Proposed Lower Hidden Valley site reviewed for development amendments

An action item that came before the Eagle Mountain City Planning Commission this week is generating a response from affected residents.   

The proposal amends the Lower Hidden Valley Master Development Plan in preparation for the construction of new residential dwelling units near Hidden Hollow Elementary School. The land developer hopes to begin construction as early as May or June of this year. 

Several residents have communicated their concerns regarding what this development means for some of the community’s hiking and mountain biking trails, as well as the City’s wildlife migration corridor.    

The proposal under consideration   

Before construction can begin, the land developer, Perry Homes, has indicated an interest in adjusting the location and the density of some of the housing within the development proposal.    

While the project originally included a proposal for a variety of multi-family units, the amendment that was under consideration at this week’s Planning Commission meeting proposes the prioritization of single-family homes over multi-family complexes.  

The amendment also makes some accommodations, at the City’s request, to generally maintain the City’s wildlife migration corridor.    

Eagle Mountain City accommodated development plans years ago   

In 2011, Eagle Mountain City and OMR Investments completed signing a Master Development Agreement (MDA) that allowed Perry Homes to construct 1,256 residential dwellings, including a mix of housing types and densities, in the Lower Hidden Valley area.  

Vested rights  

Developers were granted “vested rights,” which allow the land to be developed anytime the developer decides to move forward with a development project, despite future changes to City ordinances.    

According to Cornell University Law School, a vested right is “an absolute right or title to something, to be enjoyed either now or in the future.”    

Eagle Mountain City Community Development Director Steve Mumford says the 2011 Master Development Agreement solidified building in the area.  

“[The MDA] gave [developers] the right to develop their property with what was approved including the road locations, the types of development, the type and number of units and the open space areas where they’re shown,” says Mumford. 

The impact on hiking and mountain biking trails

While the land has remained undeveloped, several trails have been constructed on the property intended for development that have become very popular among residents and visitors for hiking, trail running and mountain biking.  

One resident shared data at this week’s Planning Commission meeting suggesting that, according to the Trailforks App, Eagle Mountain has four mountain bike trails in the top 1,000 trails in the world, and that the Deadwood trail, located further up the hill, is ranked as #567 globally.     

Because many of these trails were built on private property, most of the trails will need to be relocated or removed when the property owner uses their property rights to develop. 

Portions of the trails, however, have been constructed on undevelopable land and will likely not be affected because of the slope of the hill and Eagle Mountain’s ridgeline protection ordinance.  

Mumford says that whether the new proposal is approved, or the existing “vested” project is constructed, the City and the mountain biking community are working to find suitable locations to relocate and preserve many of the trails so they remain accessible to residents and visitors. 

“I consider myself part of the mountain bike community,” says Mumford. “I’ve ridden these trails many times and would hate to see them disappear. I also understand that the property owner has rights and that the trails were created without his permission. I’m hopeful that we can work together with the land developer to relocate and preserve as many of these trails as possible while still allowing development of his land.”  

The impact on wildlife   

When the Master Development Agreement was approved in 2011, there were not yet plans to preserve space for the wildlife migration corridor.  

The proposed amendment to the MDA would make some accommodations for the wildlife corridor by providing fencing and a wildlife passage area within the development.  

The Eagle Mountain Nature and Wildlife Alliance presented an alternative plan for the wildlife corridor at the Planning Commission meeting, which included preserving a 38.5-acre City-owned parcel for a bike park and the wildlife.  

Todd Black, Eagle Mountain City Wildlife Biologist, has been working with the Eagle Mountain Wildlife Alliance and appreciates the developer’s willingness to work with the City to preserve the corridor. He looks forward to adding wildlife fencing and making improvements for the wildlife as soon as possible.  

“I think this plan is a win for the wildlife,” says Black.  

City staff have been working closely with the developer and wildlife experts to maintain the safest passage possible for wildlife to travel through the area intended for development.  

Robert Hobbs, Planning Manager with Eagle Mountain City, says talks have been productive with the developer. 

“The City has been trying to lobby the developer to provide the wildlife corridor some fencing and make sure we have correct access points on Pony Express [Parkway] and a way for deer to cross,” says Hobbs. 

City-owned parcel up for debate   

Eagle Mountain City owns a 38-acre parcel situated near the proposed development. The parcel was acquired by the City years ago through the payment of back property taxes (Special Improvement District taxes).  

