Bryce

Bryce Harper hits first homers, goes deep twice for Phillies

Bryce Harper showed off his mighty power a week before opening day.

The slugger hit his first two Grapefruit League homers for the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday, driving one completely out of the ballpark.

"I feel good right now," Harper said. "The swing feels good. The timing is coming along. I'll take the next couple days and really try to solidify my timing, have good at-bats, keep seeing pitches, walking. When I'm walking, that's when I'm at my best. See as many pitches as I can, jump on some early and have good at-bats."

Harper is hitting .231 (3 for 13) with two homers, three RBIs, six walks and seven strikeouts this spring. He got a late start after signing a $330 million, 13-year contract on March 2. The six-time All-Star with the Washington Nationals had the richest contract in baseball history for less than three weeks. The Los Angeles Angels gave Mike Trout a 12-year, $426.5 million contract Wednesday.

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to The Kansas City Star

Harper ripped a two-run shot off right-hander Sam Gaviglio in the first inning, sending a hard liner over the right-field wall. His solo shot in the sixth off lefty Thomas Pannone sailed over the fans in the standing-room section in right field and cleared the back fence.

"I thought the first one was a rocket and had an incredible carry and the second one I thought was squared up even better," manager Gabe Kapler said.

Fellow new additions Andrew McCutchen and J.T. Realmuto also went deep to help Philadelphia pound the Toronto Blue Jays 13-6.

"The lineup is looking good," Harper said. "We're all excited to get up north."

The Phillies will host the Atlanta Braves in their season opener on March 28.

02

What Auburn’s Bruce Pearl, Chuma Okeke and Bryce Brown said about Kansas

Ahead of Saturday’s second-round matchup with fourth-seeded Kansas, Auburn coach Bruce Pearl and players Bryce Brown and Chuma Okeke met with the media for a press conference in Salt Lake City’s Vivint Smart Home Arena.

Pearl, Okeke and Brown previewed Saturday’s second-round matchup, which will tip at 8:40 p.m. CT and air on TBS. The Tigers are slight favorites against the Jayhawks.

Here’s a look at everything Pearl, Brown and Okeke had to say about the game:

Auburn

Q. Bryce, have you thought over the last 48 hours about how far you’ve come from being under-recruited to being on this stage presently?Bryce BROWN: I think about it all the time. Times like this is where I take advantage of it and show people what I’m made of. All the people that’s overlooked me, I feel this is the time just play my skills and show them what I made of and show them what they missed out on.Q. Is your nose okay? It looked like you took a shot in the face.

BRYCE BROWN: This is doing much better now. Thank you.

Q. There were a couple of moments in the game yesterday when he was pretty direct in his instructions to you guys. How would you describe his coaching style?

BRYCE BROWN: Passionate, aggressive, just one of the best for us players. You know, he’s a loving coach, caring. He wants to see us do well and see us succeed. And he was -- he’s always on us, mainly our seniors, because he want us to leave out on a good note and leave out strong. He doesn’t want us to regret anything in the future. And you know, he’s a players’ coach. I have enjoyed playing for him all four years, like all the other seniors have. Yeah.

Q. You guys had your run to the SEC tournament, now you got that win yesterday against New Mexico State. How has your guys’ confidence grown over the winning streak?

BRYCE BROWN: We know what it takes at this point to beat these top tier teams, similar of Kansas. And as we knocked off Tennessee about a week ago, we kind of knowing what it takes, we know what type of ball we have to play, which is knocking down three-pointers, that’s our game style, as well as defending and getting up inside of our defenders. That’s when we are at our best, forcing turnovers. And we have to be physical, especially with a team like Kansas, we have to be physical because we are undersized and they have a very physical presence down low. It is our jobs as guards to help the bigs as well, you know, get down there and help them out.

Q. Bryce, you mentioned you guys were a three-point shooting team. Northeastern were as well. Did you watch how Kansas defended against Northeastern and what you took from it?

BRYCE BROWN: I don’t know much about what Northeastern and I’m assuming, since you said they were a good three-point shooting team, I’m guessing Kansas did a pretty good job of making them attack the basket, running them off the line, which is what I can see them trying to do against us.And our job is to make our teammates better, me and Jared and Chuma, the primary play makers, to get inside the paint and not only finish, but to try and drive and draw to our teammates hoping they can get open looks as well. So, taking note that you said that Northeastern is a good perimeter shooting team, I still don’t feel they’re the team we are because we have quick guards that are not just able to shoot but we can also get downhill as well.

Q. Bryce, you mentioned it there, you might be a bit undersized. What challenge does Dedric Lawson present you guys defensively?

BRYCE BROWN: We need to do a little bit more studying on him as a team. Off what I do know, he’s a good physical, offensive presence down there. Not very athletic, so I feel like we could take advantage of that. He’s a big body, he has good footwork and he has a soft touch around the basket, he can step out on the perimeter. He can put the ball on the floor.But I have great confidence in my guys that we’ll do a great job on him. He’s a good player, but I feel like our guys are just as good, maybe even better, so yes.

Q. For both players, you have had a strong schedule, you have faced Kentucky and Tennessee. How much does that help when you face traditional team like Kansas?

CHUMA OKEKE: I feel like the SEC prepared us for a game like this. We know how to prepare for it now, so I think it prepared us really good.

BRYCE BROWN: The level of intensity those teams come with. We know how they come out and like I said, the top-tier teams, those type of teams, are all well-rounded defensively, offensively. That’s what it takes to be a good team. They will be well on both sides of the ball. And I can probably see Kansas being similar to that since they are one of those top-tier programs.

Q. Chuma, when you were younger, you played with Dedric in youth basketball, maybe when you were 10 or 11 years old. Do you remember that? Or is that true or not?

CHUMA OKEKE: I used to play basketball with him, he was on my team when we were younger.

Q. (Off microphone.)

CHUMA OKEKE: He was a real smooth basketball player, real good, real long, like he is today. He’s always been a good basketball player.THE MODERATOR: More questions? We’ll let these gentlemen go and wait for Coach Bruce Pearl. Thank you, guys.Let’s open it up to questions for Coach Bruce Pearl.

Q. Coach, at this point in the game, does experience matter? You are playing a Kansas team with four freshmen in the starting line-up and a guy who transferred from Memphis, NCAA debut on Thursday. Does that matter?

BRUCE PEARL: I would think experience does matter. And older players have been there and done that. Sometimes, you know, for us we were in a situation a year ago where we were not able to compete in the Round of 32, we were down to seven healthy players, and our roster is a little deeper right now. So we’ve been there. We weren’t able to take advantage of that. Now we’re here against, you know, maybe the most historic program in the history of college basketball. With the opportunity now to get another shot at it is probably the thing that jumps out at me as far as experience is concerned. There are no freshmen anymore; they have all been through it before. And Kansas still has solid pros, former McDonalds All-American, and a Hall of Fame basketball coach so we’ve got our hands full.

Q. You are coming off a very emotional and intense victory whereas Kansas won quite easily. Other than the fact that they could rest some guys at the end of the game, do you see any other advantages or disadvantages as far as the emotional state of the game?

