Canyonlands in Winter

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tomcat32
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Canyonlands in Winter

Post by tomcat32 »

I'm curious if anyone has experience backpacking The Needles District in winter. I was contemplating a possible trip in the upcoming offseason but was looking to hear from anyone with experience. Looking at the website it is pretty much self permit at the closed ranger stations from what I can tell. I know it snows, but the elevation is relatively low compared to CO , below 7000', and much of the terrain appears to be open. Is it fairly normal to have extended periods with no snow on the ground in the park? Does the snow linger in the canyons for a long time after a snow? Given the self permit, do you still have to pick a specific campsite on a given day or can you pick any if they are empty on a given day? Is the road to Cathederal Butte TH passable in winter? Thanks for any info you can provide.
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planet54
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Re: Canyonlands in Winter

Post by planet54 »

I haven't backpacked there in winter but I have car camped and dayhiked there in February. It is not uncommon to have a warm spell midwinter with temps near 60 or so. The nights are long and cold though which is why I chose to car camp. The stars are incredible on a clear night. I can't answer the permit questions.

If you need to go even lower another place to consider could be the lower end of Dark Canyon via the Sundance Trail.
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Scott P
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Re: Canyonlands in Winter

Post by Scott P »

I'm curious if anyone has experience backpacking The Needles District in winter.
I have backpacked there many times in winter. Winter is really good if you want to reach the more remote areas of the Needles because water isn't as much of a problem.

Here are the weather averages at the Needles:

http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?ut1168" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Most days will be within 10 degrees of the average, while only occasionally rising or dipping to 20 degrees from normal.
Is it fairly normal to have extended periods with no snow on the ground in the park? Does the snow linger in the canyons for a long time after a snow?
There are usually snow patches in the shaded areas. On most routes it isn't a problem, but on some routes, ice can make things difficult.
Given the self permit, do you still have to pick a specific campsite on a given day or can you pick any if they are empty on a given day?
In theory, you are supposed to choose a campsite area (not a specific campsite, unless things have changed in the last year or two), but if they are all empty, it probably doesn't matter. Rangers aren't in the park in the winter anymore.
Is the road to Cathederal Butte TH passable in winter?


Usually not. I wouldn't recommend trying it. In winter, that and Bobbys Hole are probably the worse access points in winter. All other areas have good access, though the 4wd trails are often closed in winter, even when there isn't much snow. The NPS seems overly cautious about this in recent years.
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Re: Canyonlands in Winter

Post by mrburns »

planet54 wrote:I haven't backpacked there in winter but I have car camped and dayhiked there in February. It is not uncommon to have a warm spell midwinter with temps near 60 or so. The nights are long and cold though which is why I chose to car camp. The stars are incredible on a clear night. I can't answer the permit questions.

If you need to go even lower another place to consider could be the lower end of Dark Canyon via the Sundance Trail.
PICT0843.JPG

Great picture! Is this dark canyon?
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Re: Canyonlands in Winter

Post by Scott P »

That picture is the Needles.

in my opinion, I'd save Dark Canyon for warm weather. You can hike down the Sundance Trail in winter, but to see much of Dark Canyon from there, you have to wade or swim (especially in winter).
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Re: Canyonlands in Winter

Post by kaiman »

Here's a couple photos of Dark Canyon. I agree with Scott that it is best done in warmer weather as it involves quite a bit of water and wading. Also you'll need a high clearance vehicle preferably with 4WD if you approach it the standard way from the North on the Beef Basin road.

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Re: Canyonlands in Winter

Post by kaiman »

Another Dark Canyon photo:
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Re: Canyonlands in Winter

Post by Jesse M »

I went during winter break my freshman year of college. It snowed making the rock dangerous, it was almost always windy, and we never saw the sun. That being said, I would not go during winter again, definetly go during spring break. I would go to Texas or the Ozarks not Canyonlands. Have fun and enjoy the trip.
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Re: Canyonlands in Winter

Post by Shaolin »

Dark Canyon is an awesome place.
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Re: Canyonlands in Winter

Post by mrburns »

Scott P wrote:That picture is the Needles.

in my opinion, I'd save Dark Canyon for warm weather. You can hike down the Sundance Trail in winter, but to see much of Dark Canyon from there, you have to wade or swim (especially in winter).

thanks Scott, that's what I thought, but had to double check. My first ever backpacking trip outside of the midwest was in the Needles in the mid 90's and was I blown away by the silence and the stars out there. I have tried to get back out there as often as possible ever since. Such an amazing place.

I have thought about going out there in winter for years, early March and late November is as close as I have gotten, it always too hard to pull myself away from skiing in the main winter months.


This is from Elephant Canyon a few years ago..
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Re: Canyonlands in Winter

Post by kaiman »

Jesse M wrote:I went during winter break my freshman year of college. It snowed making the rock dangerous, it was almost always windy, and we never saw the sun. That being said, I would not go during winter again, definetly go during spring break. I would go to Texas or the Ozarks not Canyonlands. Have fun and enjoy the trip.
You were probably here during a period of inversion where it gets overcast for an extended period and the clouds hold the cold air down in the canyon floors. Normally it is not like that here during the winter and you can expect crisp clear winter days with daytime highs in December/January the 20s-30s (and sometimes low 40s) and night time temperatures in the teens. As others have pointed out, the only real difficulty with hiking that time of the year is that the slickrock/sandstone gets snow covered and icy and you have to be careful downclimbing/upclimbing steep areas (particularly pour offs).

If the OP does decide to come during that time of the year, I would suggest sticking to the more established areas in the park such as Chesler Park/Elephant Canyon, etc. as the Park Service doesn't patrol Needles with much regularity during the winter months so if you do get in trouble you will be on your own. Also, most of the side roads, except for the main ones, are not plowed/maintained during the winter.

Kai
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"I haven't climbed Everest, skied to the poles, or sailed single-handed around the world. The goals I set out to accomplish aren't easily measured or quantified by world records or "firsts." The reasons I climb, and the climbs I do, are about more than distance or altitude, they are about breaking barriers within myself."

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Re: Canyonlands in Winter

Post by tomcat32 »

If the OP does decide to come during that time of the year, I would suggest sticking to the more established areas in the park such as Chesler Park/Elephant Canyon, etc. as the Park Service doesn't patrol Needles with much regularity during the winter months so if you do get in trouble you will be on your own. Also, most of the side roads, except for the main ones, are not plowed/maintained during the winter.
Is the main road into the visitor center in the Needles, 211 I think it is, plowed to the visitor center, or to any of the trailheads beyond.
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