Spilling from the Wasatch
foothills onto desert flats, Salt Lake City offers a rare
mix of natural wonder, monumental architecture, and unique culture.
The first Mormon pioneers, spurred by years of forced
westward migration, arrived here in 1847. Within hours they were
planting crops and laying out a city. Today about half of Salt
Lake's population belongs to the Mormon Church. Many modern-day arrivals—Mormon and otherwise—are attracted by the city's
outdoor life and growing high-tech and retail-based economy.
Designed on a grid system, Salt Lake City is composed of spacious blocks and wide streets. The Wasatch Range looms in the east, while the Oquirrh Mountains comprise the western edge of the valley.
Each season maintains a unique identity in Salt Lake City. Generally mild springs segue to warm or hot summers with low humidity. Average high temperatures in the summer reach 93°F (34°C), but mountain areas may be as much as 20°F (7°C) cooler. Pleasantly mild fall seasons flow into snowy winters.
Winter highs usually range in the 30s (about 0°C), though low temperatures in the mountains are generally much cooler. Ski resorts sometimes report below freezing lows.