BRUCE PEARL: I was pleased with our team after the game because we weren’t very happy. We were accountable for the fact that we had a meltdown, and we did not play very well defensively or keep New Mexico State off the boards. New Mexico State’s inside guys really had their way with us, and Kansas’s inside guys are bigger and better. So we have our hands full from that standpoint.But the only other advantage/disadvantage was we were really tired yesterday. Five games in eight days is a lot, plus the travel. So, even though this will be six games in ten days, I really feel like having played early Thursday and now with a later start Saturday we’ll be fine, we will be fresher than we were on Thursday.

Q. Coach, through your run in the SEC tournament, playing against teams like Kentucky and Tennessee, how have you seen your players’ confidence grow over this winning streak?

BRUCE PEARL: The thing that jumps out to me is the fact that over the last couple of years, if Jared Harper and Bryce Brown played well, we had a real good chance to win. If they didn’t, we had no chance to win. That’s not been the case here in March. We’ve had great play from our bench, we’ve had lots of different guys step up. And from a confidence standpoint, I think it’s been really, really good that those guys don’t have to carry us, that somebody else is capable. And so, therefore, the kids are trusting a process and they’re beginning to rely on themselves and each other more.

Q. Coach, what do you do better or differently than other schools to make you the best turnover team in the country and create steals?

BRUCE PEARL: Again, what jumps out to me is the rules are constantly changing and adjusting. I’m a Tom Davis disciple, 94 feet full-court pressure. But because of some of the different rules, trapping has virtually disappeared from our game. And so, therefore, our full-court pressure defense has really had to change. You can’t be as aggressive because you’re going to get calls for fouls. So we had to find a way to turn people over in the half-court. Simply put, we try to take a look at what you like to do and take away what you like to do and make you do something else. So how can we stop Kansas’s inside game? How can we stop Lawson with his inside-outside game? How can we stop those guys from driving down the lane? If we can figure out a way to do that and turn them over some in the process, we have a fighting chance to win the game.

Q. Coach, your voice is in a better shape today than it was yesterday. What are the challenges when you do lose your voice down the stretch, especially in a game like yesterday when you’re trying to get play calls in or yell at guys to do certain things? How do you recover 24 hours before the next game?

BRUCE PEARL: Can you repeat that?

Q. I’m wondering in a tight game like yesterday, how do you get signals in to guys when you can’t scream? And part two, how do you get your vocal chords rested so you don’t make it worse?

BRUCE PEARL: We have hand signals on how we call plays. I can call anything verbally, I can also call it with hand signals and communicate with my point guard that way.Late in the game, I had one timeout left and I did not want to use the timeout in case we were in an inbound situation where the inbound passer needed it. I’ll be honest with you, my coaches were asking me to call timeout and burn the last one, whether I should or shouldn’t have I don’t know. I instructed our guys, up three or up four, what to do in that situation. Now, could they then take that instruction, get it to the other players and execute it? Remains to be seen whether or not we were able to get that done or not. Obviously, we fouled a three-point shooter when we weren’t supposed to.There’s a fine line in there. You can go through a situation all you want in practice, but until you’re out there in that pressure situation, that’s why you understand that players are going to do what they do, you know. And they’re going to make plays, both good and bad, so that can sometimes win you games, it can cost you games.

Q. Coach, you mentioned your guys being upset about the way the game finished yesterday. Every run has a game like that; one you have to survive, one that you’ve got to win ugly. Do you spin it that way after? Do you move on as quick as you can? What was the immediate aftermath of that with your guys?

BRUCE PEARL: The immediate aftermath was the guys were really down, whether they missed the ball, turned the ball over. But we still won and we’re still alive and we still advanced.What can we learn from it? I tell parents this all the time: When Johnny strikes out and cries, or sometimes he throws his bat, I’d rather teach him how to care a little less rather than to teach him to care and not sure whether that was strike three, did we win? I want him to keep score, I want him to know.The fact our guys were down tells you they wanted it really badly. Sometimes wanting it really badly can get in the way. We’ve been in a lot of close game situations because we play in the SEC. I told my team that one of the advantages that we had over New Mexico State is they haven’t been in very many close games because they’ve dominated the WAC. It’s going to be a close game. I mean, I knew it was going to be a close game because I knew they were that good and I knew we weren’t that much better than they were. We made five out of our last six free throws. That’s how you close out games. We still did some good things at the end.

Q. How important has Chuma been to what you do defensively, as far as creating turnovers? How unique is it to have a big guy leading your team in steals?

BRUCE PEARL: I know you all love the game, watch Chuma, just watch him, because I know the pro scouts are. He is always in the right place at the right time. He is a great defender. Great hands, great instincts. Covers up a lot of our misses and mistakes and has got a great future. He gives us terrific versatility.The match-up of he and Lawson will be a good match-up when Lawson is playing the four. Lawson will also play a lot of five, mostly five. When he does, I don’t know if I can get Chuma on that match-up as often.He’s been a great, great guy to coach 'cuz he gives us great versatility defensively and then offensively he can score inside and out. And so he’s really a guy that we try to play call for and he’s been a big difference maker for us this year.

Q. Bruce, I’m sure there’s a lot of gamesmanship at the free-throw line that we can’t see or hear. I’m curious how you felt about J’Von doing the choke sign yesterday?

BRUCE PEARL: I didn’t hear about that until ten minutes ago, so I apologize. And I talked to J’Von about it -- maybe it was 20 minutes ago -- I just talked to him about. I haven’t seen it so I can’t comment on it. It’s certainly not something that you want or certainly not anything you promote.And for me, what I would love, with your cooperation, J’Von McCormick, great kid, great family, played in a smaller JUCO, his best offers were Florida International and Florida Atlantic. When we lost Davion Mitchell to transfer in the spring, I had a scholarship for a player on a team that had a chance to go to the NCAA tournament, and I couldn’t give it away because I had Jared Harper and Bryce Brown. Nobody wanted to come to Auburn because everybody recruited wants to start, they all want minutes. I recruit guys straight up. This is most likely going to be a backup position. You can challenge those guys. To his credit he said, I’m going to come in and push him. If I come off the bench, I come off the bench. He’s a great kid. And we haven’t lost in March, and one of the major reasons is because of J’Von, his ability to come off the bench, his quickness, to accept the role that he had, not complain about it. He hasn’t started a game, he hasn’t come close to starting. So the story for me with J’Von is, Hey, J, I haven’t seen this yet, but unfortunately you have given the world an opportunity to focus on that, which I wish they wouldn’t, but sometimes you have a responsibility. So we’re dealing with it. All it is, you look at it as a lesson, not only for him but for the next guy. That’s not at all his character and that’s not at all ours.

Q. You were talking about your coaching philosophy and things and I don’t know if you saw this, but Tom Izzo is a lightning rod today because he went out and yelled at a guy pretty harshly. What’s your take on coaching players in games when they mess up?

BRUCE PEARL: That’s a great question. The great Pat Dye at Auburn said: You can coach them as hard as you love them. There’s nobody that can yell at your kids like you can. Nobody. You wouldn’t let anybody else yell at your kids if you feel like you need to in a particular moment. Why? Because you love them. They love you. They respect you. And so that’s number one.Number two, sometimes kids are afraid to fail. Sometimes they’re scared for the moment. And why not, the moment’s huge. I’d rather have them scared of me and what I might say to them or how I might bite their head off versus being afraid to fail and not execute something. SoI don’t know what all the hubbub is about, I haven’t seen him yell, but I have seen it before. And so my guess is it’s a huge overreaction. Kids still want discipline. Kids still want to be coached. They want tough love. And I want my son playing for a guy that knows his role. That’s your head coach. By the way, I told my guys, Half the time I’m yelling at you, I’m wrong. I’m wrong. But I’m going to do my job to the very best of my ability. You do your job to the best of your ability.