What will be done with the land will be under consideration by the City Council in the near future. They will decide whether to preserve the parcel for open space and recreation, or to sell or trade a portion of the parcel to the developer. This would increase the number of single-family homes and reduce the multi-family buildings.

If the 38-acre parcel is developed, only a portion would be built-out due to the slopes of the geography and its potential conflict with the City’s hillside development standards.  

While they indicated an appreciation of the efforts made to protect the wildlife corridor and the reduction of multi-family units, the Eagle Mountain Planning Commission ultimately recommended denial (4-0) of the developer’s proposed amendments to the project on Tuesday night.  

The proposal is anticipated to be reviewed by the City Council in February.  

Mule deer habitat remains diverse

What constitutes mule deer habitat?

Mule deer are adaptable to different food sources and living in different environments.

If you asked mule deer biologists in the Sonoran Desert, they would tell you something completely different than someone in the panhandle of Idaho. As would someone from the Arizona strip, the Badlands of Montana/North Dakota, the Sandhills of Nebraska, or the Wasatch Front of Utah. 

These are all areas where mule deer live. They all have very different habitats. So how is it that a species which seems to be in trouble from a habitat standpoint can live in these vastly different, ecologically diverse areas?

In general, mule deer are a very adaptable species in their distribution across the west. We can find them in 18 different states, four Canadian provinces and in Mexico. The habitat they use spans seven different eco-regions. 

They have been documented eating hundreds of different plants and plant parts such as cactus, bark, fruit, vegetables, grasses, forbs, shrubs and trees. They can find thermal and escape cover in grasslands, sagebrush, rocks, thickets of brush and trees, and in back yards. 

As such, a mule deer’s habitat in-and-around Eagle Mountain is limited. Houses are not habitats, but yards, gardens and open space can be. Therefore, a habitat on a small and fragmented scale has been created in the city.

There are several areas where we have year-round residents who have adapted nicely to eating and living among homes and people. They seem to do well at navigating within these neighborhoods. This is a greater problem along much of the Wasatch front where you have year-round resident urban mule deer populations.

Ideally, mule deer around Eagle Mountain should migrate from the Oquirrh Mountains and Camp Williams through the city south to the Lake Mountains.

Mule deer habitats must consist of three important components: food, water and cover/shelter. 

How the food, water and cover is arranged on the landscape; what is adjacent to it; how far away are they from each other; and what condition each of the three are in are all equally important.

Arguably, the most critical component of mule deer habitat is food.

Mule deer can make it without water for a few days. Much of their water can be gleaned from the food they eat. We know that cover can be in a wide-open field if needed. What, then, constitutes mule deer food?

It has been demonstrated through studies that mule deer need, and do best with, food that is high in protein, easily digestible and readily available. Again, this varies from place to place but most of these groceries can be considered, or are found in, areas where plant communities are in an early successional stage.


In Eagle Mountain, a plethora of green groceries (grasses and forbs) that are high in nutrients, easy to digest, very accessible and perfect for what mule deer locate are found. They are a much-needed resource for does, fawns and bucks to grow antlers. Across the west, too many of the vegetative communities have reached climax stage where there’s no overgrown revegetation.

Once vegetative communities reach climax stage, they are not very good for mule deer or many other species other than from a cover standpoint. Additionally, they become vulnerable to catastrophic fire where large tracks of land are burned.

Wildlife agencies can’t continue status quo with our mule deer habitat. It’s not good for mule deer for so much of the habitat to reach climax stage. There needs to be diversity and many different successional stages found across the landscape. 

Close work must be conducted with our land managers who can slowly start to identify issues, define goals, objectives, and implement actions and strategies to make changes. These changes will take time and even longer to see changes in mule deer numbers. 

Next time you are out in your neck of the woods, ask yourself what is missing from this particular mule deer habitat? What was once here in abundance that is not there now? What are the causes of this change? What can be done to improve the situation? 

Only by understanding what the needs are and what can be done from a practical standpoint can we work to really improve, restore, and conserve mule deer habitats.

Eagle Mountain City prepares for 2023 road construction projects

Eagle Mountain’s population has reported strong growth in recent years. This has put pressure on the city’s current road infrastructure. To keep up with traffic demands, Eagle Mountain City engineers have planned several road projects for the spring, summer and fall of 2023.

