Moab Winter Condition Update 11-22-19

It’s starting to feel like winter around here! The first significant storm of the winter season has wrapped up and while it didn’t seem like much down in town, we saw significant snowfall in the La Sals. A little more than a dusting! 

Weather

Forest off of Geyser Pass Rd.

I observed around 2-3 inches of fresh snow above the Geyser Pass Winter trailhead on Thursday. Very exciting and rather surprising! Last night we saw 0.3 more inches of precipitation in the La Sals. I would expect that 2-4 more inches of snow have fallen since I was up there yesterday. The road is clear until the Geyser Pass turnoff and gets significantly snowier higher up. I would only recommend vehicles with high clearance and snow tires to make the journey, it gets pretty slippery. While it may not be enough to ski on yet, it was certainly fun to experience snow in the La Sals for the first time this Winter. 

Geyser Pass and Gold Basin turn off.

Weather will stabilize this week with clear and sunny conditions in the forecast. We will see high’s in the 50’s and lows in the 20’s. Wednesday night into Thanksgiving day will be the next chance for precipitation. Enjoy the sunny weather while we have it! 

Weather.gov

Skiing/Snowboarding

Colorado resorts saw anywhere from 6” to 17” of fresh snow. Wolf Creek was the winner with 17” of fresh fluffy white goodness! Here’s a photo from the Wolf Creek Base area today.

Wolf Creek Webcams.

It’s really starting to look like winter! Utah resorts saw anywhere from 3-6” of fresh snow. Brian Head was the winner with 10” and because of the new snow, they are now open for the season with an 18” base depth. It’s looking really good down there!

Brian Head Webcams.  

With most of the nearby resorts opening this week, the powder madness has officially begun. Get stoked!

Shop Updates:

We will be OPEN thanksgiving day from 8 AM to 9 PM. We ARE accepting winter gear including skis and snowboards. We will accept all clean and quality Nordic and backcountry skis. We will take modern alpine skis at a premium price. Telemark skis must be modern, they cannot be old or skinny. We will take all clean and quality snowboards and snowboarding equipment.  Make sure you check moabgeartrader.com/sell for guidelines!

Climbing:

Not only is it advisable to refrain from climbing on wet sandstone, it’s absolutely essential to the preservation of these beautiful desert climbs. Navajo and Windgate sandstone, the primary rock types we climb on, are heavily affected by moisture. Sandstone is extremely permeable and porous. Moisture weakens the integrity of the stone significantly. Climbing on wet sandstone can permanently damage the rock, ruining the route and rendering gear placements useless. The rule of thumb is to wait three days after a significant rainstorm. In small, insignificant storms, 24 hours is alright depending on the amount of sun after the storm. The best way to test if the rock is dry enough is to walk up to the base of the climb and kick around dirt. If you notice any moisture content in the soil beneath the surface, do not climb. The soil on top should kick up dust and the surface below that dust should not be holding any moisture whatsoever. It’s not just an issue for the preservation of the rock, its an issue for your life in general. Cams easily slide out on wet sandstone. Don’t be that guy.

Biking:

Several trails have closed due to wet conditions. Kokopelli, UPS, LPS, Lazy, Deadmans, Bar-B, Mag 7 Area, Bull Run, Great Escape, Arth’s, Little Cyn, Dead Horse Pt, and Klondike Bluff trails are all closed. Please stay off of the trails when they are wet. Deep ruts in the trail can be easily created from just a few riders. When the trails dry out, the ruts dry with them. This will destroy the trails and the hard work of many trail builders. The mud has also been known to destroy derailleurs and wear out drive trains. Just stay off of the trails when they are closed. Please refer to the Posion Spider Trail Conditions page for up to date information on whether it’s safe to ride or not.

Other Events:

GGBY Slacklining Festival at the Fruit Bowl. November 24-28th.

Creeksgiving Dinner provided by the Access Fund at the Creek Pasture campground. November 28th

David Archuletta at Star Hall.  November 26th

Open Mic at Woody’s every Tuesday night.

Live music most nights at the Blu Pig. Check out the Blu Pig Events Page for more information.

Stonefed at Woody’s November 29th, 30th.