Tom Green is an Auburn beat reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Tomas_verde.

03

Bryce Drew Fired as Vanderbilt Head Coach After 3 Seasons

Mark Humphrey/Associated Press

Vanderbilt announced Friday that it is parting ways with head men's basketball coach Bryce Drew after just three seasons on the job.

Drew released a statement on Twitter on the decision:

Stadium's Jeff Goodman was the first to report that Vandy athletic director Malcolm Turner had made a bold decision just two months into his tenure by opting to fire Drew on the heels of a 9-23 season that included an 0-18 mark in SEC play.

In three seasons at Vanderbilt, Drew led the Commodores to the NCAA tournament one time.

Turner released the following statement in conjunction with the announcement of Drew's dismissal:

"Vanderbilt is committed to competing at the highest levels on and off the court. After careful consideration, we've decided to make a change to the leadership of our men's basketball program. Bryce has represented Vanderbilt in exceptional fashion in his time here. I appreciate all of the contributions Bryce has made over the past three seasons to Vanderbilt, and we wish him all the best."

Per Steve Layman of News Channel 5 in Nashville, many were surprised by Drew's firing:

While Vandy had a rough 2018-19 season with no wins in SEC play and went just 12-20 the previous season as well, Goodman noted that firing Drew was a somewhat curious decision given his recruiting success.

Drew landed a pair of McDonald's All-Americans in Darius Garland and Simisola Shittu, who were both set for significant roles as freshmen in 2018-19, although Garland appeared in just five games due to a knee injury.

If Garland opts to enter the NBA draft, it is expected that he could be a lottery pick, which is something the Commodores have never produced.

Also, Vandy had one of the youngest teams in the country this season, and with only one senior on the entire roster, it seemingly has a great chance to bounce back in 2019-20, especially if Garland decides to return for one more season.

The 44-year-old Drew ends his time at Vanderbilt with a 40-59 mark, which included a 19-16 record in 2016-17 and a narrow first-round loss to Northwestern in the NCAA tournament.

Before joining Vanderbilt, Drew was the head coach at Valparaiso for five seasons, going 124-49 with two NCAA tournament appearances.

Given Drew's strong recruiting ability and history of success at the mid-major level, he figures to be a hot coaching candidate should he decide to catch on elsewhere in 2019-20.

Lockport Township High School drafting and design students advance to state

On March 1, 27 Lockport Township High School drafting and design students participated in the Illinois Design Educators Association (IDEA) Regional Competition held at Joliet Junior College.

They were Bryce Bejlovec, Matthew Namikas and Sally Zhang in Introductory Computer aided drafting; Muhammad Zegar, Russell Simmons and Kylie Schultz in Architecture 3D Drafting; Brandon Garcia, George Guzlus and Chance Tyler in Machine Computer Aided Drafting; Brendan Klepitsch, Ben Rupnow, Antonio Ceballos, Edgar Jarusevicius, Kaira Stricklin and Abigail Obradovic in 3D Solids; Matthew Stonis, Adriana Watson, Zachary Glowczynski, Michael Strahanoski and Dennis Papafotopoulos in Assembly Modeling.

The team of Aldo Guerra, Naser Salem and William Centano competed in architecture design. The team of Daniel Arechiga, Jonathan Naughton and Caleb Speechley competed in engineering design. 

Jeff Brown and Corey Duzan lead the students.

CAD/drafting students from eight schools in the Three Rivers Education for Employment System (TREES) attended this year’s competition.

In the CAD contests, the students were given a drawing problem to solve and draw in a one and half hour time limit.

In the team divisions, the students were presented with a design problem in January, to solve and present their solutions at the regional event. The designs were graded by architects, engineers, college students and college instructors.

The students who placed in the top two in each CAD category advanced to the state competition and the first finishers in the team/design competitions advanced to state, which will be held April 27 at Illinois State University.  

The following LTHS students placed at regionals and qualified for state: Matthew Stonis (first place in assembly model drawing), Bryce Bejlovec (first place in introduction to CAD), Daniel Arechiga, Jon Naughton and Caleb Speechley (first place in engineering design team) and Aldo Guerra, Naser Salem and William Centano (first place in architecture design team).

The following LTHS students placed at regionals, but did not qualify for state: Brandon Garcia (third place in machine CAD) and Muhammad Zegar (third place in architecture 3D).

This is the second year in a row that Mathew Stonis won at regionals and qualified for state.

02

Secret test labs used by Microsoft to develop hardware revealed

Deep in the heart of Microsoft’s sprawling Redmond campus is a building few Microsoft employees, let alone outsiders, have ever seen.

Known only as Building 87, it is home to Microsoft’s hardware design team, and has seen the birth of everything from Microsoft’s Surface tablets and laptops to its Xbox console and controllers.

Dailymail.com was given a rare glimpse inside the lab, where a mini factory churns out prototype parts day and night.

Labs inside the building also run experiments on Microsoft workers, analysing everything from the tiniest movement of their hands as they move a mouse to 3D head scanners using dozens of cameras to capture features to help design headsets.

Scroll down for video 

The firm also has a sci-fi like chamber with a single seat at which 36 cameras pointed at a participant to capture their every move and they use products, and a lighting room to recreate the lighting of any room

WHAT'S INSIDE THE SECRET FACTORY? 

Microsoft’s ‘mini factory’ allows designers to make an almost complete prototype of a new product.

Designers used CAD software to map out the design of a product.

3D printers then create a mockup, allowing designers to tweak their design

Prototypes are rigorously tested by labs across the Microsoft campus.

Textile lab allows the firm to create its own fabric keyboards and cases

Milling machines create metal parts.

Dozens of prototypes are built before the team agree on a final product. 

Within the bowels of the building there are even chambers to recreate light and sound conditions - including the quietest room in the world.

Once through the security, grey slate walls are found throughout, with the only signs of life visible behind highly frosted glass with large ‘no tailgating’ warnings on them.

‘I’ve never been able to give a tour like this before,’ admitted Chris Kujawski, Principal Designer, Microsoft Device Team, as he led Dailymail.com through the building.

The lab was set up to allow Microsoft’s designers to create prototype hardware, and to bring all of the firm’s designers together.

‘We were created this one cohesive brand for Microsoft, so it makes sense to keep them all under one roof,' Kujawski said.

‘The inspiration you get from other designers really elevates what we do.’ 

First, he takes us to Microsoft’s 'human factors' lab.

John Morris of Microsoft’s human factors design team explained the vast array of lab tests Microsoft subjects employees and outsiders to in order to find out how products ranging from headphones to mice, keyboards and consoles.

Human vision, hearing, speech, tactile sensitivity and emotional response - we cover a wide range of capabilities.

‘We work on every product we make to design them around human, ‘ he said.

‘For instance, we use EEG and eye tracking to work out how stitching between desktop and tablet modes affects our brain’s workload.’