Here is a quick glimpse into what changes residents can expect this year:

Traffic light at Major St. and Eagle Mountain Blvd.

Traffic at the intersection of Major Street and Eagle Mountain Boulevard near the skate park is currently mediated by a four-way stop sign. Before the end of 2023, the City plans to install a traffic light at this intersection to help residents safely navigate in and out of the Autumn Ridge neighborhood and toward Mountain Trails Elementary.

Traffic light and intersection reconfiguration at Eagle Mountain Blvd. and Pony Express Pkwy.

In addition to the traffic light at Major Street and Eagle Mountain Boulevard, the City plans to reconfigure the intersection between Eagle Mountain Boulevard and Pony Express Parkway. The roundabout that currently stands at this intersection will be removed and replaced with a traffic signal. This project will be combined with the Major St/Eagle Mountain Blvd traffic signal project and will be completed before year’s end. The estimated combined cost of both projects is $1.75 M.

Traffic light at Pony Express Pkwy. and Woodhaven Blvd.

Commuters trying to enter and exit the Silverlake neighborhood via Woodhaven Boulevard must currently yield to heavy traffic on Pony Express Parkway. To mitigate this, the City will also be installing a traffic signal at this intersection. This project is estimated to be completed by the end of the 2023 calendar year.

Traffic light at Ranches Pkwy. and Stonebridge Ln.

The City will install a traffic signal at the corner of Ranches Parkway and Stonebridge Lane. This will allow for smoother access to Rockwell Charter High School and other recently-opened establishments such as Tagg-N-Go Car Wash and Inquisitive Minds Montessori School.

Lengthen left turn lane from eastbound Pony Express Pkwy. to NB Ranches Pkwy.

Commuters who turn left on to Ranches Parkway from eastbound Pony Express Parkway may have noticed traffic back up with other commuters making the same turn. The City has plans to lengthen the left turn lane to allow more space for motorists to wait at the traffic light. This project will be completed in conjunction with the traffic lights at Pony Express and Woodhaven and at Ranches Pkwy and Stonebridge Ln. The estimated total cost for all three projects is $750,000. All three are expected to be completed within the 2023 calendar year.

Widening of eastbound Mid Valley Rd. from Sheps Ridge Ln. to Pony Express Pkwy.

Eagle Mountain City will be widening Mid Valley Road to a five-lane section, which will ease traffic in front of Frontier Middle School. This project is estimated to cost $1.3 M and is expected to be completed by September 2023.

Eagle Mountain City has several plans to ease traffic congestion throughout the City as its population grows. Read more about these plans in the Transportation Master Plan.

Update 4/27/23: The intersection reconfiguration at Pony Express Pkwy and Eagle Mountain Blvd has be postponed and will not be completed in 2023. A timeline for completion is not yet available.

New Year, new tips for exercising outdoors in the winter

Most runners want to know when it is too cold to run outside. There are no clear-cut rules under which all experts agree. It is ultimately the runner’s personal tolerance and comfort level.

Runners with conditions such as asthma, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, Raynaud’s syndrome and low body fat may be particularly sensitive to running in cold weather.

Some runners find they can only handle running in temperatures just below freezing (32° F), but not below that. If they do run in lower temperatures, they have difficulty breathing or experience numbness in their fingers and toes.

Other runners find that if they are dressed suitably, they can reasonably handle running at any temperature, no matter how far below freezing the weather is.

However, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends runners exercise caution when deciding to run outside when the air temperature falls below -18° F because tissue injury can occur in 30 minutes or fewer under these conditions.

It is also important to be aware of the wind chill factor, as even seemingly mild winds can have a significant effect on lowering the temperature on a cold day. For instance, when the air temperature is 30° F and the wind speed is 10 mph, the resultant conditions will behave as if it was actually 21° F.

Most weather apps will state the current wind chill factor for an exact location.

Risks of Running in the Cold

Frostbite is a direct freezing injury of body tissue that occurs with exposure to extreme cold. The nose, ears, fingers and toes are particularly prone to frostbite. Runners who notice the early signs of frostbite, including cold, red skin (which will progress to a tingling, numbness or a burning sensation) should immediately seek shelter to rewarm the skin.

