The Wasatch Thread: Skiing and Riding in Utah

[jimmywilson69]

that's a steal! and if you hate them, you can likely recoup every penny of that $320

 

[jimk]

Interesting trivia to add to my recent cross country drive in early May. I had originally intended to drive from UT to the eastern side of Rocky Mtn NP as I've never been there. But a couple days before the trip it looked like a pretty good snow storm might hit that part of CO, so I diverted the trip to Moab and Mesa Verde areas and crossed southern CO on the way east.

4 May 2026 Dinosaur National Monument, CO:


5 May 2026, Arches National Park, UT:


6 May 2026, Mesa Verde National Park, CO:


Meanwhile, this is what happened to my original route on May 4-6, 2026:
4 ESE Estes Park, CO – 28 inches
2 S Estes Park, CO – 27.9 inches
Meeker Park, CO – 26.1 inches
1 NW Pinewood Springs, CO – 23.7 inches
2 SW Estes Park, CO – 23.6 inches
1 W Allenspark, CO – 23.3 inches
2 WSW Estes Park, CO – 22 inches
4 W Pinewood Springs, CO – 19 inches
3 NNW Horsetooth Mountain, CO – 18 inches

Very glad I diverted south. I still had snow tires on my Rav 4, but didn't really want to mess with significant snow while in non-ski, long distance driving mode

 

[jimmywilson69]

hit Mesa Verde in November. Unfortunately they had closed the trails down into the bottom already because it was normally cold and snowy. It was 70 degrees the day we were there. Crazy how those places where built right into the cliffs. Will definitely go back in a season where I can hike and get up close like the photo you posted!

 

[thetrailboss]

that's a steal! and if you hate them, you can likely recoup every penny of that $320

Yeah, I just need to spend some time breaking them in. I made the mistake on my new Head Kore 111's of just launching into all sorts of terrain at Alta this year instead of easing into them by using them a few days on groomers. They kicked my ass that first day! I have pivoted to using them a couple of days on groomers to get them broken into.

 

[Smellytele]

Brought my family to Mesa Verde while skiing SW CO 12 years ago. They had free guided tours down into where the buildings were in the winter.

 

[jimmywilson69]

oh that's interesting. the park info last fall indicated it closes in the fall and reopens in the spring. This is for 2026

 

[thetrailboss]

Best Worst Season

Entering our 88th year, we envisioned a normal Alta season—month after month of snowy nights and deep days and slopes marked with fresh tracks of celebratory powder 8s and 88s. Mother Nature had other plans.

www.alta.com

 

[jimk]

I posted about this on SkiTalk, but I'll mention here too.
FYI: From my brief sample last week, attendance at National Parks is down this year. Dinosaur National Monument was not crowded as expected.
But the big surprises: No reservations were required to get into Arches NP and the traffic was moderate entering the park at 11 am on a weekday at a popular month to visit - May. It was mobbed my last two visits in prior years.
I got two spots in an $8 guided tour of Cliff Palace at Mesa Verde, NP only a few days before going there. Those spots were taken months before when I went there in 2022. I Got a room at the Far View Lodge inside Mesa Verde the day of arrival!

 

[BenedictGomez]

But the big surprises: No reservations were required to get into Arches NP

They did away with that. They figured it cost Moab & Grand County something like $50 million in lost tourism dollars.

Arches timed entry likely reduced visitation. Grand County’s tourism economy still grew

www.moabtimes.com

 

[4aprice]

They did away with that. They figured it cost Moab & Grand County something like $50 million in lost tourism dollars.

Arches timed entry likely reduced visitation. Grand County’s tourism economy still grew

www.moabtimes.com

As far as I know RMNP is still requiring timed entry during the summer season.

Got my lifetime National Park pass in March and can't wait to use it more.

A little RMNP from the eastern (Estes Park ) side





More Estes Park

Here’s Johnny



The Stanley Hotel from the book and movie The Shining

 

[thetrailboss]

They did away with that. They figured it cost Moab & Grand County something like $50 million in lost tourism dollars.

Arches timed entry likely reduced visitation. Grand County’s tourism economy still grew

www.moabtimes.com

Honestly, I would not be surprised if timed entry returns. Arches has been overrun for years. The Mighty Five campaign worked....too well. I know that businesses complained, but there were just too many people for the park. IIRC this change was also spurred by Trump because, well, Obama or Biden implemented it.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Honestly, I would not be surprised if timed entry returns. Arches has been overrun for years. The Mighty Five campaign worked....too well. I know that businesses complained, but there were just too many people for the park. IIRC this change was also spurred by Trump because, well, Obama or Biden implemented it.

I support dumping it, we like to go down randomly or even last minute for 3 day weekends, and the timed slot thing hampers that. Outside the COVID boom it's just not necessary as I'd say there's a big difference since then as I havent felt swamped at Arches since that time, but pre 2024 it was a zoo. In fact, if you go during the non big tourism months is can be empty. But regardless, the $2 fee they charged for the "timed slot" was a naked cash grab & completely unnecessary!

 

[thetrailboss]

I support dumping it, we like to go down randomly or even last minute for 3 day weekends, and the timed slot thing hampers that. Outside the COVID boom it's just not necessary as I'd say there's a big difference since then as I havent felt swamped at Arches since that time, but pre 2024 it was a zoo. In fact, if you go during the non big tourism months is can be empty. But regardless, the $2 fee they charged for the "timed slot" was a naked cash grab & completely unnecessary!

Pre-Covid it was a **** show. The traffic at the entrance often spilled out onto the highway and caused a safety issue.

And the $2.00 charge is likely to cover the expense of the vendor who created and administered the reservation system. The NPS is underfunded as it is.

 

[ThatGuy]

Timed entry is definitely good for NPs that need it. Go to Glacier and drive Going To The Sun road and you’ll realize how amazing the reservations are. I’ve gone before and after they implemented that and its night and day.

 

[BenedictGomez]

And the $2.00 charge is likely to cover the expense of the vendor who created and administered the reservation system.

That's precisely the claim, and it's absurd once you realize they've sold literally millions of $2 slots. I've paid plenty of website design, admin, & maintenance bills over the years in the corporate world, so I have a pretty good idea of the cost involved here, and this is definitely a profit center.

 

[BenedictGomez]

Here's a live look at Arches webcam, 4 cars in one line and 5 in the other. It's a beautiful 84 degree sunny day in Moab right now. We go a few times a year and this has been my general experience the last few years. And IMHO the pro tip is to go to the almost or just as beautiful state parks in Utah down there like GV or DH, and you can have sites of interest often practically to yourself.

 

[Kingslug20]

I treated the parks the way I do lcc and bcc...get there early..leave early..avoid **** show.....

 

[thetrailboss]

That's precisely the claim, and it's absurd once you realize they've sold literally millions of $2 slots. I've paid plenty of website design, admin, & maintenance bills over the years in the corporate world, so I have a pretty good idea of the cost involved here, and this is definitely a profit center.

Well, do you have the contract with the vendor? I don't. We can only guess.

 

[cdskier]

Well, do you have the contract with the vendor? I don't. We can only guess.

I've also seen a number of web service/transactional contracts/bills in the corporate world and would say $2 per transaction is not out of the realm of possibility for some of the ones I've seen. Every contract is different.

 

[thetrailboss]

https://www.cityweekly.net/news/udot-pays-8m-for-former-lawmakers-gondola-property-cottonwood-heights-mayor-says-its-only-worth-45m-7e1a3eaa