The firm even injects tiny sensors the same size as a human hair into the hand muscles of employees to work out exactly how they are moving when working or playing games.

‘We can find out exactly how much a muscle is contracting, and contracting over time - and use that to make the product better.'

The firm also has a sci-fi like chamber with a single seat at which 36 cameras pointed at a participant to capture their every move and they use products, and a lighting room to recreate the lighting of any room.

‘We need to know all about the variability in the human body so our products will work for all of them.’

Chris Kujawski, Principal Designer, Microsoft Device Team, is shown above with prototypes of the Xbox Adaptive controller

MICROSOFT'S ACCESSIBILITY LAB 

In another building on campus, there is a very different lab. The inclusive tech lab is designed to let anyone play games. It is here the Xbox adaptive controller, the star of Microsoft’s Superbowl ad, was refined.

Bryce Johnson, the co-creator of the controller, told Dailymail.com over 5,000 people have now gone through the lab.

‘When we first started talking about this idea out beloved controller can sometimes unintentionally exclude people.

‘It assumes I have two hands, two thumbs and the endurance to hold it.’

The ground-floor space contains a range of specially developed controllers allowing people to play games by touch, taps and even breath. There are braille signs all over the space, and even a special areas with controllable lighting and a gravity blanket designed to make a comfortable space for gamers with autism, who often crave routine.

‘This room isn’t about people with disabilities, it’s for people with disabilities - and that’s a really big difference,’ Johnson said.

The team used to the lab to test the Adaptive Controller, and still host gaming nights to refine the technology.

Kujawski even reached for a giant Xbox controller the firm created to give designers an idea of what they felt like to a five year old.

Next on our tour was the prototyping lab, a secretive area where Microsoft builds dozens of prototypes of unreleased gadgets to allow designers to tweak them.

Huge 3D printers were churning out custom made Xbox controllers in full color, while next door a full paint studio. 

The 3D printers run day and night to help the designers, and can create objects in both plastic and metal. It creates around 400 parts a day.

Elsewhere, larger machines mill metal prototypes, carbing complex shapes from huge blocks of metal.

‘We believe we have the best prototyping capabilities anywhere in the world.

There’s also a spray painting room to perfect colors, and a textile room where the fabric used for cases and keyboards is perfected.

Data from the lab is then sent directly to production facilities in China for manufacturing.

The building also contains the quietest place on Earth, where Microsoft tests the sounds it machines, from fans to keyboards, make.

‘We have the idea in that room over there, come across the hall, and we can made it here. We can do everything to get to a final product,’ said Kujawski.

‘For instance, the adaptive controller came to life here.

‘We 3D print them, we give them to experts who tell us what we’ve done wrong, and we improve them.’

Kujawski said dozens of Adaptive controllers were made and tested before the design was finalized.

‘We care about every piece of plastic, every circuit board - even those that aren’t going to be seen by people.

03

3D Printing An Entire Rocket

If you’re ever flying into LAX and have the left side window seat, just a few minutes before landing, look out the window. You’ll see a small airport just below you and what appears at first glance to be a smokestack. That’s not a smokestack, though: that’s a rocket, and that’s where SpaceX is building all their rockets. Already SpaceX has revolutionized the aerospace industry, but just down the street there’s another company that’s pushing the manufacturing of rocket engines a bit further. Relativity Space is building rockets. They’re 3D printing rocket engines, and they’re designing what could be the first rocket engine made on Mars.

Bryce Salmi is an avionics hardware engineer at Relatively Space, and he made it out to the 2018 Hackaday Superconference to tell us all about manufacturing rockets. It’s an entirely new approach to manufacturing rockets and rocket engines with a clean-slate design that could eventually be manufactured on Mars.

There is a lot of work that goes into manufacturing a rocket. There are jigs that could cost millions of dollars, there are tanks that have to be pressure tested, and there is a vast amount of labor involved for what is essentially a very carefully controlled explosion. This is changing with Relativity Space’s first rocket, the Terran 1. This is a 100-foot-tall, 7-foot diameter rocket that will launch 1250 kg to Low Earth Orbit. It uses Oxygen and Methane — the same fuel that SpaceX plans to use to return from the surface of Mars — and is almost entirely 3D printed. In fact, Relativity aims to build a rocket from raw materials and have it fly in two months.

If you’re printing a rocket engine, you need a 3D printer, and for this Relativity is using Direct Metal Laser Sintering, where metal powder is spread across a bed, a laser melts the powder into a pattern, and another layer of powder is deposited. While this sounds futuristic, it’s becoming a fairly standard industrial process, with Boeing and Airbus either looking into DMLS for manufacturing parts or using it in planes already. Relativity has designed their AEON 1 engine to be entirely 3D printed, reducing the thousands of parts that would go into a rocket engine down to just three. The entire engine is designed to be 3D printed, and there really is no other way to make this engine.

But Relativity is talking about 3D printing an entire rocket, not just an engine. You can’t buy a machine that will print something 100 feet long and seven feet in diameter; you’ve got to build one. That’s what Relativity Space did with the creation of the Stargate. The Stargate (named after StarCraft, by the way), is a wire deposition 3D printer designed to print tanks and structural bodies for the Terran 1 rocket.

Inside the Stargate, there are several robotic arms, each equipped with a wire deposition head. These arms can be used together where one arm can print, another arm machines away the excess, and another inspects the work, all at the same time.

What Relativity Space is doing is special. Making rockets is expensive, because no company will ever make very many — a low volume — and the labor that goes into these rockets is very high. By reducing the part count of the engine, manufacturing tanks and structures with 3D printing, and reducing the tooling cost, Relativity space is building rockets that are cheaper and possibly lighter than anything else out there. Since these rockets can be manufactured with robots, this might just be the rocket we launch from Mars.

Bryce Canyon & Zion National Park Tours

Bryce Canyon & Zion National Park Tours (Photo: )

Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks define southwest Utah with their unique, otherworldly landscapes. From the deep red cliffs of Zion to the unmistakable string of hoodoos and spires of Bryce Canyon, a trip to southwest Utah is simply not complete without stops into each of these parks. The parks rank as two of the most popular within the national park system and their location within 86 miles of each other makes it easy to visit both in one vacation.

Location

Zion and Bryce Canyon are both located in southwest Utah. Zion is the westernmost of Utah's national parks and lies east of the town of Springdale on UT-9. The park is about 35 miles off of Interstate 15. Bryce Canyon National Park is located south of the small town of Bryce Canyon City and is near the intersection of UT-12 and UT-63. US-89, a highway that runs north and south through Utah, is located near the park.

Weather and Season

Zion is known for having moderate weather throughout the winter, although snow can accumulate at higher elevations. Average daytime highs are in the 50s during the winter months of December, January and February. Summer temperatures can get extremely hot.

Bryce Canyon experiences harsher winters and more snow than Zion. High daytime temperatures are in the low 40s in the winter. Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are possible along the rim in the winter months.

Both parks are open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Some facilities, roads and trails experience seasonal closure in the winter.

Shuttle Tours

Bryce Canyon and Zion each offer respective shuttles that provide access to the most scenic and popular destinations within each park. The shuttles run seasonally, with Zion's running from April through October and Bryce Canyon's running from late May to early September.

The Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is closed to traffic during the high season, so the shuttle is the only way of accessing it by vehicle. Bryce Canyon's shuttle is not mandatory but is encouraged to cut down on traffic and pollution within the park. The shuttles are free but park entry fees are still required.

Auto Tours

Bryce Canyon and Zion are situated within a convenient distance for self-guided auto tours. The National Park Service suggests taking UT-9 through the heart of Zion, a very scenic drive in itself, to the intersection of US-89. US-89 north will take you to UT-12 east and UT-63 south into Bryce Canyon. You can purchase a detailed map of Canyon Country, which includes all five of Utah's national parks as well as other nearby parks, national monuments and other public lands of interest (see Resources).

Tour Operators

Many companies operate tours into the individual parks and opportunities for guided tours are nearly endless. Tour operators can be found in base towns like Springdale or larger cities such as St. George, Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. You will find both individual park tours, Zion and Bryce tours, and tours of these national parks plus others, including Capitol Reef, Arches, Canyonlands and Grand Canyon. You can select from day trips through multi-week tours, depending on your time and budget. You can enjoy relaxing, scenic tours by air, bus and horseback, or more intimate, challenging access through hiking, canyoneering and other active pursuits (see Resources).

About the Author

Joe Fletcher has been a writer since 2002, starting his career in politics and legislation. He has written travel and outdoor recreation articles for a variety of print and online publications, including "Rocky Mountain Magazine" and "Bomb Snow." He received a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Rutgers College.

Leaf Group is a USA TODAY content partner providing general travel information. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

02

Bryce Canyon National Park – What to Pack – Clothing and Supplies Tips

Bryce Canyon National Park What to Pack

When you get to Bryce Canyon National Park, prepare for some great hiking and amazing scenery. Being in such high elevations, you’ll also want to be sure your packing list is complete.

Luggage and Bags

A simple day pack to carry extra clothes, snacks, and plenty of water. If you plan to do the Under-the-Rim Trail or Riggs Loop, you will need a backpack, preferably one with padded shoulder straps.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear

Prepare for cold, even if hiking in the warmer months. Snow is sometimes still visible and you’ll appreciate a light jacket/sweatshirt. Generally, think layers. Other important items to pack:

·  Comfortable socks

·  Extra t-shirt

·  Warm hat and fleece (for mornings and nights)

·  Gloves (even November can drop below freezing)

·  Raincoat

·  Shorts (warmer months)

·  Hat and sunglasses

Good hiking boots with traction are essential on this steep terrain. Don’t be fooled by short distances and try hiking in flip-flops. Tennis shoes really don’t cut it either.

Camping/Outdoor Gear

Bryce is at a high elevation so you’ll want a warm sleeping bag, sleeping mat and decent tent. Planning to camp in the backcountry? Bring a cooking stove or eat cold; fires are not allowed.

Photo Equipment

Whatever you use – phone, point and shoot or fancier camera, just bring it! If you’re looking for more than casual shots, plan for:

·  Best zoom you have

·  Wide angle (zoom is great for taking shots from the Rim but in the amphitheater you’ll want a wide angle to fit the formations into view).

·  Tripod (sunrise and sunset shots)

·  Polarizing filter

Some of the formations appear almost translucent when illuminated by soft light. You may not want to use a warming filter or a polarizer on a sunny day; the landscape is already deeply saturated. Plan for extra memory cards and batteries.

Also, bring plenty of water, lip balm, sunscreen, bandages, snacks, binoculars and a compass. A map and guidebook are helpful too.

Editor’s Note: The information contained on this page was compiled using real traveler reviews about what to pack for Bryce Canyon National Park.

03

Bryce Canyon National Park - GPS Map Navigator

!! TRY before BUY !!! Try now the new FlyToMap web viewer to see all available maps worldwide !!! Visit viewer.flytomap.com

“Download any FlytoMap application for Free! By purchasing FlytoMap All-in-One App”

!! Watch "Flytomap GPS" app video on www.appreview.com and www.youtube.com !!

FlytoMap provides complete, quick and easy to use map applications for navigation for iphone. Continues in the tradition of offering depth of information and functionality across expected places all over the world, exploring the map you get maximum details obtaining detailed information of each object on the map.

Use to Explore:

“Use Latitudes and Longitudes to go to your favorite places”“Insert the target/destination ‘Waypoint’ and see in real time your speed, distance and direction to destination”“Insert Unlimited Markers near favorite places on the map”“Search your Favorite points directly”“Zoom, Rotate and Pan fast just by a finger touch”“Navigate and see your GPS position on the map”“Geo-Tagged photo management”“Set On/Off Elevation Contours if you feel data is cluttering”

FlytoMap processes different types of maps for navigation for different categories:

PARK MAPS:

Park map applications are extremely advanced contains embedded electronic charts with all information collected from the National Park Service and local sources. The maps contain all multiple trails (Hiking, biking, Stairway trails, Bicycle trails, Equestrian trails etc.,) and Point of interests (POI) like Campgrounds, Eating places, Ranger Stations, Picnic areas, Boat/Canoe launching, Parking areas etc., which are provided depending on the relevant park areas they exists.

“Covers all Trails, Lakes and Rivers within the Parks”“Covers complete park boundary from (NPS)”“Elevation Contours with 10 meters interval”“Mountain Summits”“All Roads and Railways from TIGER”

WATER MAPS (Marine):

Water map navigator is the new ‘Marine Navigator for iPhone’ contains embedded Electronic Nautical Charts (ENC) from NOAA compressed to a large coverage. You can now download the application and transform your iPhone in a chart plotter with best NOAA, ENC S57 cartography; which includes Anchoring areas, Fishing areas, restriction areas, obstructions, rocks, Buoys, Beacons, Lights, Depth contours with Values display on map, Spot Soundings and more. The only marine app’s available in the market with such huge information. Every effort is made to be as accurate as possible when presenting information for every destination.

LAKE MAPS:

We offer high quality lake maps with detailed information and important features compressed to assure the larger coverage in USA region. Lake maps contain most important DNR lakes with detailed ‘Depth Contours, Boat Ramps, Fishing spots etc. Also includes Trails, Roads and Railways information.

TRAVEL MAPS:

These Maps treat you mostly with information of both Marine and terrain correspondingly. These are the most preferable Maps to travel especially for fascinating recreational voyages, map focus the best Beach spots along the Coast line, Major ports, Sailing, Fishing, Picnic areas, Parks, Hiking, Biking, Clubs, restaurants, Famous Hotels, Museums, Shopping areas, and much more.

“We work to delight your moments”! Enjoy great Journeys!

Note:

"Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life."

"Turn off GPS when not in use"

College basketball coaching changes: Vandy fires Bryce Drew; Alabama in process of partings way with Avery Johnson

The 2018-19 Vanderbilt Commodores became the first team in almost 60 years to not win a game in SEC play, but that said, the school's firing of Bryce Drew came as a shocker on Friday morning. 

Drew has been let go after three years and a 40-59 record. He took Vandy to the NCAA Tournament in his first season in 2017, and this past season enrolled the highest-ranked recruiting class in school history. Had former five-star point guard prospect Darius Garland not gone down with an injury five games into the season, Vandy would have certainly been a better team and not gone 9-23. Garland projects as a top-10 NBA pick even in light of the injury.

