Not Just Another Summer – A summer to be mindful and benevolent

Each summer people wait in anticipation to see what it may bring. In Alta, the locals are keeping an eye out for this year’s arrival of baby moose (formally called calves) and whether there will be twins or how many families we will have this year. Indubitably, they are also anticipating this summer’s wildflower reveal. Not everyone that visits Alta in the summer may get a glimpse of a baby moose, but the flowers do not shy away and are there in full display.

The wildflower show is no secret, just like Cecret lake.

Tens of thousands, if not over a couple hundred thousand of people flock to get a peek beneath Alta’s blanket of snow each summer. Sometimes it is hard to tell what is more amazing, the wildflower scene or the scene of people that come for the wildflowers. As an ecologist, conservationist, and educator, I could not ask for a better learning opportunity. It’s amazing that so many people from so many walks of life are awed by what nature provides in Alta. The willingness to come here and experience that feeling in person is equally remarkable.

So, what is so special about Alta?

Alta is a living and breathing place. It is its own ecosystem. It has its own character, separate from the people, skiers, or “locals.” It is a biological confluence that feels old, young, remote, accepting, and like having a trusted friend or mentor at your side. Alta is not the only place that has this feeling in the world, yet there are many places that do not have as strong of a presence. Though I am characterizing, or dare I say humanizing Alta, it is easy to forget that Alta does not speak. However, it does respond.

Interpreting Alta’s response to our actions is the kicker because it may not always seem straightforward. Does this sound like any of your relationships? Alta is tough, resilient, can handle some serious brawls, and yet also has a tipping point. This does not mean we should take ourselves out of Alta to avoid this tipping point, this means we are a part of the ecosystem, we just need to fine-tune our function. Every summer Alta provides a more hospitable opportunity to be more mindful of our interactions with Alta, and not be a visitor or a local, but to be a part of Alta. I do not exactly know how to go about this mindful journey, that is for you to work out, but I can share some tried and true tips, starting with recreating responsibly.

The first steps to better understanding and being a part of Alta’s ecosystem includes:

• Stay on designated trails Fight the urge to duck ropes, cross the fence, or follow the very narrow unmarked “trail” or the other people you see doing these things. Staying on the trail gives wildlife the space they need, the opportunity for native flowers to grow back, and helps keep the invasive introduced plants from taking over.
• Leave the wildflowers This is the most important thing a person can do in Alta and the toughest of them all. Because it means staying on the trail, keeping your loved ones from picking the flowers, missing out on the “perfect” photo, and having to picnic with all the other humans. However, it also allows the flowers to be more brilliant, the wildlife to be more prevalent and for you to be a part of Alta.
• Leave the water and stay dry This is probably the second most difficult thing to do, especially as the summers get drier and hotter. Water itself may not be living, but it is a key component to all that make Alta living, and as we are a part of Alta, it is also key to our health. Knowing this dependence, Alta is also a protected watershed and supplies a significant percentage of Salt Lake City’s drinking water.
• Keep your trash If it is possible avoid bringing the possibility of trash when with Alta. However, this is a difficult task and though there may be some trash cans around Alta, they are not on the trails or on the ridgetops. Better safe than sorry and pack a bag for your waste, just in case.
• Leave the wildlife This is a complex behavior to follow, yet trying to interact with wildlife, be it feeding or taking a picture, can have serious long-term negative repercussions. For your safety and the health of the wildlife, be kind by keeping your distance.
• Leave your dogs and pets at home This is a rule that people truly do not like, yet it could not be more vital in helping Alta stay healthy while allowing people to continue to be a part of Alta.
• Keep learning as an ecosystem Together we can be mindful and help each other keep to these responsible recreation starting points. This will take patience, compassion and empathy, and as our mindfulness progresses, Alta will respond with an abundance of wildflowers, pollinators and wildlife allowing for more interactions and more opportunities to learn about the Alta ecosystem.

When we recreate responsibly it is the same as being mindful and benevolent, and being stewards of Alta. Through this stewardship, we are actively being a part of the Alta ecosystem, which ultimately could be our function.

Alta friends, patrons, and visitors, whatever your analogy to Alta may be (keeping a well-oiled machine, home, or family) take the time this summer to think beyond your wants and desires for Alta, and try to be mindful of Alta’s response to you. Be kind to yourself, to others, and the ecosystem called Alta.
• If you are interested in learning more about recreating responsibly visit Leave No Trace.
• To learn more about the drinking water Alta provides visit Salt Lake City Public Utilities - Watershed.
• To join the Alta ecosystem, join a stewardship event at alta.com/events.

About the Author
The author Maura Olivos and her husband Greg Wilson lived with Alta for 18+ years, working with Alta Ski Area first within tickets, then as their ecologist and Alta Environmental Center director from 2009 to 2019. She returned to her home state, Oregon, and continues conservation work with her local Soil and Water Conservation District, Forest Stewards Guild, Tillamook Forest Heritage Trust, and Latino Outdoors. Though she is in her home state of Oregon with family, she misses Alta very much and sends her love and hellos.