Breathe deeply. Visualize. Let it fly. Who could have guessed striking the center of concentric circles with an arrow would be so intoxicating? Some of the appeal may be due to the fleeting nature of success because archery is rather difficult for the uninitiated, like me. Naturally, many people use the venerable bow and arrow for practical purposes like hunting, but I’m a millennial in an age of great convenience, so my ambition as an archer is in pursuit of the wholly impractical. Technology’s inexorable march may have chipped away at archery’s relevance as a trade of conflict, but it’s thriving as a widely-accessible recreational sport in Utah where the world-class Easton Salt Lake Archery Center (ESLAC) helps everyone from first-timers to Olympians hone their craft. Grab a bow and get ready to hit your mark.
Where the World’s
Best Shoot
A lot of us probably had our first archery experiences firing away at summer camp or while shooting broken sticks with primitive homemade bows. On the sport’s other extreme is a deeply competitive and talented group of athletes with a World Cup and Olympic pedigree, and they convene at the ESLAC to battle it out. The facility hosted the Archery World Cup in June 2018, where the U.S. Team won gold medals in the men’s compound-bow team competition and the mixed team recurve-bow competition, in addition to an individual gold medal, U.S. athlete Kris Schaff won in the men’s individual compound-bow competition. ESLAC was also slated to host the 2019 Archery World Championships before Utah’s finicky spring weather compelled organizers to move the event to Medellin, Colombia, and the venue is bidding for another world-level competition in 2020.
When they’re not racking up medals while besting world-class archers, elite archers sharpen the finer points of their skills at ESLAC. It’s not hard to see why. ESLAC is an expansive facility with an all-season indoor range featuring 12 shooting lanes to 70 meters, 20 lanes to 50 meters and 10 lanes to nine meters in addition to an outdoor range featuring 64 targets with a shooting distance up to 90 meters all against the stunning backdrop of the Wasatch Mountains. ESLAC is up to the exacting standards and pinpoint accuracy of the world’s greatest archers, so it’s probably sufficient for wannabe Katniss Everdeen enthusiasts like the rest of us.
Learn to Shoot
Archery’s not quite point and shoot. You need to get your stance right, find a consistent anchor point and dial your breathing pattern. There’s a steep learning curve, which is why ESLAC offers an array of programs to get you up to speed. “We
offer programs to bridge the gap between the beginner and the elite experience. This is the place for archers who’ve never picked up a bow all the way up to those training for the World Cup and Olympics,” says ESLAC Director Eric Blalock.
Complete newcomers to the sport can get started with the one-hour “Try Archery” class, which costs just $25 including equipment. Once archers are hooked, they can move on to the six-week Basic 1: Fundamentals course to build a solid skillset—the program’s minimum age is eight. The course costs $90, includes equipment and is designed to have archers scoring by the program’s end. From there, archers take on advanced techniques and equipment in the six-week Basic 2 course for $90, which includes equipment and one hour of free range time per week.
After mastering the basics, archers learn high-level concepts and training used by U.S. Olympic Athletes in the Intermediate 1 course to prepare for tournaments and leagues, which ESLAC also hosts. Seriously committed archers over 18 years old can even complete in USA Archery Instructor Certification Courses at the facility for $200.
The Lighter Side of Archery
ESLAC has all the ingredients to take archers to the top of the podium, but they also have some unique archery programs for the less serious among us. These programs are ideal for parties or families and are great fun even for the completely uninitiated. Archery Tag features paintball-style action where teams run, hide, duck and shoot each other all without subjecting participants to the puncture wounds common to historical battlefields. A 90-minute session costs only $25 per person with a minimum of eight archers. Skeet Archery challenges archers to shoot foam targets out of the air, while Cosmic Archery lets participants get trippy with black lights, Day-Glo and music.
575 John Glenn Rd, Salt Lake City, 801-523-5232, eastonsaltlakearcherycenter.org
Subscribers can see more. Sign up and you’ll be included in our membership program and get access to exclusive deals, premium content and more. Get the magazine, get the deals, get the best of life in Utah!
If you've never been to @dokidessert, I can assure you- you're missing out. ⠀
⠀
Doki Doki is one of Salt Lake City’s most authentic Japanese bakeries. And the authenticity shows through their delicately handcrafted pastries and cakes. Plus- fluffy pancakes, can it get any better? ⠀
⠀
Check the link in bio for a fun little write up! ⠀
⠀...
