Moab in late January?

[chinooktrail]

Well, my boss just told me I am getting 4 days free in Utah after a trade show we are going to.

I will be in Salt Lake for a week, then a few free days, then fly home.

Now I need some suggestions of what to do with my time, Moab, skiing, biking, hiking or what??? I have never been to this part of the country, but am really looking forward to it.

Any travel or activity suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[SteveHiker]

Arches National Park is a few miles from Moab. When I was there (in August), it was really hot. I talked with one of the rangers, and she said that in the winter the daytime high temps were around 30, they got very little snow, and (the best part) hardly anyone went there then. It would definitely be worth checking out.

The whole southern part of the state is National Parks: Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands, Escalante and Arches. So there'd be plenty else to check out. Personally I didn't find the Salt Lake City - Provo area to be very interesting, as I don't like generic strip mall sprawl, but the nearby mountains did look interesting. In case you didn't want to drive as far. It was a few hours from Salt Lake to Moab. I don't remember exactly how long as we stopped to eat, and got lost in Provo at one point. (note: ten year old road atlases may be worse than no road atlas at all).

 

[roadtripper]

There are some fantastic ski resorts within a couple hours drive of Salt Lake City.....

- Alta
- Snowbird
- Park City
- The Canyons

Map of all their locations: Ski Utah

 

[DougPaul]

SteveHiker mentioned a number of national parks--all worth going to (but you will need more than 4 days to visit them all.) The best time to visit this area is typically April or May--after winter and before it gets too hot. One problem with Jan is that a number of the higher roads may be blocked by snow--you may have to be flexible according to conditions.

Doug

 

[skiguy]

There are some fantastic ski resorts within a couple hours drive of Salt Lake City.....

- Alta
- Snowbird
- Park City
- The Canyons

Map of all their locations: Ski Utah

I secound this notion...no brainer. Some of the reps will probably want you to demo skis anyhow and usually free lift tickets to be had! Moab is a bit of a ride from Salt Lake anyhow. The slopes are a stone's throw away! Besides your boss is from Cham and she'll probably want to ski too!

 

[chinooktrail]

YUP, YOU ARE ON TO ME!

The sales manager is getting info on 20 or so people renting a condo.

Can't wait!

Maybe I will attempt to learn to snowboard out there.
If it is powder it won't hurt so much being on my butt!

 

[SteveHiker]

hey, she did say Moab in the title. I don't know anything about skiing so I went with what I knew. Obviously 4 days would not be enough time to see all that stuff anyway. I don't recall any roads that had road closure gates on the way to Moab, I remember mostly flat desert. But I drove thru so many different places out west this summer, I might not be remembering it right. I know that the western side of the state is much higher up, so that might be an issue there.

April, May or October is a better time to go to Arches in any case.

 

[chinooktrail]

Your right Steve, I did say Moab, because my boss mentioned I may want to go there. Then the sales guy said he was skiing for 4 days, and did I want to go...

Cheap lodging, cheap skiing and free flights.

Hum, didn't take me long to decide.

So, I will do my best to be a ski bum for a few days.

Do they have snowboard bums?

I figure it will be safe to try to learn out there, no one knows me!

 

[DougPaul]

So, I will do my best to be a ski bum for a few days.

Do they have snowboard bums?

Alta doesn't allow snowboards--better to be a ski bum if you wish to go there. (I understand that Alta is a great place--a friend's favorite.)

Alta and Snowbird are just outside SLC--I think you can even take a public bus to them.

Doug

 

[skiguy]

Alta doesn't allow snowboards--better to be a ski bum if you wish to go there. (I understand that Alta is a great place--a friend's favorite.)

Alta and Snowbird are just outside SLC--I think you can even take a public bus to them.

Doug

Ditto on the no snowboard thing at Alta but don't let that stop you going to Snowbird which is right next door. And yes there is Public Transportation .