"With selections from nearly 50 writers spanning 160 years, this book is the best primer on the extraordinary redrock landscape of Capitol Reef. For 12,000 years, people have left a rich record of their experiences in Utah's Capitol Reef National Park. In The Capitol Reef Reader, award-winning author and photographer Stephen Trimble collects the best of this writing -- 160 years worth of words that capture the spirit of the park and its surrounding landscape in personal narratives, philosophical riffs, and historic and scientific records"--Provided by publisher.
Great Salt Lake is an enormous terminal lake in the western United States. It is a highly productive ecosystem, which has global significance for millions of migrating birds who rely on this critical feeding station on their journey through the American west. For the human population in the adjacent metropolitan area, this body of water provides a significant economic resource as industries, such as brine shrimp harvesting and mineral extraction, generate jobs and income for the state of Utah. In addition, the lake provides the local population with ecosystem services, especially the creation of mountain snowpack that generates water supply, and the prevention of dust that may impair air quality. As a result of climate change and water diversions for consumptive uses, terminal lakes are shrinking worldwide, and this edited volume is written in this urgent context. This is the first book ever centered on Great Salt Lake biology. Current and novel data presented here paint a comprehensive picture, building on our past understanding and adding complexity. Together, the authors explore this saline lake from the microbial diversity to the invertebrates and the birds who eat them, along a dynamic salinity gradient with unique geochemistry. Some unusual perspectives are included, including the impact of tar seeps on the lake biology and why Great Salt Lake may help us search for life on Mars. Also, we consider the role of human perceptions and our effect on the biology of the lake. The editors made an effort to involve a diversity of experts on the Great Salt Lake system, but also to include unheard voices such as scientists at state agencies or non-profit advocacy organizations. This book is a timely discussion of a terminal lake that is significant, unique, and threatened.
Pack up the car and enjoy 28 drives through the scenic grandeur of the photographer’s paradise, rock hound’s nirvana, and geologist’s dream world that is Utah. Offering more than 1,500 miles of riding pleasure, this indispensable highway companion maps out short trips for exploring the Beehive State’s scenic byways and back roads. Discover Utah’s long and vibrant history, myriad outdoor recreational activities, and breathtaking scenery—including the fantastic rock formations of the Colorado Plateau; the Middle Rocky Mountain region, Utah’s northern mountain wonderland; and the forbidding yet fascinating Basin and Range region, with its treeless vistas, cracked earth, and huge dead sea. Along the way, stop and discover Native American rock art, picturesque small towns, canyon and alpine hiking trails, and the state’s mining, Pony Express, and Mormon history.
Some forty-seven individuals, each specialists in some aspect of the lake, or its environs, have contributed to the articles in this compilation. The resulting volume contains seven sections on the history and recreation, geology and geophysics, chemistry, lake industries, hydrology and climatology, biology, and engineering of the Great Salt Lake. It is hoped that this volume on one of the great wonders of the world, the Great Salt Lake, will be informative and of value to many people. 400 pages + 2 plates
Utah is a top destination for skiers and hikers, history buffs and adventurers. Filled with spectacular full-color photos and updated coverage of new restaurants and hotels in top areas by local writers, this guide comes with a handy pullout map.