snowfall update

 Northern Utah snowfall update: there really isn't any.  The Alta and Snowbird webcams show patchy/thin coverage at best.  As of this writing, Alta has had 20" of snow on the season, with a "base" depth of 8".  That's rough even for rock skis.  And because of the whole no storms situation (be it rain- or snow-), the smoggy inversion has set in, seemingly very early.  

Current projected opening dates:

OPEN - Brian Head (woohoo!)

11/27/25 - Snowbird and Solitude

11/28/25 - Brighton, Park City Mountain Resort and Snowbasin

12/1/25 - Deer Valley

12/5/25 - Alta and Sundance

12/12/25 - Powder Mountain and Nordic Valley

12/19/25 - Beaver Mountain and Eagle Point

This has to be one of the latest [projected] openings for Alta that I can remember, in our sixteen years in Utah.  Yikes.  Gonna be bony for Christmas week, looks like.

pleasant little jaunt

Milton had a vet appointment scheduled for Monday (teeth cleaning and removal of a small lipoma on his right rear leg - all went well and he is nearly all recovered, just mostly annoyed at having antibiotics shoved down his throat twice daily and having to wear a cone for two weeks), and we had to go back to SLC on Tuesday, so our best bet for a hike was Sunday.  It was another beautiful day - not cloudy, as forecast - so we three loaded up in the truck and headed out of town, down the Potash Road to Culvert Canyon/Jeep Arch.  We didn't get the earliest start, lingering over Dave's coffee and waiting for it to warm up, but there were only a couple of cars there ahead of us.

Local humor at Dave's Corner Market

H and I had both opted to wear shorts, despite the temperatures being in the 40s (high 40s), and within fifteen minutes both of us had shed our long sleeved outer layers; with the strong sunshine, 40s/50s is super pleasant in the desert.  We did our regular route, opting for the left hand veer of the loop, so we would come to the arch clockwise.

H going into the light

When Jeep Arch was in view, we did see a couple of people silhouetted beneath the arch, but they had moved on by the time we got there.  We didn't linger, continuing around the loop, and then dropping into the canyon wash when we were able.  

That one pop of yellow

It was like we were the only people on earth, making our way down the wash.  There was enough water in spots that Milton could wade, although the pools looked pretty stagnant.  (He didn't care.)  There were a number more cars at the trailhead when we exited the culvert, but our people-free experience just proves that earlier is better if you don't want crowds.  Hike stats: just under 4 miles, which is always shorter than I think.

Looking back from whence we came

On the way back, we pulled over along Wall Street so we could watch the rock climbers while we had surreptitious post-hike beers and snacks.  There were all kinds of people there: college kids, families with kids, 30-somethings, tourists taking photos of the rock art and a 70+ year old trail runner who'd won his age group in Saturday's trail marathon.

That hole was the size of a quarter

Gorgeous day, no notes.

can't be mad tho'

It has been unseasonably warm and dry this October/first half of November (How many years do we say it's "unseasonably warm" before we accept the fact that the climate has changed and warmer is the new normal?  Asking for a friend.) and it's throwing off all the ski resorts, having to push their opening days back, and then back again, and then back again.  Brian Head had very optimistically said they were going to open November 7 ... as of the date of this writing, they're hoping for November 21.  Also 11/21: Alta and Park City.  Solitude is shooting for 11/19, Snowbird 11/27 and Snowbasin 11/28.  All subject to change, of course, which it definitely will do unless the weather also changes.

In-town colors

In the meantime, the unseasonably warm and dry fall weather has been very enjoyable, especially down in Moab.  Both H and I had Veteran's Day (Tuesday) off of work and we finagled a long weekend out of it by taking Monday as well, driving down Friday mid-afternoon.  Traffic was much less through Utah County and between Spanish Fork and Price, but it sure seemed like Main Street was hopping when we got to Moab, with lots of folks in town for the Moab Folk Festival.  Fewer side-by-sides, more post-modern hippies.  (Who am I kidding?  There's never fewer side-by-sides.)  We swung by Woody's Friday night for a post-drive decompression beer, and got to catch up with our friend C, which was great as we hadn't been sure we'd get to see him this weekend.

Dry Anasazi beans (got

'em at Moonflower Co-op)

Despite being forecasted for overcast, Saturday was pretty clear.  Chilly to start, but warming up nicely as the sun rose higher.  A and Milton set out for a Pipe Dream hike first, then H followed later for a trail run.  The dog abandoned me for H as he passed us on the first leg of the out-and-back; I had to leash Milton so he'd stay with me when H came back by.  That last bit was less fun for both of us, but at least he towed me up the hills.  (H: 4.86 miles; A: 4.5 miles; M: somewhat more than that).