Meet 9th & 9th's newest, cutest, tastiest "hole-in-the-wall" (quite literally)! @piefightslc is serving up delicious hand pies packed with flavor 🥊⠀
⠀
You can eat a pie and go for a walk at the same time- who knew?! 🥧⠀
⠀
Check the link in bio for our little review!...
People used to say a group of hobbits smoked their pipe weed and padded around on their furry feet in this little cul de sac off 1300 East near Westminster. Others claimed a family of Little People lived there and would chase away outsiders and curiosity-seekers who happened in.⠀
⠀
But, actually, the eccentric street of tiny houses are on a wooded lot once owned by George Allen, a doctor and animal lover (he was instrumental in founding @hoglezoo and @tracyaviary) He and his family lived in the log cabin and rented out the little houses to students or anyone who wanted to live in such a small space.⠀
⠀
Check the link in bio for full story....
Our Jan/Feb issue is out on stands now! This issue means so much to us. Made with lots of love and tears. We hope you’ll grab a copy and enjoy every moment of reading it. ❤️...
This is what our NYE looks like. Staying in with a @meat_my_cheese_utah charcuterie board ⭐🤤🥂⠀
⠀
We’re incredibly lucky to have local culinary-craftswomen here in the Salt Lake area, like @mavenoakcreative and @meat_my_cheese_utah. Handcrafting each charcuterie board and box to perfection. Making every stay-at-home birthday, anniversary, date-night and holiday feel that much more elegant. 🧀🍇🥖⠀
⠀
Check the link in bio to meet Salt Lake's artisan charcuterie masters!...
Holding back tears, the owner of our beloved Himalayan Kitchen, Surya Bastakoti, told @fox13now that they "might go out of business" ⠀
⠀
Himalayan Kitchen has long been one of our favorite local restaurants. A trusty go-to for lunch or after work drinks and a heart-warming dinner. A place to bring out-of-towners (veg and vegan friendly) for a special experience only found here in SLC. Always filling, with a true sense of nourishment in every bite. Food to feel good about.
EVERYTHING on their menu is full of flavor and authenticity. Himalayan Kitchen’s cuisine is required to be authentic because it’s a gathering place for the Salt Lake City Nepali and the local climbing community. They know Nepal.⠀
⠀
COVID-19 has completely devastated our local restaurant community—these are our friends and family. Help them out. If you have the means, order something yummy for NYE dinner and support Himalayan Kitchen or any of your favorite local restaurants. ⠀
⠀
Go to saltlakemagazine.com and look in the Eat & Drink section for a list of what restaurants are serving and then make a phone call, order online, etc. ⠀
⠀
Go to the link in bio to order online now!...
Here's one from our upcoming Jan/Feb issue out on stands in just a few days. We hope you’ll grab a copy and enjoy every moment of reading it.
Mary photobombs Lisa Barlow at the premiere party for Real Housewives of Salt Lake. Below is a snippet from Mary's last editor's letter:
"It’s all a little crazy.
Sometime in 2020, the world stopped making sense for a lot of us. Between one of the ugliest election cycles the U.S. has ever been through and the most mysterious disease most of us have ever experienced, normal was canceled. We can’t get together with friends, hug our loved ones, be in the room with them when they die. But somehow we have to go on, right? Somehow we have to continue to work and love and laugh. This issue of Salt Lake magazine holds a lot of frivolity, the main one being an extremely silly TV show, The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. There I am in a pink fur coat in a car with our cover housewife, Lisa Barlow and her boys."
Pick up our Jan/Feb issue at your local grocer and read the full letter. ❤️
Link in bio to subscribe....
Merry Christmas Eve-Eve. We absolutely loved seeing all of your gingerbread homes! Thank you for sharing!⠀
⠀
The winner of a 1 year subscription to Salt Lake mag will be announced in our story!...
Skip the milk and cookies this holiday and leave out something that Santa really wants 🍺😉🎅
Check out our local holiday beer round up for last minute gift ideas! Link in bio!...
Mary's last-minute holiday gift ideas from last year are still as true and relevant today...
"The planet we live with and the creatures on it need all kinds of things. Polar bears need presents, tree frogs in the Amazon need gifts, our Utah canyons and our national parks need help."
Check the link in bio for full write up....