The school's new athletic director, Malcolm Turner, has not even been on the job for two months. This is a move that would suggest Turner has a name or two in mind to hire with a quickness. It's also a move drawing in criticism. Turner was not around the men's basketball program much in his first few weeks on the job and is trying to immediately shake up the athletic department.

Drew posted this statement on Twitter. 

More SEC changeover

So now the SEC is set to undergo a lot of coaching turnover, as the Drew news landed less than 12 hours after multiple reports surfaced Thursday night that, amid the din of the NCAA Tournament, Alabama is parting ways with Avery Johnson. 

AL.com broke the news and made sure to specify that the apparent impending divorce for Johnson and Alabama is a mutual deal. That came a day after Alabama took an 80-79 home loss to Norfolk State in the NIT which, statistically, was one of the most unlikely outcomes of the 2018-19 season. 

Johnson's past four seasons with Alabama: 75 wins, 62 losses. He took the Tide to the NCAA Tournament in 2018, his only appearance there in his tenure. The move is a surprise in part because Alabama has the 19th-rated recruiting class for 2019, according to 247 Sports.

The move potentially could create big waves in the coaching industry once it's official and other teams' seasons end. Steve Prohm's name will buzz for that Alabama job (he's an alumnus and highly qualified for the gig), even as his Iowa State team plays in the NCAA Tournament. From there, questions about ISU will surface. If Prohm were to leave, well, Fred Hoiberg returning home would make for one heck of a story. (Hoiberg has also reportedly been connected to the Nebraska job.)

Danny Manning staying at Wake

Wake Forest announced Friday that Danny Manning will be back for a sixth season in 2019-20 season. Outgoing athletic director Ron Wellman figured to have heavy influence on the controversial move; the Wake fan base has been increasingly noisy over its unhappiness with the state of the program. Manning is 65-93 with one NCAA Tournament appearance (2017).

"Following the season, Danny and I had an extensive series of meetings to discuss the future of the program," Wellman said. "We were in agreement that this past season did not approach the expectations either of us has for Wake Forest basketball. Our discussion focused on the steps that are needed to ensure that our team is highly competitive on the court next season. I expect that Danny will take the steps needed to show improvement on the court next season while continuing to lead our student-athletes to represent Wake Forest positively in the classroom and in the community."

Manning's buyout has been rumored to be anywhere from $10 million to $18 million. Since Wake Forest is a private school, the exact details of that contract have not been made public. And obviously that high-price figure no doubt played a factor in Manning returning.

There are 30 jobs that have gone or will undergo changeover at this point. More are certain to open in the next few days. The biggest gigs available as of now: UCLA, Texas A&M, Temple, UNLV, Saint Joe's and Washington State. Nebraska is expected to formally open as soon as the Cornhuskers play their final game of the season. And now there's Alabama and Vandy. 

This is the latest look at the coaching carousel.

College basketball 2018 coaching carousel

02

Phillies owner: Fans embraced Bryce Harper, 'turned off' by Manny Machado

What I'm hearing: USA TODAY Sports' Bob Nightengale explains who could be next in line for a big pay day following Mike Trout huge extension. USA TODAY

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Manny Machado tries to navigate his way through the crowd to reach the San Diego Padres’ spring-training clubhouse, but is mobbed by fans screaming his name.

Machado, surrounded by autograph seekers, tries to stay calm, until Padres assistant general manager Fred Uhlman Jr. rushes to his rescue. He grabs Machado by the right elbow, puts his arm in front of him, and leads him through the frenzied crowd as if he’s a Jerry Springer security guard.

“Look at me,’’ said Uhlman, dwarfed by the 6-foot-3 Machado, as they escape to safety, “I never thought being a bouncer would become part of my job description."

Welcome to the Padres camp, where peace has been replaced by commotion.

“We have a different swagger about us this year that’s definitely real,’’ Padres first baseman Eric Hosmer says. “When you got a guy like Manny on your team, it changes things in a hurry.’’

And, yet, camp in Peoria, Arizona looks like a sea of tranquility compared to the pandemonium 2,189 miles away in Clearwater, Florida, home of the Philadelphia Phillies.

This is where Bryce Harper, baseball’s highest-paid player for two weeks with his $330 million contract, will be playing.

Bryce Harper signed a 13-year, $330 million deal with the Phillies. (Photo: Douglas DeFelice, USA TODAY Sports)

The Phillies sold 340,000 tickets alone in the first week of Harper’s signing. His jersey sales set an all-time record for sales in the first 24 hours. And TV ratings for Phillies’ spring training games soared 311% in his debut.

“I don’t think anybody could have predicted this,’’ Phillies owner John Middleton told USA TODAY Sports, “that it would be as extraordinary as it is. I’ve got to tell you, when you think of major moments in Philly history, bringing in a player from the outside, this may be the biggest.’’

In San Diego, ticket sales are up, too, but no one is divulging specifics. Machado jerseys are selling at a brisk, but not record pace. You want specific numbers? Sorry, the Padres are keeping that proprietary information to themselves. They’ll privately concede that Machado’s signing has generated only a fraction of the Phillies’ ticket sales, but refuse to reveal comparisons.

HARPER: Philadelphia embrace their new superstar

MACHA3DO: San Diego still can't believe they landed Manny

“This was a baseball decision, not a business decision,’’ Padres executive chairman Ron Fowler said. “We think the impact will be in future years, and the business side will catch up eventually.

“People talk about the fact we’re doing this, and the impact on the psyche of the city, but to translate that into a certain percentage of money, we’ll do that over a three-year period. Not now.’’

Thank you! You're almost signed up for Sports

Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration.

The Padres, who also showed interest in signing Harper, will tell you they chose Machado instead simply because it was a better fit for their needs. The Phillies, on the other hand, were debating which player to sign, but Harper’s popularity with their fans caused them to pivot from Machado.

Simply, Harper was the people’s choice.

“In Philadelphia, they want their athletes to play hard," Middleton said, “and Bryce plays hard. Frankly, I think Manny hurt himself in Philadelphia with some of his postseason comments. When he said, 'I’m not ever going to be Johnny Hustle,’ that doesn’t play well in Philadelphia.

“It’s not that they don’t recognize that he’s a great player, they do. But by the same token, they say, 'If you’re going to choose between great players, let’s choose the guy who runs into the walls rather than the guy who jogs down to first base and says I’m not 'Johnny Hustle.’"

So, if the Phillies had signed Machado, would they still have generated the same excitement, with fans flocking to the ticket windows?

“My instinct,’’ Middleton says, “is no. I just think the fans were turned off by Manny and turned on by Bryce.’’

You can certainly argue from sports bars to Fortune 500 board rooms to fantasy sites which of the players is more talented, but Harper’s persona that has captivated this city’s attention.

“He makes a lot of noise, he’s what today’s generation wants,’’ Hall of Fame second baseman Joe Morgan said. “He’s a big personality. You remember when he said, 'Hey dude, that’s a clown question?’ What that did was put him in with the young people, the TMZ people. It’s a quote young people loved. Hell, I loved it too. It made people identify with him.

“It’s not that way with Machado. I believe Machado hurt himself in the postseason last year with his comments and his play. It’s kind of the opposite with Bryce. Everything blows Bryce up bigger than life.’’

