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Eagle Mountain and the Cedar Valley area is know for its birds of prey, but Wasatch Wing and Clay is adding the mystical Phoenix to the list. Like the Phoenix, they are rising from the ashes and building anew. In February of 2017 Wasatch Wing and Clay found their club house engulfed in flames. Even with the hard work of the Eagle Mountain, Saratoga Springs, Lehi, and Utah County Fire Departments the fire destroyed just under $1 million dollars worth of property. A observant neighbor noticed the fire and called the fire department. When they arrived the structure was fully engulfed in flames. Because of the remote location, lack of municipal water supply, the fire fighters determined that the best course of action was to protect exposures and allow the building to burn.
The fire destroyed, the club house, a Polaris side by side, 3 snowmobiles, as well as all the furnishings and appliances. The fire burned so hot that it also destroyed 8 guns, including 5 Browning Citori shotguns, that were in a fire rated safe. Besides the guns, a trophy antelope mount and bear rug were also lost to the fire.
According to Jim Smith, one of the business partners, they are open for business and are in the process of rebuilding. “Now that we have reached an agreement with the insurance company, we are beginning to plan and engineer for the replacement building, which we hope will be completed as soon as possible. We have very much appreciated the tremendous support from not only our members, but also the community at large. Several of our club members were extremely gracious in offering equipment and services to keep us up and running. We are proud to say that the day of the fire we were open for business, both hunting and clay shooting, and have not missed a day since.” Jim anticipates that the building will take four to six months, although “we hope it will be shorter.” “The Hunting Season goes from September 1st to March 31st, so we are in the off-season for a few months, but all the other venues and services are open and running full speed. We hosted a Sporting Clay Tournament last Saturday (April 28th, 2017), and we had almost 200 shooters compete, along with a Trap shooting “Round Robin” with several teams of five shooters competing for prizes. We are Full speed ahead!”
With their 7,000 acre bird and hunting range, they will continue to be one of the premier upland game hunting and shooting sports venues in the state of Utah. Providing a hunting experience to youth shooters as well as trap, skeet, five stand, and sporting clay shooting. They offer handgun and rim fire ranges, as well as their hunting dog services. You can get a full list of their services and products on their website www.wasatchwingandclay.com.
Like the mystical Phoenix, they are rising from the ashes and offering services to Utah and the residents of Eagle Mountain. The cause of the fire was officially “undetermined”, because of the total destruction of the structure and its contents the fire investigators were unable to determine the cause and origin of the fire.
Additional Resources
Wasatch Wing and Clay Website <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WasatchWingandClay/"Wasatch Wing and Clay Facebook Page
Mike Kieffer is an IT geek by hobby and trade, with a BS in Information Systems & Technology. He is a proud father of 10, a grandpa, an author, a journalist, and internet publisher. His motto is to “Elevate, Inspire and Inform”, and he is politically conservative and a Christian. Mike has a passion for technology, writing, and helping others. With a wealth of experience, he is committed to sharing his knowledge with others to help them reach their full potential. He is known for his jackassery or his form of self-expression that encourages boldness, creativity, and risk-taking. It can be a way to push the boundaries and challenge traditional norms, leading to creative solutions and positive change.