Moab 12/27 - 1/5/18

aTX427

New member
I spent New Year's 2016 there and it was really nice. It's WAY off season, so we have the place to ourselves and all the hotels are relatively inexpensive. We are planning to leave the morning after Christmas.
 
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aTX427

New member
I am looking for ideas on trails to run this time around. With 10 days, we should be able to cover some ground.
Here are the trails I have done in the past:
Sevenmile Rim
Secret Spire (snow)
Hey Joe Canyon (snow)
Gemini Bridges
Metal Masher
Long Canyon
Poison Spider Mesa
Golden Spike
Kane Canyon
Fins & Things
Dome Plateau
Top of the World (snow)
La Sal Pass


For this trip, I am interested in doing:
- PSM, Gold Bar, Golden Spike
- Fins, Hell's Revenge
- Elephant Hill, Beef Basin
- Lockhart Basin, Kane Creek
- Metal Masher, Steel Bender
- Rose Garden Hill, Top of the World
- Strike Ravine, Behind the Rocks
- Check out BFE

I am not sure if I can or should do Pritchett Canyon or Cliff Hanger without a guide or someone that knows the trail.
 
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aTX427

New member
I would think so. I did a bunch on my list completely stock. There are a lot of bypasses if you don't want to take the a-line.
 

ak49

Member
I may be able to make it on the weekends (Dec 22-25 and Dec 29 - Jan 1). I'll be about 6 hours away so I could make the trips up unless family says otherwise.
 

Hip2u77

New member
Just ran across this thread. I see that most are southern so the weather part of my post won't matter, but I wrote it in case anyone comes from the east / Midwest.

We're from Kansas City and have been going to Moab every year since '05, twice, once in the summer and again the the week between Christmas and New Years. In all those years it was only snow free once, in '05. In '06, we did Top of the World in a month old stock '07 JKUR and there was around 5" of snow at the top. It's a lot rougher nowadays. They had record snow a couple of those years and we spent a lot of days doing very little. Every other year it's been cold enough to where we couldn't (safely) do some of the more popular trails due to parts of the slickrock being snow covered. We slid down a steep part of Fins and Things 2 different years before I finally said 'no more' slickrock if there's a chance of snow on it. Both years most everything up to the icy spot was snow free and then . . . you're kind of stuck. Due to all the snow we changed it up from wheeling the harder trails to hitting all the easier ones and doing more site-seeing and even then some of those easy trails go across open land so there may be 12"-20" snow drifts to deal with. That happened on, I think, Picture frame arch. We've always had JKUR's. A '07, a '12 and now a '14. All with bumper / winch, 2.5" lift, 35s. etc. As was said, it's way different in the winter time as 95-99% of the time you won't see another rig on the trail so plan ahead and make sure you're also able to deal with ice. (We started bringing ice melt.)


For anyone from the east / north / midwest. . .

Keep an eye on the weather every day. On the day we were supposed to leave (back in '06) a storm was coming but since it was supposed to hit late in the day we went ahead and did Chicken Corners (10x more fun in a side-by-side). By the time we were done the storm hit and we spent all day stuck on the highway only getting to Limon, CO where they closed the highway and we were stranded for 3 days. Another time we didn't pay attention and our 13 hour drive home ended up taking 27, which I drove non-stop to beat the worst part of a storm. (Thank you 5 hour energy's!) During that trip I drove from Moab to past Salina, KS before it stopped snowing.


I'm not trying to detour anyone as Moab is great anytime and, imo, is way prettier in the winter when there's some snow around but just want to make sure anyone that hasn't been there in the wintertime is prepared.

Oh, as for where to stay, make sure to check out VRBO as they've built hundreds of condos in the last couple years. During the winter it's a cheap way to stay in a nice place with a fireplace, 2 car garage, etc. We usually stay on the south side of town up close to the KOA campground. It's close to Susie's Branding Iron, which we usually go to for dinner. (Usually the food is great, especially the Chicken Fried Steak, but it sucked so bad last year we didn't even go there this summer.)

Anyway, sorry for the long winded post, just trying to help!
 

DaJudge

Active Member
All you have to do is know going in that your plans have to be flexible. If you can't run "X" trial because of the snow then do something else. The red rock is beautiful with snow on it! We ran seven mile rim a few years ago with snow and it was a blast and the scenery even better than normal!
No crowds, great deals on condos, beautiful snow covered red rock! It is hard to beat Moab in the winter!
 

aTX427

New member
Cool, just checking back on this thread and I'm glad to see there is interest.. Hotels were cheap when I booked, because it's WAY off season, which is great. Expect minimum trail traffic,.out of the shops to be closed and a possibility of snow, which really makes things fun.
 

WJCO

Meme King
As much as I would love to, I just can't get away. Post some pics though. Hope all your new mods do you well.
 
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