Heber Valley Life

Author: Jeni Jones

  • IHC Heber Valley Hospital Welcomes First Baby of 2023 Born in Wasatch County

    IHC Heber Valley Hospital Welcomes First Baby of 2023 Born in Wasatch County

    Sawyer Ann Karinen was born at 11:39 p.m. on January 2, 2023. She is the daughter of Clara Vowels and Andrew Karinen, residents of Heber City. Sawyer weighed in at 6 lbs. 5 oz. and is 19 inches long. She is Clara and Andrew’s first child.

    “I can’t believe she’s mine,” said Clara, Sawyer’s mom. “It was a long day of almost 20 hours of labor, but she’s definitely worth it.”

    “It’s hard to put into words,” said her father, Andrew. “We’ve both worked in daycares, so we have lots of experience with kids. But they go home at the end of the day. It’s so crazy we’re taking this little one home with us.”

    Along with her first baby status, Sawyer also received a prize basket of baby goodies from Intermountain Healthcare to celebrate the birth at Heber Valley Hospital, which included generous donations from three Utah-based baby product vendors: Minky Couture; Loulou and Company; and Over the Moon.

    “It’s always exciting to welcome our first baby of the year,” said Kam Wright, Heber Valley Hospital nurse manager, women and newborn services. “They’re a darling family and it was the perfect wintery welcome for Sawyer.”

    Heber Valley Hospital is a 19-bed hospital and has been serving the Wasatch County area since 1999. More than 200 babies were born at Intermountain Heber Valley Hospital in 2022.

    Andrew Karinen_Sawyer Ann Karinen_Clara Vowels
    Sawyer Ann Karinen
    Andrew_Sawyer_Clara_Dana
  • 7 Family-Friendly Fall Activities

    7 Family-Friendly Fall Activities

    There’s a lot to love about the Heber Valley in the fall. From cool, crisp mornings and stunning fall colors, to annual fall traditions that make our valley unique, here are seven fun activities your entire family will “fall” for.

    Heber Valley Railroad
    Pumpkin Train

    The “Heber Creeper” is a classic Heber Valley attraction. In the fall, be sure to take a ride on the annual Pumpkin Train, which includes a 40-minute train ride through the beautiful Heber Valley landscape, entertainment by costumed characters and sing-alongs — all topped off with delicious pumpkin cookies provided by the railroad staff!

    Increase the fun factor by wearing a costume and take a trip through the (family-friendly) haunted train car after the ride! Ticketed riders also get to pick a pumpkin at the depot’s pumpkin patch to take home.

    The Pumpkin Train runs October 3 – 30.
    Visit hebervalleyrr.org for more information
    or to buy tickets.

    Sleepy Hollow
    Haunted Wagon Ride

    High on the list of unique fall activities to look forward to is the Sleepy Hollow Haunted Wagon Ride, hosted by Rocky Mountain Outfitters. Enjoy cool mountain air and a horse-drawn wagon ride through the scenic foothills and forests of Soldier Hollow in Midway — all while listening to Washington Irving’s classic tale “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”

    Along the way, you’ll encounter eerie apparitions and perhaps even see the Headless Horseman himself!

    The wagon rides are intended to be appropriate and entertaining for all ages — including younger children — but keep in mind the later it gets into the evening, the experience naturally becomes scarier in the dark.

    Kids aged three and under are free. Visit sleepyhollowutah.com for reservations.

    Nobblet’s Creek
    Hiking Trail

    Heber Valley is home to hundreds of miles of pristine mountain trails and Nobblet’s Creek Trail is a terrific fall hike for kids of all ages. Located just 20 minutes from Heber City in the Uinta National Forrest, Noblett’s Creek Trail is an easy 2.1-mile out and back trail that runs alongside Noblett’s Creek and ends at a spring-fed waterfall.

    The trail is perfect for younger kids, thanks to a mostly-flat pitch with plenty of places to stop for a drink or a snack, and has beautiful fall colors the whole family will enjoy.

    RunDown Ranch
    Kids Farm

    The RunDown Ranch Kids Farm located in nearby Oakley is a hidden gem for families in the Wasatch Back. It’s the perfect place to get up close and personal with tons of cool animals like alpacas, chickens, mini horses, donkeys, a potbellied pig aptly-named “Kevin Bacon” and more!