Says Chicago Cubs star Kris Bryant, who grew up with Harper in Las Vegas: “They’re both such great players, but I feel like everything Bryce touches turns to gold.’’

Harper is the most polarizing player in baseball, the Reggie Jackson of his era, if you will. You can love him. You can hate him. But, you sure cannot ignore him.

“He draws attention,’’ Jackson says. “It’s part of his arrogance. He’s got that big swing, all of the moves, the hair. All of that stuff that draw attention. And he’s had a couple of run-ins with players, and controversy, and that sells."

If Machado has his way, he’d love to bring a little of that East Coast swag to Southern California. Let Harper have all of the commercials and billboards. Machado just wants to be a ballplayer.

 “I don’t care about marketing or any of that other stuff,’’ Machado said, “all I want to do is win. That’s all that matters.

“I know me and the ownership group have the same plan. If we win, people will show up. We bring a championship to San Diego, the fans will be there.

“That’s how you draw attention.’’

San Diegans will never swap climates with the city of Philadelphia, but are they ever envious of those 17 sports championship banners in Philadelphia.

 “We have one goal, and that’s to bring the first major sports championship to our city,’’ Padres general partner Peter Seidler said. “There’s a pent-up demand for winning in San Diego. This is our 50-year anniversary, and we’ve been to the playoffs only five times. We expect to completely change that with Manny.

“And when we do, the numbers will take care of themselves.

“In the end, winning is all that really matters, isn’t it?’’

We’ll soon find out.

Follow Nightengale on Twitter @Bnightengale

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

Last SlideNext Slide

03

No joke: UFC Nashville's Bryce Mitchell 'should be dead' after power tool tore his scrotum

By: Steven Marrocco and Mike Bohn | March 21, 2019 8:00 am

NASHVILLE – Bryce Mitchell can’t put a number on how many times he’s been asked about his crotch over the past six months, but it’s a lot.

“People have been drilling me with that question,” Mitchell on Wednesday told MMA Junkie.

As you can tell, “The Ultimate Fighter 27” veteran still has a sense of humor about the power tool incident that tore his scrotum and delayed his octagon career. There are parts of the story that are amusing, like running into his ex-girlfriend’s sister who works at the hospital or getting stitched up (down there) by his buddy’s wife.

“And they keep them rooms cold,” Mitchell said. “So I ain’t ever going to hear the end of that (expletive).”

Mitchell could hear nurses laughing at him behind closed doors. He can’t really blame them for that, but it still didn’t feel great. The best and most obvious explanation Mitchell can offer is, he wasn’t thinking clearly. He liked to work fast when he did construction, and he hadn’t thought about what might happen if he stuck a drill in his pants.

The responses to Bryce Mitchell's horror-show of a scrotal tear are pretty epic – including free underwearSo, the UFC's Bryce Mitchell used a power tool and a horrific injury followed

“I deserve to be made fun of,” Mitchell said. “I really am that stupid. I didn’t have a tool belt. I put a drill in my pants. But I was in a rush.”

Mitchell paid for his mistake, and then some. Along with a “hefty” hospital bill he shouldered on his own, he endured a long and “disgusting” recovery that you have to hear him describe to understand. In return, Mitchell got a couple pairs of nice boxers from an underwear company that saw his story on social media – and a story to tell for the rest of his life.

Thankfully, everything still works down there – he’s double checked. Getting kicked in the groin? Yep, still hurts.

But there’s another part of the story that’s not so fun, the one he wishes more people thought about before they snickered and asked him about his accident.

“I think if people saw how close I was to dying, they probably wouldn’t ask me about it,” Mitchell said. “The truth of the matter is, your nuts get ripped off, you fall off a 20-foot ladder, you’re (expletive) dead. I don’t got no neighbors; I’m (expletive) dead. I should be dead. God or whatever was watching over me that day, because it could have been way worse.”

These days, Mitchell works a lot differently when he’s doing construction. He thinks about the worst possible thing that could happen to him in a particular scenario, and then he takes the proper safety precautions. He wears a tool belt and a drill holster. He works slower.

On Saturday, Mitchell will get back to his other job, taking his risks in a proper cage with punches and kicks flying at his head. In there, his safety precautions are his hands and his head movement, his footwork and his distance. He doesn’t have any problems assessing that risk.

A fight with Bobby Moffett on the prelims of UFC on ESPN+ 6 is something of a return to normalcy for the 24-year-old fighter from Sherwood, Ark. For the record, Mitchell is OK if you want to ask him about what happened. He made his choice that day and has to live with the fallout. It probably helped him build his name, even if it was at the expense of his ballsack.

“I think people are always going to talk (expletive) about it,” he said. “I guess I can’t blame them. Maybe some people will forget about it. Probably not, though.”

To hear more from Mitchell, watch our one-on-one interview in the video above.

For more on UFC on ESPN+ 6, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.

Gallery Photos: UFC on ESPN+ 6 open workouts

Breaking, Bryce Mitchell, UFC on ESPN+ 6, Featured, News, UFC, Video

Bryce Canyon prepping for summer visitation, construction

Deseret News archives

Bryce Canyon National Park is gearing up for the 2019 summer season as facilities reopen, hours are extended and construction projects are scheduled to begin.

BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK — Bryce Canyon National Park is gearing up for the summer season as facilities reopen, hours are extended and construction projects are scheduled to begin.

Due to winter conditions that inhibit the park’s ability to respond to emergencies, hiking is only permitted for now along the Rim Trail between Inspiration and Fairyland Points, and the Mossy Cave Trail. The park is making regular assessments of conditions and hopes to make additional areas accessible as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, plow crews are working to reopen the park’s southern scenic drive beyond mile 3, and are hopeful to restore access in April. Snow has also limited the available number of campsites within Loop A of North Campground, which remains open in winter. Additional campsites will be opened as conditions allow.

The Bryce Canyon Shuttle will begin its service to the Bryce Amphitheater area on Friday, April 12. Riding the shuttle is free but requires payment of the park’s entrance fee. Shuttles will run from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. daily, with hours extending by an hour on Wednesday, May 8. Twice-daily trips to the park’s southern views on the Rainbow Bus Tour will resume on Friday, April 12, if the southern scenic drive is accessible.

This 3 ½ hour tour is free but requires reservations, which can be made at 435-834-5290.

The park Visitor Center and Bookstore is currently open from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. and will extend its hours to 8 p.m. on Sunday, April 28.

Due to construction, camping will be limited in 2019. Paving of Sunset and North Campground roads is tentatively scheduled to begin in early May. Sunset Campground will close first and then reopen, then the North Campground will close. All campsites in the park will be on first-come, first-served basis during construction. Reservations will be made available on a campground-by-campground basis as construction is completed. Visit recreation.gov for current reservation availability.

Comment on this story

Repaving of the Bryce Lodge parking lot is scheduled to begin in May, while reconstruction of the Visitor Center parking lot will begin at the end of July. Visitors should be prepared for alternative parking arrangements at the locations. Construction is also planned for walkways at Inspiration and Rainbow Points. Short-term closures can be expected at Rainbow Point, though access to Yovimpa Point will remain open.

Ranger programs, including daily geology talks, guided walks, and astronomy programs will be offered as the season unfolds. Program times and dates are posted on the calendar page of the park’s website.

