Nik Benko is a PhD student in Mechanical Engineering studying traumatic brain injury. This is Nik’s second year contributing to Wasatch Magazine. After work, Nik can be found on Bobsled trail with his dog Miles. On the weekends he most enjoys climbing granite in Little Cottonwood Canyon or working on one of his many recycled material based home projects.
Spring could not have come at better time in Utah. With ski resorts shuttered for the season, the prospect of waiting out the COVID-19 outbreak with minimal access to outdoor activities that so many Utahn’s...
The choice between learning to ski or snowboard is one that is often made a young age and has the potential to last a lifetime. Most parents only want to buy their growing kids one type of equipment, and...
I was home for the summer after my freshman year of college, working as a lifeguard at the local community college, when one of my friends texted me. There was this new 24-hour bouldering gym in town that...
For a certified crack-climbing addict like myself, winter in Salt Lake City can be a tough time of year. As the snow line quickly descends from the peaks above the town of Alta to the foothills of Cottonwood...
Climate change is a hard topic to wrap your head around. All data and detailed predictive models scream that things are not going well. Yet, it's almost impossible to directly experience the effects of...
It’s no secret that Utah contains nearly endless opportunities for year-round outdoor recreation. In a state that experiences the full gamut of the seasonal weather cycle, it is nearly impossible to...
My high school science teacher had a saying: some things go together like beans and cornbread. As a native son of the California coast, I cannot say that I make such a match with Utah winters. Even after...
It was hot when we left the arid floor of the Owen’s Valley. Now, after roughly 6,000 feet of vertical gain, the sun was setting over the crest of Shepard’s Pass, and we had 30 minutes to set up camp...