    Ranch owners, Sparky and Julie O’Driscoll are gracious hosts who decided to open the kids’ farm last year when Sparky retired. The ranch is open during daylight hours, and cash or Venmo donations are accepted. Large cups of feed can also be purchased for just $1 so you and your kids can enjoy feeding the animals.

    RunDown Ranch Kids Farm is located at 22 West Boulderville Road in Oakley. For more information, visit RunDown Ranch Kids Farm on Facebook.

    Sundance Resort
    Harvest Market

    There’s truly nothing like spending a fall day at Sundance Mountain Resort — and the Sundance Harvest Market is the perfect excuse to enjoy the brilliant fall leaves, majestic backdrop of Mt. Timpanogos and rustic-inspired shops and restaurants that celebrate the Old West.

    The Harvest Market features a curated selection of local artists and craftsmen, live Bluegrass and Americana music, delicious food and activities for all ages. At the market, you’ll find everything from jewelry and pottery to hand-carved wooden canoes.

    This year’s market is on Saturday,
    September 28, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit sundanceresort.com.

    Wasatch County
    Day of Thanksgiving

    Entering its fifth year, the Wasatch County Day of Thanksgiving is a community-wide celebration hosted in mid-November by the Wasatch Community Foundation. Bring your family, friends and neighbors, and enjoy a traditional homemade Thanksgiving feast with entertainment provided by performers from the renowned Heber Valley Country Music and Cowboy Poetry Gathering!

    The dinner is held at Wasatch High School and includes free health screenings, a photo booth provided by the Wasatch County Police Department and free stuffed animals for children who attend. The Day of Thanksgiving is a chance to celebrate our community and help make it a healthier place for us all.

    Proceeds from the dinner go to support health initiatives in Wasatch County, such as diabetes education, the Wasatch County Safe Kids Fair, the Issues Conference and more. For more information, visit ourwcf.org.

    Guardsman Pass
    Leaf Peeping

    It’s difficult to beat the amazing views of the scenic drive that takes you from Pine Canyon Drive in Midway through the Wasatch Mountains and over to Big Cottonwood Canyon — and it’s especially spectacular in the fall.

    You’ll see an impressive array of fall foliage, from vibrant reds to entire hillsides of yellow-gold Aspen trees when you arrive at Wasatch County’s Bonanza Flats. Pack a picnic lunch or dinner and enjoy the vibrant colors and crisp mountain air.

    End with a stop at Silver Lake Loop Trail, located near Brighton Ski Resort, where the kiddos can stretch their legs, enjoy a picnic and have fun exploring the easy walking path at this beautiful mountain lake. Then jump back in the car, crank up the tunes (and probably the heater) and enjoy the visual delights of fall all the way back to the Heber Valley.

  • Winter Warrior

    Winter Warrior

    Greg Tayler, MD, a family practice physician at Heber Valley Hospital, is no stranger to endurance sports. As a student at East High in the 80s, he was a gifted cross-country and track athlete — but all that changed when he landed a job at Guthrie Bicycles in Salt Lake City and traded his track spikes for bike spokes.

    Guthrie Bicycles sponsored the 1983 East Canyon Triathlon and encouraged its employees to participate. At the time, triathlons weren’t as well-known as they are today — it was a burgeoning sport that combined running, biking and swimming for the ultimate endurance test.

    Tayler was instantly hooked by the multi-sport aspect of triathlon training. “I was always getting injured doing the same thing day after day when I was just running,” he says. “Triathlon keeps you in great shape with fewer injuries because you’re constantly cross-training.”

    Since that first East Canyon Triathlon, Greg Tayler has become a seasoned triathlete who’s competed in over 110 events during a 30-year love affair with the sport. He participates in three to five triathlons each summer, but admits he limited that to one or two per summer during medical school.

    He regularly finishes in the top two or three spots in his age group in major races and also boasts a finish in the top 25 percent in his age group at the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii, last October — the pinnacle event for any serious triathlete.

    How does Tayler — a triathlete and beloved family doctor, husband and father from Heber, a town that spends five months a year under a blanket of snow — compete on the Ironman world stage with competitors who can train year-round in much less harsh conditions?

