I know, I know, my blog generally focuses on Southern Utah. Today I’m talking about the northern part of the state – Salt Lake City! Here are 5 things you may not know about our state capital.

1. Fluffy Snow

According to Ski Utah, the snow density in Utah is 8.5 percent, meaning the snow is the perfect mix of dry, fluffy snow and wet, heavy snow. Salt Lake City provides the opportunity for great snow to develop, as storms that developed over the Pacific Ocean move into the area and as it moves over the Great Salt Lake, it gets colder and drier as it progresses. This causes the snow to be denser. The light fluffy snow forms when all layers of the atmosphere are below freezing. because the air is cold, all the way down to the surface, snowflakes don’t melt. That allows the individual flakes to stay light and fluffy. The effect is perfect for skiing: a nice dense base, topped with fluffy low-density powder. 

2. One of the Largest LGBT Communities in the US

Salt Lake City has a high percentage of adults who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender among the nation’s top 50 metropolitan areas. The city attracts LGBT people from surrounding largely rural states that don’t have big metropolitan areas. Salt Lake City has been very proactive and progressive in LBGT rights and is known as a welcoming place.

3. Affordability

Salt Lake City is the #1 most trendy and affordable city in the country. Young professionals and large families alike are often surprised by Salt Lake City’s low rent prices and generally affordable cost of living compared to other similarly sized cities. The number of Salt Lake City houses for sale is projected to grow. Overall home prices in Salt Lake City have significantly grown in since 2012 as the city’s opportunities, cultural reputation and a movement toward mid-size cities continues to grow.

4. Biker-Friendly

With over 150 miles of bike lanes, multi-use trails shared lanes, and off-road tracks, Salt Lake City wins the biker friendly award. The entire city’s tourable along a 13.5-mile loop that goes through downtown, passes the farmer’s market and hits tons of historical sites across the city. Plus, the city has the infrastructure in place to help keep bicycle commuters safe on city streets, like bike turn boxes and bicycle-specific traffic signals.

5. You Will Float in the Great Salt Lake

Because the salt content is so high, you will not sink, you will actually float in the Great Salt Lake.  There are 4.5 billion tons of salt in the Great Salt Lake giving the water a salt density about 10 times more than the ocean. The northern side of the lake is twice as salty as the south. 

What are some interesting facts about your state capital?