02

Weather forces closures in Zion, Bryce Canyon

× Weather forces closures in Zion, Bryce Canyon

SPRINGDALE, Utah – Storms have closed The Narrows area of the park while Kolob Canyon recently reopened after snow forced the park to close the area early Thursday.

According to the park’s website, The Narrows closes when the Virgin River’s flow rate is above 150 cubic feet per second.

The flow rate was more than double that number Thursday afternoon, flowing as high as 337 cubic feet per second, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Kolob Canyon Road was closed Thursday morning and reopened around 1 p.m. MDT to passenger vehicles but remains closed to RVs and buses as of 3:30 p.m. MDT.

In Bryce Canyon National Park, only Rim Trail and Mossy Cave Trail are the only hikes open due to unsafe snow conditions.

The main park road remains closed at Mile 3.

The park’s Twitter account said 6-to-10 inches are expected to have fallen over the last 24 hours.

03

Bryce Canyon announces trail conditions, shuttle schedule, construction projects

BRYCE CANYON – Visitation is beginning to pick up at Bryce Canyon National Park as seasonal facilities reopen and hours are extended. Besides these schedule adjustments, construction projects are also scheduled to begin.

Trail, viewpoint and camping conditions

Trail access is still limited by unstable winter conditions that inhibit the park’s ability to respond to emergencies. For visitor safety, hiking is only permitted along the Rim Trail between Inspiration and Fairyland Points, and the Mossy Cave Trail.

Plow crews are currently working to reopen the park’s southern scenic drive beyond Mile 3, and are hopeful to restore access in April. At present, viewpoints are open as far south as Bryce Point, while Paria and Fairyland Roads remain unplowed for winter activities.

Snow has also limited the available number of campsites within Loop A of North Campground, which is kept open in winter. Additional campsites will be opened as conditions allow.

The park is making regular assessments of conditions and hopes to make additional areas accessible as soon as possible. Check the “Alerts” section of the Bryce Canyon website for the most current conditions.

Visitor services

The park Visitor Center and Bookstore is currently open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., extending to 8 p.m. on April 28.

The Bryce Canyon Shuttle will begin its service to the Bryce Amphitheater area of the park on April 12. Riding the shuttle bus is free but requires payment of the park’s entrance fee.

Shuttles will run from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, with hours extending by an hour on May 8.

A reminder that during shuttle hours, vehicles over 20 feet are restricted from the Bryce Amphitheater parking areas (Sunrise, Sunset, Inspiration, and Bryce Points), so be sure to take advantage of this service to see some of the park’s most iconic areas.

Twice-daily trips to the park’s southern views on the Rainbow Bus Tour will resume on April 12 if the southern scenic drive is accessible. This 3 ½-hour tour is free but requires reservations, so inquire at the Shuttle Station in Bryce Canyon City or by calling 435-834-5290.

The backside of Bryce Canyon Lodge, which is just steps from stunning rim views, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, July 15, 2016 | Photo by Reuben Wadsworth, St. George News

Lodging within the park is currently available at the Sunset Motel. The Sunrise Motel will reopen March 29 along with the Lodge at Bryce Canyon, which will open at 11 a.m. for lunch and dinner and continue to offer full breakfast, lunch and dinner options for the season.

Reservations can be made by visiting the Lodge website or by calling Forever Resorts at 435-834-8700.

Valhalla Pizzeria and Coffee Shop will open on May 24 and will provide dining options from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Those looking for trail snacks, groceries, a penny machine or showers can head over to the General Store at Sunrise Point, currently open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with hours extending to 8 p.m. later in the season.

Events and programming

Stock image, St. George News

Ranger programs – including daily geology talks, guided walks and astronomy programs – will be offered as the season unfolds. Program times and dates are posted on the calendar page of the Bryce Canyon website.

Popular annual festivals include the park’s “Astronomy Festival,” scheduled this year from June 26-29, and the Geology Festival, scheduled from July 26-27. Both events will feature guest speakers, special ranger-guided activities and opportunities for the entire family to enjoy learning about the unique resources protected within Bryce Canyon National Park.

2019 construction

Due to construction, camping will be limited in 2019. Paving of Sunset and North Campground roads is tentatively scheduled to begin in early May. Sunset Campground will close first and then reopen, then North Campground will close.

During paving operations, all campsites in the park will be first-come-first-serve. Reservations will be made available on a campground-by-campground basis as construction is completed and can be done online.

Repaving of the Bryce Lodge parking lot is scheduled to begin in May, while reconstruction of the Visitor Center parking lot will begin at the end of July. Be prepared for alternative parking arrangements at these locations.

Construction is also planned for walkways at Inspiration and Rainbow points. Short-term closures can be expected at Rainbow Point, though access to Yovimpa Point will remain open.

Impacts of these construction projects will be mitigated as much as possible, but visitors should be prepared for possible noise and traffic interruptions.

Additional information can also be obtained by visiting the Bryce Canyon website or by calling the park’s main information line at 435-834-5322.

Email: news@stgnews.com

Twitter: @STGnews

Bryce Canyon prepping for summer visitation, construction

Deseret News archives

Bryce Canyon National Park is gearing up for the 2019 summer season as facilities reopen, hours are extended and construction projects are scheduled to begin.

BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK — Bryce Canyon National Park is gearing up for the summer season as facilities reopen, hours are extended and construction projects are scheduled to begin.

Due to winter conditions that inhibit the park’s ability to respond to emergencies, hiking is only permitted for now along the Rim Trail between Inspiration and Fairyland Points, and the Mossy Cave Trail. The park is making regular assessments of conditions and hopes to make additional areas accessible as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, plow crews are working to reopen the park’s southern scenic drive beyond mile 3, and are hopeful to restore access in April. Snow has also limited the available number of campsites within Loop A of North Campground, which remains open in winter. Additional campsites will be opened as conditions allow.

The Bryce Canyon Shuttle will begin its service to the Bryce Amphitheater area on Friday, April 12. Riding the shuttle is free but requires payment of the park’s entrance fee. Shuttles will run from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. daily, with hours extending by an hour on Wednesday, May 8. Twice-daily trips to the park’s southern views on the Rainbow Bus Tour will resume on Friday, April 12, if the southern scenic drive is accessible.

This 3 ½ hour tour is free but requires reservations, which can be made at 435-834-5290.

The park Visitor Center and Bookstore is currently open from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. and will extend its hours to 8 p.m. on Sunday, April 28.

Due to construction, camping will be limited in 2019. Paving of Sunset and North Campground roads is tentatively scheduled to begin in early May. Sunset Campground will close first and then reopen, then the North Campground will close. All campsites in the park will be on first-come, first-served basis during construction. Reservations will be made available on a campground-by-campground basis as construction is completed. Visit recreation.gov for current reservation availability.

Comment on this story

Repaving of the Bryce Lodge parking lot is scheduled to begin in May, while reconstruction of the Visitor Center parking lot will begin at the end of July. Visitors should be prepared for alternative parking arrangements at the locations. Construction is also planned for walkways at Inspiration and Rainbow Points. Short-term closures can be expected at Rainbow Point, though access to Yovimpa Point will remain open.

Ranger programs, including daily geology talks, guided walks, and astronomy programs will be offered as the season unfolds. Program times and dates are posted on the calendar page of the park’s website.

02