Hypothermia, which is a drop in core body temperature to below 95° F, occurs when the total loss of body heat exceeds your physiological heat production. There are three grades of hypothermia and, unfortunately, severe hypothermia can be fatal. Shivering is an early warning sign of hypothermia, but shivering ceases as the condition becomes increasingly dire. 

Breathing can also be a challenge in the cold, with many runners experiencing a burning sensation in the throat or lungs. This can be especially problematic for runners with asthma.

Precipitation, which can include snow, sleet or freezing rain can make an outdoor run dangerously slippery. Icy conditions are particularly difficult. During these occasions, running indoors on a treadmill or other indoor options should be considered.

Underfoot conditions, even when roads have been plowed, the shoulders and sidewalks are often still covered in snow, slush and ice, adding to your running risks. Falling while running can result in an injury that could take you out of the game for some time. It is always best to err on the side of caution when road conditions are questionable. Some runners use ice spikes or products such as Yaktrax which increase the traction of running shoes on slippery surfaces.

Darkness is often the running time of choice due to the short daylight hours. Always ensure your path is well illuminated with a headlamp or nearby lighting, if available. Wear reflective clothing so that you are visible to drivers who might not otherwise see you.

Tips for cold weather running

Warm up indoors first. Sip a warm drink and conduct your warm-up routine indoors so that you feel ready and warm before heading out into the frigid air. This can also prevent pulling a cold muscle and make the blast of winter air a little more refreshing as opposed to heading out without the warm-up phase of your run.

Dress properly. Your clothing can make all the difference in your ability to run in the cold. Wear synthetic or wool-base layers and windproof outer layers. Avoid cotton. Overdressing can lead you to be overly hot and sweaty when running. Once you’re damp, you will end up feeling colder. Using layers is ideal since they trap heat and can be removed if you are feeling too warm. It is also important to wear warm socks, gloves, a hat and a gaiter to avoid exposing as much skin as possible.

Alter your route. Run small loops close to home or several short out-and-back routes. This will allow you to easily head back inside if you feel too cold or start noticing signs of hypothermia or frostbite.

Modify your mindset. Rather than focusing on your performance, focus on safety. At the first signs of harmful symptoms, think safety and head back inside. Be satisfied with what you were able to do under the circumstances.

Hydrate with warm liquids. During and after your run, drink warm (not hot) water or tea to make sure your core temperature remains at the proper level.

Shower in warm water as soon as you get home. Be careful not to adjust the temperature of the water too hot, as your perception of hot and cold may be distorted due to your limbs being cold or numb.

Finally, before heading outside in the extreme cold, ask yourself if you have safer options such as a treadmill or cross-training at a nearby gym. Weigh the options and consider what you really gain by running outside.

The Eagle’s View – Dec. 2022

The December edition of The Eagle’s View is ready for your enjoyment. This month, we learn more about holiday decorating safety and cover how local birds cache their seeds. Read here.

Golden Retriever sitting in the snow

Keeping pets safe in cold winter temperatures

With the dangerously frigid temperatures we’ve been experiencing, Eagle Mountain City would like to remind pet owners of the dangers of leaving dogs outside for extended periods of time.

Hypothermia can kill

Dogs can experience hypothermia just like humans. According to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), this condition can be fatal. Even during mild weather, a dog with wet fur in a chilly breeze can experience this emergency just as easily as dogs left out in freezing temperatures.

Many owners falsely believe that the dogs fur coat keeps them sufficiently warm in the cold. Of course, dogs cannot tell their owners that something is wrong, so it is up to the owner to assess winter conditions before leaving their dogs outside.

Some dogs are more susceptible to hypothermia than others depending on certain characteristics. Very young and old dogs are at a higher risk, as well as those with short fur. There are some who might also have hypothalamus issues (the part of the brain that controls body temperature).

Regardless of the dog’s age, breed or health, it is unhealthy for dogs to remain in the cold for extended periods of time, even if they have shelter. Just as humans need warmth in winter, so do our furry friends.

If work keeps a pet owner away from home for long hours, as a responsible pet owner they should consider an indoor day care that would keep their pet safe. Or perhaps a trusted neighbor could check on the animal in the home, letting them out at intervals as needed.

Speak Out

When temperatures begin to drop, Animal Humane Society’s and law enforcement receive a significant increase in calls. Animal lovers understand that extreme weather conditions can be deadly for pets.

Leaving a pet outside in extreme temperatures without food and shelter can be a criminal offense.

