Who's heading out for New Year's Eve?

[Nick]

Who is going to be ringing in the New Year around a campfire? There's not much snow on the Colorado Plateau and the weather is overall warmer than it's been in recent memory over the New Year.

I'll be making a big loop through the Swell, Bears Ears, Glen Canyon and St. George!

Sat imagery from yesterday - hardly any snow in the desert! http://go.nasa.gov/2ilMHJ3

Forecast for Hanksville - practically spring! https://www.wunderground.com/us/ut/hanksville/zmw:84734.1.99999

 

[Nanda]

Wasn't planning on it, but sounds so tempting now, especially with monday off.
Where are you planning on camping in Swell?

 

[Nick]

Probably around I-70, but at the rate things are going we won't be there until late tonight and then off to Bears Ears early in the AM. Waiting on my friend to drive down from the Tetons but it might be my bedtime before he even gets here!

 

[Nanda]

Cool. Do you know any good dispersed sites around Goblin valley, feel free to PM.
I think I will spend saturday there and sunday in Valley of Gods.

 

[Nick]

Yep. What kind of vehicle will you be in? Trailer?

 

[Nanda]

Yep, towing a teadrop, here is the setup.

 

[Nick]

Oh yeah, you'll be fine. PM sent.

 

[slc_dan]

I keep thinking of ways I could make it happen, and nope. Not this year. But I'll be getting out more this spring than last fall.

have an awesome time!

 

[kimbur96]

Heading out to RMNP early tomorrow, I got a wilderness permit so I can remote camp. Plan to stay at the upper mill creek site and day hike Bierstadt lake. Ringing in the new year in the mountains

 

[Aldaron]

The weather in the south-east is crappy this weekend...I was looking at the weather wishing I could be headed to Southern Utah this weekend <sigh>

But we are in the mountains...I'll be hiking on the Appalachian Trail tomorrow up to Siler Bald...just because it's there and I've never been there.

 

[Venchka]

You will probably find some snow on the AT.
Happy New Years Y'all.
Wayne


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Nick]

It snowed overnight in Bears Ears. Valley of the gods is a snowy muddy mess. The swell on down to Glen Canyon is dry and beautiful.

 

[IntrepidXJ]

Just sticking to hikes around home this weekend.

 

[b.stark]

Would have loved to have gotten out this year... the weather was great. Had to work unfortunately.

 

[Nanda]

Spent eve in Swell area, bailed on second night out in Valley of the Gods though.

 

[Artemus]

Well that forecast you showed in the opening was a bust, eh @Nick? Came back from southern AZ in one big push yesterday and spent the day today cleaning up the snow and dragging the trailer out of the drift where I stuffed last night.

 

[Nick]

Well that forecast you showed in the opening was a bust, eh @Nick? Came back from southern AZ in one big push yesterday and spent the day today cleaning up the snow and dragging the trailer out of the drift where I stuffed last night.

Yes and sort of. Long story...

From what I can tell, Hanksville and the Swell never really got hit. A storm came through on the night of the 30th and dropped a ton of precipitation along the entire bottom quarter or so of the state. We stayed near Green River on the reef our first night and it was clear and cold. The next day it was clear and sunny all the way until we were almost to Natural Bridges when we hit a wall of clouds and probably 4 inches of fresh and very wet snow. From there we went down the Moki Dugway and realized that the heavy precip had turned the Valley of Gods and Comb Ridge areas into a muddy mess. We ran into someone who recommended a spot that might be accessible. It was muddy but it worked.

The next day I drove down through Monument Valley (fogged in) and over to Page. The sun came out so we decided to head out to Alstrom but the road out was completely impassable. I feel lucky to have gotten out of that slop fest. And I had just stopped in Page to spray off the previous day's inches thick layer of mud! We tucked our tails, went back to Big Water, picked up my boat and drove the rest of the way to St. George (her new home until she is sold). Campsites near St. George were equally muddy and saturated but we found one that was rocky enough to be okay.

The drive home today was dry roads up until Utah County, then a bit snowy for a while. I failed many of the objectives for my weekend due to the weather, but the most important still were a success. I spent good times with good friends in rather interesting conditions, I spent New Year's Eve under the stars (or clouds) and I moved my boat to St. George. Success!

 

[Nick]

Just past Wiregrass Canyon on New Year's Day. Don't mess with that road when it's wet...

 

[IntrepidXJ]

I was out in the San Rafael Desert yesterday and aside from heavy fog in the morning around Green River, the area was still mostly dry and snow-free.