Month: June 2014

Sundance Resort Kids Camp, Sundance, Utah

Big E loved spending a day at Sundance Resort Kids’ Camp last week. Here’s a re-post of what I wrote for the Sundance Resort Blog. Check out the original here.

When we first arrived at Sundance Kids Camp, my reluctant five-year-old was loathe to leave my side, clinging to my leg like a koala bear. I tried to get him interested in the group by joining in with the kids’ morning yoga class, where we pointed our arms like a compass, stood in “Tada” sana or Mountain pose and acted like animals. Ethan finally cracked a smile with the help of the Sundance camp leaders when pretending to be a puffer fish and rolling on his mat.
  Ethan (3 of 5)
While I snuck away, the group learned about predators and prey with an interactive tag game my son later described like this, “I liked the tagger game, you could be two mountain lions and they had to tag the deer, and they died. If you died you had to sit down.” It may not be eloquent, but his explanation showed me that not only had he learned something, he had fun doing it.
 Kids camp (1 of 6)-2
Years ago kids roamed the mountains all summer long with the Sundance Mountain School and Sundance Kids Camp. The tradition took a long hiatus, finally returning this year as the Sundance Summer Kids Camp.
Sundance Mountain Resort is an ideal place to send your kids on a summer day. The shady mountainsides, cooler temperatures and plethora of activities make it a great location for childhood play. Throughout the summer, kids ages 5-12 can hike, play, explore, and create all in the beauty of the mountains. With different themes like Water World or Survivor Kids for each week, the attendees are sure to be entertained.
 Kids camp (6 of 6)-2
In addition to hands on learning about predators and prey, Ethan’s group watched a live animal demonstration, had art activities, learned about camouflage and played games related to the week’s theme – Animal Adventures.
 At the end of the day, the shy kid from that morning was gone, replaced by a happy, laughing one. He had spent the day running, learning, and playing in the great outdoors of Sundance. I knew it was a success when he asked me later, “Can I go back every week?” You can’t get a better recommendation than that.Ethan (5 of 5)
Susan Strayer lives near Sundance resort and spends much of her time snowboarding, hiking, and getting up the courage to mountain bike. Read more at www.mountainmomandtots.com.

Happy Father’s Day!

I wish all those Mountain Dads out there a very Happy Father’s Day, especially mine! Thanks for hiking, biking, camping, off roading and adventuring with us. I never would’ve realized how great the outdoors were without you. Thanks!

 To all you dads out there – thanks for all you do!

Happy Father’s Day!

Birdsong Trail – Hiking with Kids, Ogden, Utah

I’m always on the lookout for new excursions with the tots. On a recent trip to visit Grandma and Grandpa we went on an outing to the Birdsong Trail at the mouth of Ogden Canyon in Utah.

This one mile out and back trail was great for hiking. Little g, who decided the only way she’d be going would be by stroller, was not a great hiker, but I was surprised with how sturdy my cheap umbrella stroller proved to be. For most of this dirt and rock path I was able to manhandle it into cooperating, which was way better than manhandling my daughter into cooperating.

The trail is great for mountain biking too. In the parking lot I heard two bikers exclaim “Wow, I could do the Birdsong Trail and Rainbow Loop five more times. It was so fun.”

Our family went with cousins to explore the trail, which vacillated from amazing views of the valley to lush jungle mode. I had no idea Ogden, Utah could be so lush. And there were definately birds tweeting from the trees, I was not surprised by the name of this trail. All in all the mile long out and back hike was a great one with young kids, fairly level, with running water and animal sounds. It was a great time had by all.

Birdsong Trail Hike:
Getting there: The south trail head is located at Fillmore Ave and 20th Street. The north trail head is in the northwest corner of the Rainbow Gardens parking lot at the mouth of Ogden Canyon.
Distance: 1 mile out and back
Difficulty: Easy
Tips: Take a camera, there are some great views from up there!

More Than S’mores – Four Delicious Desserts to Cook Over a Fire

UPDATED MARCH 2018  Try these delicious campfire desserts and have more than s’mores at your next camp out.
Everyone loves the taste of gooey marshmallow, warm chocolate and crunchy graham crackers. Roasted over a fire, the sweet S’mores treat is a camping staple throughout the nation. But marshmallows aren’t the only thing to roast over a fire.
1. Starbursts – It may sound strange but roasting these tiny squares over a fire gives them a crunchy, carmalized exterior and warm, melty interior. Mmmm!

2. Orange Cakes – Once on a camp out with my mom she showed me how to spoon out the flesh of an orange and fill the shell with cake batter. After wrapping it in tinfoil and placing it in the coals it made a tasty orange infused cake treat.
3. Doughboys – A staple in our extended family. Refrigerated biscuit dough stretched thin and wrapped around a camping stick can make a delicious baked dessert. Roast the dough near coals for 5-10 minutes, being careful not to burn it, then dip in melted butter and cinnamon and sugar.
4. S’mores Add-ons – Try adding a Rolo or Reese’s Peanut Butter cup to the top of your marshmallow roasting stick. While the mallow roasts, the chocolate melts and when you take off the marshmallow the candy tunnels inside the gooey goodness. Or try out special Stackable or Jumbo marshmallows for a unique spin on the s’mores experience.
5. Or if you’re not interested in sticky, dirty, messy hands and faces try these all in one Trader Joe’s treats. You may not be able to tell in the photo, but there are supposed to be chocolate goodies in the box behind the label. Unfortunately I ate them all before I took the picture – they were that good.