If you think a pet is in danger due to cold weather, it’s important to consider the variables. With dogs, size, age, and breed are important factors. Certain canine breeds – like Huskies, Akitas, Chow Chows and Alaskan Malamutes – actually appreciate the colder weather and can withstand longer periods of time outside, even in subzero temperatures. Cats are more capable of seeking shelter on their own and thus are less likely to suffer the effects of freezing temperatures.

Access to shelter is another important thing to consider before registering a complaint. Pay close attention to body language. Is the dog lifting its paws? Shivering? Whining or barking? Acting stiff or unable to move about freely?

If, after considering these points, you suspect an animal is being neglected or is in danger due to cold weather, politely let the owner know you’re concerned. There are some pet owners who genuinely do not know the risk that cold weather poses to their pets. If they respond poorly and continue to neglect the animal, the HSUS encourages you to contact your local law enforcement. Here in Eagle Mountain, that is our Utah County Sheriff’s Office – which can be reached at (801) 798-5600 any time of the day or night.

Before reaching out to law enforcement, document as many details as you can about the situation, including date, time, location and type of animal(s) involved. Photos or video can also be helpful. Our dogs rely on us to make good decisions for them. So, when the ‘weather outside is frightful,’ let’s do all we can to keep them warm, happy, healthy and safe.

Pioneer Christmas – A brief history of the area’s first Christmas celebration

In December 1847, the first Christmas in what was then Mexico but would eventually become Utah, was celebrated.

“It had only been five months since the pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley,” according to LDS Church News Archive, Article 28796. “By December more than 1800 had gathered in the valley where a large fort had been erected.”

Compelled across more than a thousand miles of unsettled prairie and mountains by their faith, these pioneers were firm in their commitment. Their observance of that first Christmas holiday they did in keeping with their extreme circumstances.

“Everyone had moved into the 29 cabins that were built inside the adobe walls of the fort, each 8 by 16 by 14 feet,” according to a Deseret News article published on Dec. 24, 1995. “While their menfolk worked outside, women faced the ongoing challenge of caring for children (558 were included in the group) and keeping order in cabins whose leaky roofs frequently oozed mud and water onto dirt floors and where mice were a constant challenge. On this day, they might have recounted to their children, as they went about their chores, the age-old story of Bethlehem and the birth of a special baby.”

Perhaps they talked of earlier Christmases, unrestricted by poverty.

No stores for shopping, no electric lights to delight the eye, no gifts to distribute among their children, no traditional Christmas feasts to fill their tables. Only the bare necessities to sustain life and faith in a hopeful future.

Their cabins were located near the former Rio Grande Railroad depot on Third West between Third and Fourth South Streets — the current site of the Rio Grande Café.

When Christmas 1847 arrived, Elizabeth Huffaker, a young girl in residence at the fort, left this account.

“I remember our first Christmas in the valley. We all worked as usual. The men gathered sagebrush and some even plowed – for though it had snowed the ground was still soft and the plows were used nearly the entire day. Christmas came on Saturday. We celebrated the day on the Sabbath, when we all gathered around the flag pole in the center of the fort, and there held meeting. And it was a great meeting. We sang praise to God, we all joined in the opening prayer, and the speaking that day has always been remembered. There were words of thanksgiving and cheer. Not an unkind word was uttered. The people were hopeful and buoyant because of their faith. After the meeting, we all shook hands with each other. Some wept with joy. The children played in the enclosure, and around the sagebrush fire that night, we gathered and sang…in the sense of perfect peace and good will, I never had a happier Christmas in all my life.”

The family of the girl who wrote of that first Christmas ate boiled rabbit for Christmas dinner, along with a little bread.

The usual daily ration was a half-pound of flour supplemented with thistle tops, berries, bark, roots and sego lily bulbs.

“All had enough to eat,” she wrote of the holiday meal.

Rebecca Riter, 32 years of age and another pioneer who migrated to the valley at the time, also spent Christmas 1847 in the Old Fort.

“The winter was cold,” Riter wrote. “Christmas came and the children were hungry. I had brought a peck of wheat across the plains and hid it under a pile of wood. I thought I would cook a handful of wheat for the baby. Then I thought how we would need wheat for seed in the spring, so I left it alone.”

Pioneer leader Brigham Young was not in the valley for that first Christmas. He had returned to Winter Quarters, Nebraska — staging point for the westward trek — to prepare for the greater migration the following year.

