(Photo Credit: Marshall Dvorscak)
Winters in Moab can change dramatically from year to year. This year we’ve enjoyed a fair amount of warm temperatures and sunny skies, with only the occasional storm to cover the La Sals in snow. In the last few days the weather has been gorgeous, but dry. This is all going to change in the next 72 hours, with a glorious winter storm coming our way!
The National Weather Service has a very detailed report on the upcoming storm for those who love to nerd out. The highlights are this: We will be getting a fair amount of snow on Friday, a very brief break in the snow on Saturday, and then more snow on Sunday. It appears as if we might receive 24” of snow! The report doesn’t go too much into next week, but it looks like a second winter storm will be coming our way Monday night and early Tuesday morning. This means the La Sals will be absolutely covered in snow!
If you plan on recreating in the mountains this weekend, please stay abreast of the avalanche situation out there. The Utah Avalanche Center currently issued a Moderate avalanche warning for all north-facing slopes, however, things are subject to change as new snow falls! Please read the full report from the Utah Avalanche Center before heading out into the mountains.
Our friends from the Lower Utah Nordic Alliance have been grooming the Nordic trail in the La Sals. They try to groom twice a week so we have some good snow to ski on out there, and they most recently groomed the trail on Wednesday (2/10). They don’t typically update their Facebook page, but they are very active on Instagram. Follow along with them to stay up to date on when the trail has been groomed!
Moab Gear Trader is Moab’s Winter Sports Headquarters! We have Moab’s largest selection of hiking traction for icy trails, snowshoes for mountain 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 La Sals are currently enjoying a comfortable layer of snow. The Nordic Trail is groomed twice a week, making Nordic Skiing and snowshoeing very accessible. If you’re just getting into snowshoeing, we have a handy dandy guide on our website to help you get started.
The La Sal Loop Road is mostly pavement, with spots of ice on the north-facing slopes. And the Geyser Pass road is mixed snow and mud but will be much harder to travel after the storms this weekend. As always, please bring a 4×4 vehicle or at the very least a 2 wheel drive vehicle with high clearance and chains.
With March just around the corner, we’re unsure how much snow we will see this spring. The tourist season is looming on the horizon, so get in your time in the mountains while you still can!
We have Nordic skis, snowshoes, and traction devices for sale at Moab Gear Trader as well as gaiters, gloves, boots, and more. Any and all of your outdoor recreation needs can be met at Moab Gear Trader, so please come by and get your snow equipment before it’s too late!
Moab Conditions
(Photo Credit: Marshall Dvorscak)
It has been beautifully warm in Moab recently, with barely any precipitation. A few of the notable mountain biking trails have opened up in the last few days, you can check a full list of open trails on the Poison Spider Bicycles website. The Moab Trail Mix Facebook Page also has a list of open trails, and they would like to remind folks that riding on wet trails is bad etiquette and can ruin a trail. Don’t go if the ground is wet!
The climbing around Moab has been stellar recently. Warm days with a light breeze have made sunny walls like Dead Man’s Buttress, Wall Street, Abraxis Wall, and even higher elevation crags like the Crackhouse extremely comfortable. Climbing and mountain biking will likely come to a halt in the next few days with all this extra snow, so get out before the storm hits!
We have traction devices for sale at the shop, and highly recommend you pick some up if you plan to do any North Facing hiking trails.
Regional Conditions
(Photo Credit: Marshall Dvorscak)
It has been a bad year for avalanches and backcountry skiing all throughout the Colorado Plateau, the South West, and the Western Slope. In the last few weeks, 16 lives have been lost due to avalanches all throughout the region. At Moab Gear Trader our hearts go out to the families of the victims and hope that they find peace during this difficult time.
Because of the coronavirus, more people than ever are recreating in the backcountry. Please make sure you check avalanche conditions before you go into the mountains. If you can, consider taking an AIARE 1 course, and always have a beacon and shovel with you when you venture out. It’s important to remember that the mountains can be dangerous, and many of the folks who passed in the recent avalanches had the correct gear and knew what they were doing out there. Please be safe and check conditions before you go.
Denver: Ranging from low teens to low 40’s with snow on Sunday and Wednesday!
Vernal: Mid 30’s with snow on Friday and Saturday!
Jackson Hole: Low 20’s with snow all week long!
Salt Lake City: High 30’s with a scattering of rain and snow all week!
Flagstaff: Mid 40’s with snow on Tuesday!
Durango: Low 40’s to high 30’s with snow all week!
Weather Forecast
(Photo Credit: Marshall Dvorscak)
The weather in Moab has been stellar. Temps hovering in the mid-’50s and only dipping down to the low 30’s at night. Moving forward, the weather in Moab looks to be cooling off slightly with rain and snow in the forecast for this weekend and next week. The storm is forecast to affect us Friday night, clear up Saturday afternoon, and a second one Saturday night through Sunday morning. Chances of precip are still below 50% as of writing, so it is entirely possible to see the sun too! Your Valentine’s Day may be a bit snowy this year, but with the long weekend for President’s Day, you should have plenty of time on Monday to enjoy the newly fallen snow!
Shop Conditions
(Photo Credit: Marshall Dvorscak)
At Moab Gear Trader we have hundreds of new and used items coming into the shop each week! You can find everything from winter boots, to ice axes, to (much needed) avalanche gear in our store. With spring threatening on the horizon, make sure to get your winter sports needs filled soon!
As a reminder, you can check out all of our new and used gear at our online portal for both shoppers and sellers.
Nordic Skiing
With backcountry skiing being so dangerous right now, we encourage our customers to take up Nordic skiing! There is an excellent groomed trail in the La Sals, Geyser Pass Road, and it’s a great social distancing activity as well! Our nordic ski equipment will be the most commonly updated item in our store this time of year.
Snow Shoes
Another fantastic alternative to backcountry skiing is snowshoeing. We encourage everyone to just get out into the mountains (safely) as often as possible. Until the avalanche danger clears up, we should all be getting out on to the groomed track in the La Sals. 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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