Moab Winter Condition Report 1-12-2019

Greetings! As we enter the heart of the winter, conditions have been cold and it’s been very quiet and dreary in Moab for the most part. The cold temperatures and general lack of sun have allowed snow to stay around in the canyon’s and on the cliffs. It’s made for a very unique and beautiful existence for those of us that have stayed for the winter. 

Road Conditions

The La Sal Loop Rd and the Geyser Pass Rd are snow-packed. We just received 2” inches of snow last night and more is falling now, so expect the roads to be slightly affected by that. Please refer to the Utah Avalanche Center for up to date information on road conditions. 

The Abajo Rd is mostly clear of ice and snow. They are expecting some snow in the Monitcello region tonight, so that may affect travel conditions.

For those of you that are traveling to Salt Lake City, Soldier Summit looks pretty icy and snowy here is a webcam image as of 3:35 pm.

Little Cottonwood Canyon was closed earlier today due to Avalanche’s but has since reopened. Uphill traffic is slow going. Pleae check UDOT’s Avalanche page for up to date information on Backcountry and Road closures in the Salt Lake Area. 

Storm Totals This Week.

It’s been an awesome week for powder riding in northern Colorado and Utah. 10-day totals are seeing up to 67” of new snow for Utah and 40” for Colorado. Here are the snow totals since the last conditions report on 1/2/2019. 

Bring your snorkel to northern Utah and Colorado because it is DEEP! Southern Utah and Colorado seem to have been ignored by the snow gods this week. Hopefully, we get ours soon.

Snowbird is currently at 148% of average snowfall so far this season. Here’s a SNOTEL graph from the NWCC demonstrating where The Bird currently stands based on the average for this time of year. 

Snowbird Snowfall via NWCC

Backcountry Skiing.

The Utah Avalanche Center has reported 2” of new snow overnight in the La Sal’s and 2” in the Abajo mountains. 

The UAC has also reported avalanche safety conditions becoming significantly more stable over the last couple of weeks. A huge change from last year for sure. Check out the Avalanche Forecast here. 

I was able to check out the Bothy Wagon hut that Roam Industry rents out this last week. We had a great couple of days chasing snow around. Despite the mostly icy and windblown conditions, there is still awesome snow to be found out there. You just need to hunt around for the goods. Here are some photos.

The Author found powder near the Bothy Wagon Hut.

The cozy Bothy Wagon

If you’d like to reserve the wagon click here, I highly recommend it.

With the avalanche conditions being so bombproof right now, it’s a great time to get out and explore the possibilities. We don’t get that chance all that often in these mountains. When the mountains say yes, get out there! That being said a low danger rating does not mean no avalanche danger. Continue to stay cautious and thoughtful in the mountains.

The Utah Avalanche Center has scheduled a Backcountry 101 avalanche course for February 15 and 16th. The course is 150$ and it includes a day in the classroom and a day in the field. Please click here to register. Consider checking it out if you’re new to backcountry skiing or just need a refresher. 

Cross Country Skiing/Snowshoeing.

Cross country skiing has been awesome. With 2 groomed Nordic tracks in the area and snow on the ground in town, it’s hard to get bored. The last time the La Sal Nordic Track was groomed was January 12th according to LUNA.  There is more snow on the way, but it looked like this Sunday afternoon, Thanks Matt!

Geyser Pass Nordic Track

With some new snow last night, the track should be fairly fun. Mini freshies! The Abajo Nordic track has been recently groomed down Harts Draw Rd to 70’s flat according to the UAC.

Harts Draw Rd, Abajo Mountains.

Snowshoeing also remains great with so many options following the new snow we just got last night. Pretty much anywhere is good to go.

Weather

We will see an increase in temperatures this week with snow in the forecast. Highs will be in the 30’s and lows will be in the 20’s and upper teens in Moab. Here’s the forecast from NOAA.

NOAA forecast for Moab

There is a winter weather advisory in effect for the La Sal’s tonight into Monday. Hopefully, that means some sort of snow accumulation. Highs will be in the 20’s and lows could dip into the single digits. Visibility looks to be fairly low for most of the week. Be careful up there! Here’s the NOAA forecast for 10,000 ft. 

NOAA Forecast for the La Sal’s

Mountain Biking:

All Mountain Biking trails remain closed at this time. Please respect the closures and keep checking out the Poison Spider Conditions Page for up to date biking information. 

Climbing/Canyoneering

With the new snow and the cloudy conditions not allowing snow to melt, climbing is currently unsafe. Please do not climb on the wet rock. There have been low enough temperatures for Ice Climbing to form. Consider wandering about to check what’s in.

Canyoneering should be good to go when the wet conditions improve, though I imagine it will be icy, cold and dangerous. Please exercise caution when trying to get into the canyons. 

Hiking:

Hiking conditions are slick, cold and extremely stunning. You really can’t beat the contrast between red and white. The snow really creates a stunning, unique experience here in Moab. And you will likely be all alone to see it. Traction devices and poles are strongly recommended, we stalk both in the store. I highly recommend a hike this week.

Grandstaff Canyon.

Shop Updates.

End of season sales continue with new deals popping up all the time. We currently have 25% off of Beanies, 40% off of hunting backpacks, and deals on Alpina Nordic boots among other store-wide sales. Come on in and get yourself set up while these deals last! We are still OPEN 8 AM to 9 PM every day.

 

Events This Week:

Science Moab On Tap: Carving The Canyonlands. Join Chris Benson as he discusses The Mill Creek terraces, Colorado River Gravels, and Salty Subsidence in the Moab area. Woody’s Tavern January 14th, 5-7 PM