🎶On the LAST day of giveaways Salt Lake mag gave to me...🎶⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
$100 to @slcharbor 😋🍪☕️
Here's the idea: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⭐ Like this post and tag a friend who you believe should win the giveaway item! The person you tag is then entered to win! (Friends can tag one another) 💑⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⭐ Be sure to follow us (@slmag) and @slcharbor on insta! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⭐ Entry deadline will be at 10PM. The winner will be announced at 11:59PM and a new prize will be posted in the AM each day!...
🎶On the 11th day of giveaways Salt Lake mag gave to me...🎶⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
$100 to @streuselslc 😋🍪☕️
Streusel Bakery located at 67 w 1700 s! Support local and get pastries, cookies and a little bit of sass at this beautiful judgement free bakery!
Here's the idea: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⭐ Like this post and tag a friend who you believe should win the giveaway item! The person you tag is then entered to win! (Friends can tag one another) 💑⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⭐ Be sure to follow us (@slmag) and @streuselslc on insta! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⭐ Entry deadline will be at 10PM. The winner will be announced at 11:59PM and a new prize will be posted in the AM each day!...
🎶On the 10th day of giveaways Salt Lake mag gave to me...🎶⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
1 Free month at Maven Create @mavencreate
Maven Create is a unique, open office space designed to inspire and empower!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Here's the idea: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⭐ Like this post and tag a friend who you believe should win the giveaway item! The person you tag is then entered to win! (Friends can tag one another) 💑⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⭐ Be sure to follow us (@slmag) and @mavencreate on insta! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⭐ Entry deadline will be at 10PM. The winner will be announced at 11:59PM and a new prize will be posted in the AM each day!...
🎶On the ninth day of giveaways Salt Lake mag gave to me...🎶⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
1 box of @maddoughslc doughnuts for 4 weeks!! 🍩
We’re so excited to have teamed up with @maddoughslc for this awesome giveaway treat! Mad Dough launched back in April! Mad Dough serves up top quality Bismark style doughnuts with flavors inspired by favorite childhood treats 💖 The perfect gift to brighten someone’s day (or brighten your own day)! Support this awesome small business this holiday!
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Here's the idea: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⭐ Like this post and tag a friend who you believe should win the giveaway item! The person you tag is then entered to win! (Friends can tag one another) 💑⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⭐ Be sure to follow us (@slmag) and @maddoughslc on insta! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⭐ Entry deadline will be at 10PM. The winner will be announced at 11:59PM and a new prize will be posted in the AM each day!...
🎶On the eighth day of giveaways Salt Lake mag gave to me...🎶⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
A beautiful essential gift set from the wonderful @acrelyfarms 🌿
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Here's the idea: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⭐ Like this post and tag a friend who you believe should win the giveaway item! The person you tag is then entered to win! (Friends can tag one another) 💑⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⭐ Be sure to follow us (@slmag) and @acrelyfarms on insta! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⭐ Entry deadline will be at 10PM. The winner will be announced at 11:59PM and a new prize will be posted in the AM each day!...
There was never a time there wasn’t Mary Malouf. Until now. Today, Mary died when a rogue wave swept her out to sea off the coast of Northern California. Only she – perhaps the world’s foremost lover of Bronte, BBC mysteries and, of course, Moby Dick – would appreciate such poetic drama.
“I know not all that may be coming, but be it what it will, I'll go to it laughing.” — Mary Brown Malouf. Ooops. Herman Mellville....
🎶On the seventh day of giveaways Salt Lake mag gave to me...🎶⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⛳️ (2) 9 Hole Rounds at @saltlakecitygolf 🏌️♀️⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Here's the idea: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⭐ Like this post and tag a friend who you believe should win the giveaway item! The person you tag is then entered to win! (Friends can tag one another) 💑⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⭐ Be sure to follow us (@slmag) and @saltlakecitygolf on insta! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⭐ Entry deadline will be at 10PM. The winner will be announced at 11:59PM and a new prize will be posted in the AM each day!...
GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED. Winner announced in the story. see you tomorrow.
🎶On the sixth day of giveaways Salt Lake mag gave to me...🎶⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🍽️ $100 Gift Card to @la_caille_utah 🥂⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Located at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon, La Caille bring us an upscale, French-Belgian restaurant experience.⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Here's the idea: ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⭐ Like this post and tag a friend who you believe should win the giveaway item! The person you tag is then entered to win! (Friends can tag one another) 💑⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⭐ Be sure to follow us (@slmag) and @la_caille_utah on insta! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⭐ Entry deadline will be at 10PM. The winner will be announced at 11:59PM and a new prize will be posted in the AM each day!...