Hi Ute Ranch is opening their doors Saturday morning from 9 a.m. – noon for the annual Preservation Pancake Breakfast as an opportunity for the community to explore the ranch which remains in private hands. Although the breakfast is free, donations will be collected on behalf of Utah Open Lands. Director Wendy Fisher said Utah Open Lands has partnered with several local businesses to make this educational event possible.
“We have the Snyderville Basin Rec District which is our great partner in having protected the Hi Ute Ranch – there going to be there as well," Fisher said. "And we also going to have the famous, I think, Sally Elliot sourdough pancakes, they’re going to be on the griddle. So it’s free, it’s open to the public and we’re going to be able to tour the barn. Silver king coffee graciously donated coffee for the event. So it’s going to be a fantastic morning with some tours and some education on raptors, because that property – especially the pastures right there - are an amazing habitat for red tails, cooper haws, all sorts of raptors that need those open meadows.”
Utah Open Lands and the Snyderville Basin Rec District purchased a conservation easement on the ranch that includes about 1,500 acres.
“The family is still the owners of the property," Fisher said. "They’ve graciously allowed us to do this each year to allow that the public can get a chance to see this unique property and of course, you know the Millennial Trail runs along part of the property – both on the east side and on the north side of the property and in the future there will be another trail higher up.”
Because the event is free, they’re asking those who want to go to RSVP at utahopenlands.org or call 435 463-6156 so they have an idea of just how many flapjacks they need to grill.