    Greg Tayler says over the last 30 years he’s figured out a thing or two about winter training. He calls them “game changers” and says they leave him better conditioned and primed to hit the pavement running — pun intended — even before the snow melts.

    Game Changer #1

    Weight Training

    Tayler weight trains three to four days per week for 30 to 45 minutes. “We start to lose muscle mass after age 40,” he says. “The key to maintaining endurance is strong muscles and nothing does that better than a consistent weight-training routine and actively working to build muscle.”

    Game Changer #2

    Cross-Country Skiing

    “Cross-country skiing is fantastic exercise,” says Tayler. “It’s easy on your joints and a perfect activity to do every day. We’re lucky enough to have access to a world-class course right in our backyard at Soldier Hollow.”

    If you’re just starting out, Tayler recommends taking a lesson or two before venturing out on your own. But if cross-country skiing isn’t your thing, Tayler says to get outside anyway. Snowshoeing or backcountry skiing are great ways to get your cardio in without trashing your joints.

    Game Changer #3

    Smart Trainers

    Indoor bike trainers have been around for quite a while and make it possible to ride your bike while it remains stationary. More recently though, smart trainers have come on the market. These new trainers sync to an app on your phone or other smart device and adjust the resistance while you ride.

    Riders can create an avatar, compete against other riders and even go on famous rides like the London Olympic course. “The trainer adjusts based on the course you’re on. If you end up in the peloton, you can actually feel the resistance decrease because you’re drafting off the other riders. It’s really fun,” he says with a sly smile. “It’s really pretty incredible how far these trainers have come.”

    Finally, Tayler says in addition to weight training, cross-country skiing and using the smart trainer during the winter, he also swims year-round to maintain his fitness. “We have really terrific facilities in the valley that are under-utilized,” he says. “At the Wasatch Aquatics Center you can swim with a Masters certified swim coach who can help push you to meet your goals.”

    And the result of his winter game changers? Tayler gets two great rewards — he’s a world-class triathlete and he gets to live in one of the greatest places in the world.

  • Care When You Need It

    Care When You Need It

    Summer is officially here and you know what that means: it’s time to get out and play!

    We are incredibly lucky to live in a place that is teeming with outdoor recreational activities and opportunities for adventure. Whether you spend your summer days hiking the Uintas, flying down single track or wading the Provo with a rod in hand, you’re bound to incur some bumps and bruises along the way.

    Unfortunately, outdoor adventures can sometimes lead to more than just scraped elbows and banged-up shins. Thankfully, our friends at Intermountain Healthcare recently expanded their services in the Heber Valley to include a new InstaCare facility prepped and ready to handle anything short of a true emergency.

    Phase one of a 43 million-dollar expansion (the largest investment in medical services in Wasatch County’s history), the new InstaCare facility provides fast, easy and local access to urgent care. With shorter wait times and the new Call Ahead program, valley residents now have a better — and cheaper — alternative to the ER.

    In the Heber Valley, our hospital is more than just bricks and mortar — it’s a building filled with our neighbors and friends, who are always ready to lend a healing hand. So, get out there and play hard this summer with the confidence of knowing that if you do fall, our friends at Intermountain Healthcare are ready to pick you up and put you back together.

    To InstaCare? Or To ER?

    Unsure of where to go with an injury or illness? Take a look at Heber Valley Hospital’s
    recommendations. When in doubt, always call 911.

    InstaCare

    • Sprains or strains
    • Minor cuts
    • Broken bones
    • Minor eye injuries
    • Nausea and vomiting
    • Sore throats
    • Fever
    • Cold and flu symptoms
    • Ear infections

    Emergency Room

    • Deep cuts or bleeding that won’t stop
    • Severe burns
    • Chest pain
    • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
    • Coughing or vomiting blood
    • Numbness in face, arm or leg
    • Seizures
    • Sudden blurred vision, dizziness or loss of coordination
    • Any condition that may be life-threatening

    The Nitty-Gritty

    When? 8 a.m. – 8 p.m., 7 days/week

    Where? Heber Valley Hospital

    Why? Faster and more affordable than the ER

    How? Just show up or reserve a place in line at instacare.org. (There’s no reason to sit in a waiting room when you could be sitting on your couch.)

