Ned Hill Most of Utah’s population lives along the western side of the Wasatch Mountains. This provides us with beautiful mountain scenery, a good-sized river, several streams, picturesque hiking trails, challenging ski slopes and other recreational opportunities. But, in cold weather, our mountains endanger our health. Why? Because they serve as a wall that traps the heavy, cold air in our valleys. These “inversions” hold chemicals that are harmful to our lungs.