For the group he left behind in the valley, it was a holiday to remember.

UCSO credits public cooperation following incident in Eagle Park

Around 1:45 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 12, dispatchers received a 911 call reporting that one individual had allegedly been shot during a domestic dispute in the Eagle Park neighborhood of Eagle Mountain. 

Deputies who were on duty at the time quickly arrived on scene where they found one individual with severe bleeding from an alleged gunshot wound.

The victim was flown by LifeFlight to Utah Valley Hospital in Provo where he is expected to make a full recovery, according to a press release from the Utah County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies also found an elderly man in the home unharmed and helped him to safety. 

Around 2 p.m., residents within a half-mile of the incident received a reverse-911 alert from the Sheriff’s Office warning residents to shelter in place until further notice. 

Four schools in the affected area were placed on “secure mode” in response to the incident: Cedar Valley High School, Frontier Middle School, Eagle Valley Elementary and Mountain Trails Elementary. 

Sgt. Spencer Cannon, Public Information Officer for the Utah County Sheriff’s Office, says it’s important to know the distinction between securing schools and locking them down. 

“Lockdown would be more of something that would do if you’re worried about somebody getting into the school,” says Cannon.

Cannon says the UCSO was not concerned about any harm coming to students at the school because the incident was contained.

“But if we started releasing the kids,” says Cannon, “many of them would be coming home to the very neighborhood where the incident was happening… and we couldn’t allow that.”

All four schools remained on secure mode and Pony Express Pkwy. remained closed from Aviator Ave. to Eagle Mountain Blvd. until the suspect surrendered to law enforcement officers around 4 p.m.

Shortly after, the shelter in place was lifted and Pony Express Pkwy. was opened, and students were released to go home. 

Incidents such as the alleged shooting on Kestrel Way require plenty of moving parts to contain. Deputies must quickly respond and assess the situation. Residents and schools must be notified; streets need to be closed.

Cannon says the response to contain the situation and keep it contained happened “almost seamlessly.”

Utah County Sheriff’s deputies were able to smoothly and safely contain the situation with the help of other neighboring law enforcement agencies, such as Saratoga Springs Police Department, SWAT and other nearby agencies. 

Cannon says the total number of people on the scene was around 65 to 70.

While Cannon is very pleased with how the incident was handled by the UCSO and other agencies, he expresses his gratitude to the public for its cooperation.

“We got good cooperation from the public,” he said. “And that makes an incident like that go much better.”

The suspect was booked into the Utah County Jail on several charges and is currently being held without bail. 

Read the UCSO Press Release

Many slithery serpents call Cedar Valley home

The thought of snakes can illicit some squeamish responses. Snakes, often get a bad rap.

However, snakes play an important role in the functioning of local ecosystems.

Here are the three most common snakes residents are likely to encounter here in Eagle Mountain:

1-Great Basin rattle snake (Crotalus, lutosus).  These rattle snakes are common in the undeveloped areas of the city. Spotted in the foothills and valley floors, these snakes are general enough in their habitat and diet that they can make it most anywhere. The City receives reports of them on social media frequently. The most important thing you need to know is to give them space. They are not aggressive unless provoked and will usually try to slip away without any confrontation. 

It goes without saying, but rattle snakes are venomous and will bite if harassed or threatened. If a resident is bitten, it’s unlikely that person will die, but they should seek immediate medical attention.

Also be aware of where pets are while out enjoying the open space. It’s best in the spring, summer and fall to keep pets on a short leash if rattle snakes are known to be in the area. Dogs are more likely to encounter, and have a negative experience with, a rattle snake than a human. Be sure to know where the nearest veterinarian is who has anti-venom on hand. They are most active just before, and after, dark and like to shade up or go underground during the heat of the day. 

A large specimen may be close to 4-feet in length, but rarely exceed 3-feet. Their diet consists primarily of small mammals and rodents — mostly deer mice Peromyscus, maniculatus and Ord’s kangaroo rat Dipodomys, ordii. They go into hibernation during early fall and stay in their hibernaculum until early spring.

2—Great Basin gopher snake (Pituophis cateniferer). Also referred to as the blow snake due to the hissing/blowing sound they make when threatened. Many actually confuse these snakes with rattle snakes because they will coil up and shake their tail similarly to a rattle snake. 

