(Photo Credit Marshall Dvorscak)
Happy New Year! We’re starting off 2021 with some good news for backcountry skiers and lovers of the La Sals. The snowpack continues to deepen in the La Sals, with the recent storm giving us 12”-20” new inches of snow! The La Sals finally have their characteristic snow covered peaks back. For the foreseeable future it is going to be beautiful and sunny in Moab and the surrounding areas, but extremely cold. The current forecast predicts temperatures hovering around low 30’s for most of the day and then dropping down into the teens at night. This should keep the layer of snow we’ve built up sticking around until the next storm.
The Utah Avalanche Center has issued a considerable avalanche warning for those of you interested in exploring the steeper terrain La Sals this weekend. Particularly for North Facing slopes. There is a low to moderate danger on sunnier South Facing slopes.
Follow the link for a complete forecast!
The Lower Utah Nordic Alliance will be grooming Geyser Pass road periodically all winter long. Currently the track is packed and soft.
It should be prime conditions for Nordic skiing all weekend long. Get after it!
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)
The Geyser Pass Road has been plowed. Currently, it is a mixture of snow, mud, and ice, so bring your chains or make sure you head up there with a 4-wheel drive car. The Loop Road is mostly clear with a few patches of ice. There is a bit of fog forecasted for Moab in the next few days, but if you’re looking to get out of the cloud cover, the La Sals typically remain in the sun as long as it’s in the sky.
The Nordic trails have finally accumulated enough snow to cover all of the rocks, even Glass Hill. So the Nordic skiing conditions are prime right now. Leaving the track may still cause damage to your Nordic skis, but it is much deeper than last week. There is still not enough snow to safely make turns either if you Backcountry ski. Avalanche danger is going up in the La Sals right now, the early season storms did not leave a stable enough layer for a sturdy snowpack to develop. Please be safe out there!
The season is still early so don’t hurt yourself now. We have plenty of time for more snow to develop. Be patient, and in the meantime enjoy the groomed nordic trail while getting some excellent cardio!
Moab Conditions
(Photo Credit: Marshall Dvorscak)
This morning in Moab was cold, with temps hovering around 8 degrees. At the writing of this post, it is 27 degrees outside with not a cloud in the sky. This beautiful bluebird day starts us off on a good note for the new year and bodes well for the rest of the week where the highs will be in the high 30’s with most days full of sunshine. There are a few inches of snow sticking around town, but all the roads leading in and out of Moab are clear. Highways 313, 191, Potash Road, and Kane Creek Boulevard are all clear, and the roads to Monticello and Dead Horse point are also clear.
Sunny days and well below freezing nights will make north-facing trails quite slippery, so wear your traction devices (we have some in the shop for purchase) and layer up. The canyons around town hold freezing pockets of cold air and a warm start to your hike might mean nothing once you turn the bend.
Regional Conditions
(Photo Credit: Kaya Lindsay)
Regionally, the Colorado Plateau and most of the North West are experiencing really bad avalanche conditions. The backcountry skiing isn’t good almost anywhere, however, resorts are making good use of snow for those itching to get back on the skis. Telluride has packed powder with 99 out of 147 routes open, and only one non-operational lift. Snowbird has similar snow with 111 out of 140 routes in operation. While Powderhorn has machine groomed snow with 24 out of 50 routes open.
Snow has pretty much stopped the climbing and Mountain biking in the region. On sunny days you can still venture out in Moab, but generally the farther south you go the better conditions will be for other sports. Trail Mix has been posting great trail updates, check out their Facebook Page
Denver: High 40’s to low 50’s
Vernal: Low 20’s
Jackson Hole: Low 30’s with consistent snowstorms all week!
Salt Lake City: High 30’s with snow on Tuesday
Flagstaff: High 40’s to low 50’s
Durango: Mid 30’s
Weather Forecast
(Photo Credit: Marshall Dvorscak)
Temps in Moab will remain in the mid 30’s for most of the week, and peak on Tuesday with a high of 41 degrees. The lows all week are at night and hover around 14 degrees. Other than that, the weather remains fairly stable, with sunny skies and a chance of fog being the worst to come our way.
Because of this, recreation in Moab should be good all week. The north-facing sides of town will hold snow fairly well, so plan accordingly for hiking, mountain biking, and climbing. Layer up when going out and adventuring, as temperatures are significantly cooler in the shade or inside canyons.
Shop Conditions
(Photo Credit: Marshall Dvorscak)
Happy New Year shoppers! New additions to the shop include brand new colorful beanies with the Moab Gear Trader logo and a beautiful silhouette of Delicate Arch.
We want to remind you that Moab Gear Trader is a proud participant of the Buy Local Bucks program this winter. If you are a resident of Grand County, you should have received three $15 Buy Local Bucks coupons to be used at participating local businesses in Moab. These can be used just like real cash and don’t expire until March 1st, 2021.
This Buy Local Bucks program has been made possible thanks to Federal CARES Act funding.
Thank you to everyone who comes in to shop local for all your adventure needs in 2021. We look forward to seeing you soon!
Nordic Skiing
Skiing with friends and family on the groomed Geyser Pass road is an excellent social distancing activity. Stay safe this winter and take up skiing!
Our nordic ski equipment will be the most commonly updated item in our store this time of year. We just got in new softshell pants for men and women that are ideal for cross country skiing and snowshoeing! These Swix brand pants will keep you warm when the temps are low, but cool enough that your sweat won’t cling to your body and freeze.
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. We have a wide variety of boots, poles, and clothing for your first or fiftieth time in the backcountry this winter.
Snow Shoes
There will be plenty of snowshoeing to be done in the La Sals and around Moab after this most recent storm, so make sure to get your snowshoes early! Our friendly staff can help you pick out the right snowshoes for you, just stop by and we’ll get you set up in no time. 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. The avalanche danger is at an all time high in most areas right now. Stay safe and if you do venture into the backcountry, make sure you bring your avi equipment. 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!
Camping
Many people will be forgoing camping this time of year, however, we know there are still a few snow camping crazies out there. Are you one of them? 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 aren’t just about jackets and boots. Make sure you have a neck gaiter, warm socks, gloves, hats, long underwear, and more for your weekly hike to Hidden Valley. Layering up will be crucial to your enjoyment of outdoor hikes. At this point in the year, it would be silly to hike without traction devices. Get yours today to make your favorite Moab hikes safe and enjoyable.
Climbing
It may be getting too cold to climb in Moab, but we know there are still a few desperate climbers out and about seeking the sunny crags. Bring your puffiest jackets to the crag and don’t forget the hand warmers! Belay gloves can make a huge difference as well, so make sure to pick a pair up on your way to the crag.
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.
We look forward to seeing you (with a mask!) in our store for all your winter needs very soon.
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