    Contact: 435.657.4500  |  1485 S Hwy 40, Suite G, Heber  |  instacare.org

  • Caring For A Community

    Caring For A Community

    The People’s Health Clinic is expanding to better serve uninsured women in Wasatch County. A new People’s Health Clinic aims to help bridge the gap for uninsured women to receive much needed healthcare services with a new, convenient location that’s close to home.

    “Currently, 30 percent of the patients seen at the Park City clinic are from Wasatch County,” says Beth Armstrong, executive director of the People’s Health Clinic. “We’re trying to make it as accessible as possible — especially for our pregnant mothers — to receive care.”

    The new clinic, located inside the Heber Valley Hospital at 1485 Highway 40, Suite D, is open on Mondays from 9 a.m. to noon. The clinic and its physicians — Dr. Christopher Cook, DO and Dr. Brandon Longenecker, OBGYN — provide services to women including OB care, family planning and contraception, mammograms, pap smears and well woman exams. In addition to Dr. Cook and Dr. Longenecker, the clinic is staffed by a physician’s assistant and a receptionist to help check patients in and out. To assist the Hispanic community in the Heber Valley, the clinic is staffed with providers who either speak Spanish or with interpretors who help explain procedures and treatments.

    “While the clinic will initially open with limited services and hours of operation, it’s a step in the right direction,” Armstrong says. “We’re starting with women but we hope to increase to a full day and include a family practice physician.”

    The People’s Health Clinic has a longstanding partnership with Intermountain Healthcare, which provides grants and vouchers for reduced-cost imaging and lab services. “We’re excited to welcome the People’s Health Clinic to Wasatch County and Heber Valley Hospital,” says Adam Chandio, the hospital’s administrator. “They fill an extraordinary role in our community and we’re grateful for our partnership to provide these important services.”

    The clinic is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing quality healthcare to the uninsured residents of Summit and Wasatch Counties. For more information visit www.peopleshealthclinic.org.

    People’s Health Clinic is a nonprofit clinic providing no-cost quality medical services to uninsured residents of Wasatch County regardless of nationality, race, sex or immigration status. It is funded by local residents, patients, businesses, churches and governments.

  • The Future Of Healthcare In The Valley

    The Future Of Healthcare In The Valley

    In 1932, Dr. Robert McKnight, a Scotsman, served as the first doctor in Heber Valley. At that time, the closest hospital was in Salt Lake City and doctors visited their patients in their homes. While the healthcare landscape has changed, the highly personalized care of those early home visits hasn’t.

    Heber Valley Hospital Expands To Meet The Needs Of A Growing Community

    Heber Valley Hospital and its team of dedicated caregivers are working to ensure access to excellent, affordable healthcare resources that are close to home.

    While Heber Valley Hospital is known for its high quality and highly personalized care, the need to expand was clear. The current hospital was designed to meet the needs of a population of just 13,000. The population in Wasatch County is now over 30,000 with no signs of slowing down.

    With its mission to help people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain Healthcare is making the largest investment ever made in the delivery of healthcare and hospital services in Heber Valley.
    The $26-million expansion of the hospital includes a new Emergency Department, Same-Day Surgery Services, InstaCare (open for walk-in visits 12 hours per day, seven days per week), MRI Suite, and additional service amenities. Modernizing and expanding the campus accommodates more specialists, services, and fast, convenient access. These enhancements and others will redefine clinic and hospital access for people living in and around Heber Valley.The vision for the modernized facility focuses solely on benefits and values for our patients and their families, with an emphasis on achieving the best possible clinical outcomes in a healing atmosphere at the lowest possible cost.

    Heber Valley Hospital’s Vision:

    • Providing new, life-saving technologies in a modern healthcare design
    • Accommodating the needs of a growing population
    • Expanding and modernizing a spectrum of patient service areas
    • Maximizing patient safety, privacy, and comfort
    • Improving adjacencies of clinical services for the convenience and safety of our patients
      Enhancing the recruitment and retention of physicians and staff
    • Increasing healthcare access with the opening of the InstaCare on the campus
    • Increasing efficiency and incorporating environmentally friendly design, systems,
      and materials to reduce operating costs
Translate