These are a great snake to have around, to show kids and to teach dogs to be wary of snakes.  They are docile and have been known to eat rattle snakes. They are a great snake to have around the yard — especially if a residence is situated on the edge of the city as they also will take care of any rodent problems.

A large gopher snake can exceed 7-feet in length, but most are between 4 and 5-feet long. They may appear as a large scary snake, but are completely harmless. They do bite if threatened but are non-venomous. They prefer to eat small mammals, lizards and other snakes.  

3—Wandering garter snake (Thamnophis, elegans). Also known as a water snake. These are equally common throughout the city and are often found near wet areas, around homes, or areas that have open water.

These snakes, other than the smell, are completely harmless. A big adult garter snake can often exceed 3-feet, but are generally 18 to 24-inches long. They will sometimes feed on small mammals but are more likely to eat insects, small reptiles and amphibians. While they are harmless, they do excrete a milky/musky liquid that stinks and is hard to get rid of once on your skin.

There are several other species of snakes that have been found throughout the Great Basin. Some of these snakes exist in Eagle Mountain, although in low densities and are certainly less common than the three mentioned above. Here is a list of those snakes:

Uncommon snakes or snakes were likely once here in Cedar Valley. 

Western yellow-bellied racer (Coluber, constrictor mormon) These snakes become more common further south in the Great Basin. Like the name implies, they are one of the fastest snakes around.

Ringneck Snake (Diadophis, punctatis) They are likely more common the further south you go in the Great Basin, primarily southern Utah. They spend most of their time in the ground.  Once you see one, they are rarely miss ID’d as they have bright yellow to bright red under bellies. 

Night Snake (Hypsiglena torquata)—Found about 30-miles west of Cedar Valley just before the Nevada border. They have interesting eyes.

Long-nosed Snake (Rhinocheilus, lecontei) — The long-nosed and hog nose snakes are one of my favorites. These are another species that are completely docile but excrete a musky smell when threatened. If Eagle Mountain residents find one of these, please email TBlack@emcity.org.

Did you know that all snakes are protected in Utah? As such, it is illegal to harm, harass, take, or keep them as pets. Anyone found doing so could be charged accordingly.

Eagle Mountain City hosts award-winning Silent Santa program

Saturday evening, Eagle Mountain City held its annual Silent Santa event.  

Each holiday season since 2018, Eagle Mountain City has held the event, which is tailored for families with individuals in their homes who have disabilities or sensory issues.  

The Silent Santa event provides residents with one-on-one interactions with Santa – no lines, loud music, or other distractions.  

“They meet Santa on their terms,” says Dawn Hancock, Events Manager for the City. “Sometimes, it is from afar just waving and sometimes there are up-close interactions. It is entirely up to the family’s comfort level.” 

Individuals who attend the event can also drop off a letter to Santa. Those who provide their name and mailing address will receive a letter from Santa in return.

The event is put on entirely by the City Events staff. According to Hancock, staffing is kept at a minimum to help with overstimulation and prevent the spread of germs to vulnerable individuals.  

This year, 35 families totaling 84 children got to meet with Santa, a number that has nearly doubled since last year’s event, according to Hancock.  

Like its fall counterpart, the Adaptive Trick-or-Treat, Eagle Mountain’s Silent Santa program is an award-winning program. In 2020, Silent Santa received the Outstanding Adaptive Programming award from the Utah Parks and Recreation Association (URPA) for its efforts toward inclusion.  

Hancock says the event would not be what it is today without the event’s volunteer Santa, Cory Maxson. 

“We give him all the information for the families before they enter,” says Hancock. “As soon as they walk into the room, he greets them by name and tries to make the families as comfortable as possible. Sometimes he whispers, sits on the floor, dances, or listens. He is excellent at reading the room and allowing the kids to direct the interaction.” 

Because they may not have severe disabilities or sensory issues, Hancock says many families may fear that registering for the event would take away an appointment from someone who may need it more. Hancock says that is not the case. 

“Please, register for the event,” she says. “We want to see you and your family and help alleviate holiday stress.” 

The Events staff will continue to add more Silent Santa appointments each year as the event grows, and residents who think their family may benefit from attending the event are encouraged to register. 

“This event is not for the masses but for those who attend, it is everything,” says Hancock.  

Silent Santa is held each December following the Christmas Village. Registration opens around mid-November.