Over 600 miles on the one on the

right - time for new shoes

Determined to enjoy the afternoon, we three walked to the Spitfire later for beers (FYI pitchers are not any better a deal than by the glass), then had an early backyard firepit with our neighbor A and her dog.  Both H and neighbor A are early to bed people so the time change (even though we hate it) at least allows some star-gazing before bedtime.

fall things

 Somehow, the autumn shoulder season seems shorter than the spring one: in the spring, you have to wait for the snow to melt to get out and do things in the mountains, but in the fall, you have to wait for it to snow to go out and do things in the mountains (and the ski areas get cranky if you tromp around on their newly-made snow).  Solitude says they'll open in a couple of weeks and Alta is claiming three weeks to open.  But it is over 60F and brilliantly sunny on the first Sunday in November so I feel like they may be being optimistic.

Not like New England colors,

but still pretty

We didn't have much planned for the first November weekend.  Milton and I did our five mile Dimple Dell loop both Saturday and Sunday mornings; the strong sunshine made it feel warmer than the high 40s.  H got a little chilled but managed a road ride both mornings, pretty much the latest in the season he tends to ride in SLC.  We did a bunch of chores - laundry, sweeping out the garage (oh boy did it need it), making soups and chocolate chip cookies, vacuuming (oh boy did it need it).  And, with the gorgeous weather, we felt compelled to do a tailgate in the garage while we still could.  I'm sure our neighbors can't wait for it to get cold enough for us to do our drinking indoors.

the watershed

 On Saturday, we hooked up with E and K (Milton's girlfriends) and went for lunch and beers at the newly-rechristened Watershed in Midvale.  Formerly The Midway, once their Bar Rescue contract was up, they immediately renamed the venue, got rid of all the kitchy carnival decor and improved their patio set-up with a roof, windbreak and big gas firepits.  They had also recently instituted a big vegan menu, in addition to their regular one, and we felt that it was important to go check it out.  Also: beer.

E and K were already on the patio, cozied up to a firepit with a bloody mary and seasonal pumpkin spice white russian.  After ordering our beers and checking with the waitress, H fetched Milton from the car to join us.  Our waitress was smitten as M turned his charm on her and the other folks sitting next to us.

So needy

Despite the road noise (900 East, just south of Ft. Union), it was quite nice there on the patio.  The firepits are surrounded by shelves for food and beers, although the glasses did get pretty warm.  We talked with the bartender and he was enthused for it to get even colder, saying that he figured it would stay relatively comfortable well into the winter.

So flirty

Food-wise, we all ate off the vegan menu.  K got the buffalo wrap (okay/would not get again but really good garlic fries); E got the vegan nachos (huge and quite good); H got the garlic cheeseburger (not overly garlicky and Beyond Burgers are not his favorite, although that is a personal preference not a dis); and I got the costra tacos with vegan asado (delicious but super-messy, and the salsa was excellent and spicy).  The vegan asado was also a Beyond product and I have to admit that I really wasn't sure that it was plant-based.  

So, a bar with a dog-friendly patio and decent vegan bar food, only a 10-15 minute drive from our house?  Bravo, The Watershed - we'll be back.

vacation end

And then the rain set in.  We hadn't gotten much weather during monsoon season, and Utah is always in at least some kind of a drought, so it felt ungrateful to complain.  But maybe not rain during vacation!  It felt like being back in Maine again - it always rained during our vacations there - except for, you know, desert.

At the start

On Friday, A and M did a damp, 3.3 mile town walk.  Then H and A rode their MTBs down to the start of the Moab 240 to watch the crazy runners head off.  The Moab 240 is an ultra trail marathon that is 240 miles long (give or take).  Last year, it was hotter than normal conditions for the runners; this year, they had rain and snow and overflowing creeks and so much mud.  It is such a cool event and both H and I wish we had it in us to do such a thing.  It isn't so much the distance that's intimidating - I would LOVE to hike the course, over a period of (many) days - it's the sleep deprivation.  

At the bar

After the runners headed off, we rode down to Proper Brewing (it was on the way home) for one beer, then stopped at Woody's for one beer, before returning home.  It's important to support local businesses.

At Sandflats

Saturday found us three doing a quick Practice Loop (2.3 miles) hike up at Sandflats in the morning.  We figured it would be the least wet and muddy trail we could do; indeed, all the potholes were full of rainwater.  It dried up enough in the afternoon for another visit to the Spitfire for dog-friendly patio beers.  But Saturday night we got a massive thunderstorm - the lightning was incredible.  Milton was not pleased.

At another bar

On Sunday, after A and M did another townwalk (3.2 miles), the humans headed out on their bikes for the last road ride of vacation (20.2 miles).  It was much cooler after the storm but the rain had wrecked some havoc along the trail: lots of downed branches and sand/mud washed across the bike path.  Our ride ended up being shorter than we intended, actually, because the bike path along the river was flooded and impassable.

At the end of the line

And that was it.  We cleaned the house and did yard work Monday morning before packing up and heading back to SLC.  This fall vacation was perhaps a little less active than past year's due to the adverse weather.   But we did get out and do at least one thing outdoors each day, and had double sessions several times.  Plus all that weather meant A read ten library books!