(Photo Credit: Marshall Dvorscak)

Winter hasn’t quite settled into Moab yet it seems. The early signs of light snow and a few infrequent storms had us hoping that winter would be in full swing by December, but alas, it’s just not. 

There is snow up in the La Sals, and a few shadowy creeks in and around town have begun to freeze over, but the temps in Moab seem to only increase in the next few days. 

The Utah Avalanche Center has not updated their report on the La Sals since the 21st of November, and it doesn’t appear that they will until there is a reasonable snowpack to report on.  

Moab Gear Trader is Moab’s Winter Sports Headquarters!  We have Moab’s largest selection of hiking traction for icy trails, snowshoes for mount adventures, backcountry avalanche gear, and one of the largest brick and mortar collections of Nordic Touring Gear in the US.  We also are well stocked with NEW & USED hats, gloves, scarves, balaclavas, snow boots, hand warmers, goggles, and mittens.  These tools will allow you to enjoy our desert and mountain home comfortably.

La Sal Mountain Conditions

(Photo Credit: Marshall Dvorscak)

There is a light dusting of snow in the La Sals, but nothing worth wasting the gas to get up there unless you are truly desperate for some snow. Geyser pass road is its typical washboard graveled self, however, at treeline, it turns into a mix of packed snow, ice, and mud. There is minimal snow at the trailhead and plenty of vehicle traffic past that point. 

Mostly on the north-facing slopes, there is between 2-6 inches of soft powdery snow. Some might enjoy this opportunity to hike in the snow, and for them, we have traction devices for purchase at Moab Gear Trader. However, we recommend most folks hike around town and wait for a significant snowpack before exploring the La Sals! 

We have not heard anything about the upcoming Nordic grooming season, but you can check out LUNA’s Facebook Page for updates and to DONATE to the effort.

Utah Avalanche Center has just updated their amazing website, so be sure to stay tuned for the latest updates on snow, avalanche forecasts, road, and grooming conditions.

Moab Conditions

(Photo Credit: Kaya Lindsay) 

It feels like late fall in Moab. The skies are sunny and clear for the foreseeable future, temps are below freezing at night, but in the mid fifties during the day. Today’s high is 44 degrees with a low of 18, but the high this week is 52 on Wednesday. It’s still very cold in the shade during the day, but the sunshine still manages to scare away the worst of the chill. Hiking, biking, and climbing are all comfortable in the sun, but the days are getting shorter so don’t get caught without a puffy jacket when the sun goes down! 

Dead Horse point roads are still clear, as well as roads leading to Blanding and Monticello.

Regional Conditions

It doesn’t look like snow in the Moab area for a while. Temps are just increasing until late next week where we might have a bit of cooler weather. If you’re looking for somewhere to get into the backcountry I would recommend visiting some of the well-known glaciers in the area. Most parts of the region are still hovering around mid to low 40’s, but there seems to be a bit of snow on the horizon for Salt Lake City and Jackson Hole. 

Denver: High 50’s to low 60’s 

Vernal: High 30’s and low 40’s

Jackson Hole: Mid 30’s with possible snow next Friday!

Salt Lake City: Mid 40’s with possible snow next Friday!

Flagstaff: Low to mid 50’s 

Durango: Low 50’s 

Weather Forecast

(Photo Credit: Marshall Dvorscak)

Daily temperatures continue to rise in Moab with a high of 51 on Wednesday. At the end of next week, temps are expected to dip slightly and we might lose a bit of the sunshine we’ve grown accustomed to. However, it doesn’t look like there’s any snow on the horizon right now! 

It’s quite cold in the shade during the day, but still warm enough to enjoy the outdoors in the sunshine. Make sure to layer up if you do venture outside, and bring a headlamp! 

Shop Conditions

(Photo Credit: Marshall Dvorscak)

The Holidays are here! Get your Christmas shopping done early at Moab Gear Trader. We recently stocked our supply of Rossignol and Alpina boots for the aspiring mountaineer in your life! Our consignment clothing is well stocked with hats, jackets, winter pants, and more. It’s important to shop early before the first storm of the year hits and everything flies off the shelves. Don’t get caught without the gear you need this winter! 

If you plan to cut down your own Christmas Tree this year, make sure to snag your permit from the BLM or the Forest Service. 

We hope to see you and your loved ones in our shop very soon as the Holiday’s fast approach.

Camping

With a nice boost in temperatures, it’s going to be an ideal time to do some winter camping! Make sure you have a warm sleeping bag and pad to keep you cozy during the below-freezing night temps. stop by the shop to check out our large selection of 0° and even colder rated bags. Did you know your sleeping pad also needs to be insulated for comfortable winter camping?

Hiking

Warm layers for hiking will be crucial to enjoying your excursion out. It’s still very comfortable to hike in the sun in a t-shirt, but if you get caught out after dark you will want warm layers and a decent down jacket. 

For future winter hikes, make sure to purchase your traction devices early! If you want to see Delicate Arch in the snow, you must have a set of traction devices in order to hike safely. 

Climbing

(Photo Credit: Kaya Lindsay) 

It’s quite cold in the shade for climbing. You can put a few hand warmers in your chalk bag while out on the sharp end, but it would be smarter to stick to sunny walls. We have new climbing shoes from Unparallel, tons of ropes, and we just restocked the High On Moab Book! We will have plenty of copies starting Monday morning. 

Biking

We always stock basic accessories for bikes, including lights, bells, gloves, sleeves and more. Our newest addition to the store is brand new helmets from Smith, so keep that in mind when shopping for the Mountain Bike enthusiast in your life this holiday season!

Nordic Skiing

(Photo Credit: Marshall Dvorscak)

This is a great time to clean your skis in preparation for the coming snow. If you’d like to give them a nice waxing we have everything you need to get the job done. 

Moab Gear Trader has the largest in-stock inventories of metal edge nordic skis in the west. We are the place to meet all your backcountry skiing needs. Make sure you shop early for the best selection. Last year (and every year) our high-end selection went quick! We have a wide variety of boots, poles, and clothing for your first or fiftieth time in the backcountry this winter. 

Snow Shoes 

Snowshoe season might be a few weeks away, but you want to make sure you get yours early! Every year we have a rush of sales right after the first snowstorm, leaving an unlucky few without snowshoes during perfect weather. Stay warm, layer up, and have a good time out there! 

Avalanche Gear 

The shop is stocked with avalanche gear this time of year, so stay safe and stock up. We have shovels, probes, and beacons, from brands like Black Diamond, Arva, and Pieps. If you intend to do some winter mountaineering this season you will need a fully equipped avalanche kit. We also have plenty of ice axes, snow flukes, warm winter mountaineering jackets, and boots! 

We look forward to seeing you (with a mask!) in our store for all your winter needs very soon.

(Photo Credit: Marshall Dvorscak)