi-annual Canyon cleanup effort; and to all of you who have volunteered and supported this effort through the years—thank you! In the first years, volunteers gathered up enough garbage from the canyon to almost fill an entire dump truck, which then took the debris to the landfill—once in the spring and again in the fall. As the years of cleaning have gone by, we find less and less old refuse; thus, the total accumulation of garbage has only been filling up a couple of pickup truck beds each spring. This is the trash that either happens accidentally or by people who choose to throw it out of their vehicles as they drive through our incredibly scenic canyon. But this litter still needs to be cleaned up annually or it quickly gets out of hand! The Breezes and Rounkles would like to stop sponsoring a separate cleanup and, instead, combine their efforts with the Ogden Marathon cleanup. For the last four years, in conjunction with the Ogden Marathon, volunteers have been cleaning the canyon while the race is in progress. This offers several advantages—the marathon provides its own garbage cleanup crews and trucks, which we work with to get the litter to the dumps easier and more CLEAN UP cont. on page 12 Valley’s request for a special use permit, likely a denial,” as reported by USFS Ogden District Ranger Sean Harwood on April 3. “… James Coleman, chief executive officer of Mountain Capital Partners . . . pulled the request ‘before we could give them an official response. Our official talking point is they pulled the proposal and that’s the end of it.’” The response by the Forest Service, if it had formally declined the use permit, would have included a written summary noting the reasons why it was declined. While the initial request for expansion was pulled, plans may not be totally off the table, with speculation that a revised plan may be in the works. Comments from a company representative indicate Mountain Capital Partners are still committed to the expansion project, and the resort’s “Nordic Valley Project” website is still accessible, indicating a planned expansion from the 140-acre community-type resort to the proposed 2,800-acre resort— including the proposed 4.3-mile-long gondola. FIRST TRACKS cont. on page 10 Ninth-annual Dyer’s Woad Roundup Slated for May 11 This year’s community dyer’s woad roundup (Weeds Day) in Ogden Valley is slated for May 11. And organizers are asking for the best turn out ever! In addition to pulling or spraying noxious weeds, volunteers are also asking volunteers to pick up garbage and debris found after being hidden through the winter months. Please plan on arriving at the Eden Park Bowery at 9:00 a.m. on May11, go to work, then return for a free lunch and a drawing for great prizes at noon. Each spring, for many years, The Ogden Valley news has endeavored to educate and remind readers about the importance and responsibility of clearing dyer’s woad and other statelisted noxious weeds from their private property, which is mandated by state law. While many have made various efforts to respond to this call, others have been less conscientious or haven’t had the means to address the problem. Unfortunately, the complete eradication of dyer’s woad, or any other noxious weed, is hampered by the same age-old problem—a lack of “buy-in” from everyone in the community. Please, remember, the efforts of those who expend the time, energy and resources to do their part and obey the law are hampered by those who don’t. Soon, a self-defeating attitude is generated community-wide, which leads to little being done to address the issue at all. The task seems futile as one neighbor clears a field, and another next door does not. This sense of futility was, in great measure, buried after Representative Gage Froerer took the cause on personally. Nine years ago he called a meeting with representatives from UDOT, This photo, submitted by Karl Lundin, and taken Friday, March 29, is of the rock slide that came down above the spillway on Highway 39, which takes drivers east into the Huntsville area. Pictured is DYER’S WOAD cont. on page 4 right a driver who got out of his car to try and remove enough rock debris so he could pass through. |