Salt Lake City: Mashed Potatoes and Mole
Return to the Wasatch
We crossed the border back into Utah, feeling that familiar relief that comes with being in our favorite state. We beat Josh and Monika to Salt Lake City and made a beeline for Ken Sanders Rare Books. For any book lover, this place is legendary – the collection of Western Americana and desert history is unmatched. After dinner at an Indian and a frustrating search for van-friendly camping (SLC is another city notoriously tough on overnight parking), we admitted defeat and booked an Airbnb in Sandy.
Skiing in Snowbird
In the morning, we made the quick dash up Little Cottonwood Canyon to Snowbird. Compared to the trek from Denver to the mountains, the proximity of Salt Lake to the resorts feels like a cheat code… at least on a Wednesday. Snowbird has been getting hammered with snow lately, but the most recent storm came in warm. We spent the day navigating what felt like mashed potatoes, but it was still fun compared to lots of the conditions we faced this month!
By early afternoon, the fog rolled in and the wind picked up. Between the conditions and a month of non-stop movement, my legs were officially done. Rose and I headed back to town for some “cat therapy” at a thrift store with resident felines, much needed after being away from our own kitty all month.
Mexican Food? In Salt Lake?!
We met Josh and Monika for a final celebratory dinner at Red Iguana, a favorite of her family’s. If you’re in Salt Lake, the mole there is non-negotiable. Really good stuff! We left fat and happy, retreating to the Airbnb to do absolutely nothing but watch episodes of Fear Factor all night. It was the perfect, low-stakes end to a high-adrenaline month.
Desert Solace and the Road Ahead
This morning, we said our goodbyes. Josh and Monika are booking it back to Denver, but Rose and I are taking the leisurely way home. We spent the day hitting a few more SLC spots before driving out to Green River. We kept our driving-through-Utah tradition alive with burgers at Ray’s Tavern before heading out into the BLM land near town.
There is nothing quite like the silence of the desert to help you decompress, and we’re, glad to be back in the land of “camp wherever you want.” Tomorrow, we make the final push to Denver to grab Rose’s truck, then it’s back to Crestone for some serious recovery before our next big adventure: hiking the Arizona Trail.
