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Colorado Ski Resorts Close Early in 2026 as Record Warmth Depletes Snowpack
News

Colorado Ski Resorts Close Early in 2026 as Record Warmth Depletes Snowpack

Twelve Colorado resorts are already dark and Keystone, Telluride, and Crested Butte all close April 5 after snowpack fell 20% below any previous record low.

Sam Ortega3m read
Backcountry Camping Safety and Low-Impact Practices for Southwest Canyons
Analysis

Backcountry Camping Safety and Low-Impact Practices for Southwest Canyons

Pack smarter, pick campsites above drainage lines, and use stoves over campfires, these are the safety and low‑impact habits Southwest Adventure Vacations guides insist on for canyon and high‑basin trips.

Sam Ortega6m read
Viral Video Spotlights Underrated Texas Adventures From Canyons to Kayaking
News

Viral Video Spotlights Underrated Texas Adventures From Canyons to Kayaking

The Frio River at Concan is running at just 26 cfs right now, far below the 100-300 cfs ideal for tubing, making it a critical trip-planning check before booking your Texas adventure.

Nina Kowalski3m read
Plan Your White Rim Road Trip With These Permits, Gear, and Timing Tips
Analysis

Plan Your White Rim Road Trip With These Permits, Gear, and Timing Tips

Backcountry overnight permits for White Rim Road's spring season open November 10 on Recreation.gov, and missing that date means losing one of Utah's most remote 100-mile loops.

Nina Kowalski5m read
Canyonlands Off-Road Guide: Permits, Gear, and Safety for Iconic Trails
Analysis

Canyonlands Off-Road Guide: Permits, Gear, and Safety for Iconic Trails

Canyonlands demands a true low-range 4WD rig, not your AWD SUV — and that's just to get a permit. Here's everything you need before you turn off the pavement.

Sam Ortega8m read
Pack Smart, Navigate Wild: Your Complete Guide to Southwest Backcountry Hiking
Analysis

Pack Smart, Navigate Wild: Your Complete Guide to Southwest Backcountry Hiking

Surviving the Four Corners backcountry starts with what you leave behind — and knowing exactly what to bring instead.

Nina Kowalski6m read
Arches National Park Drops Timed Entry Reservations for 2026, Opens Without Tickets
Updates

Arches National Park Drops Timed Entry Reservations for 2026, Opens Without Tickets

Visitors can drive into Arches without a timed-entry ticket this year; Arches announced Feb. 18, 2026 it will not require vehicle timed-entry reservations for 2026.

Jamie Taylor3m read
Glen Canyon NPS Shifts Uplake Marina Operations to Protect 2026 Boating Access
Updates

Glen Canyon NPS Shifts Uplake Marina Operations to Protect 2026 Boating Access

Bullfrog Marina services are being temporarily relocated at Lake Powell, where spring inflows are forecast at just 57% of average for 2026.

Sam Ortega3m read
Colorado Awards $222,456 in Tourism Grants to 13 Communities Statewide
Updates

Colorado Awards $222,456 in Tourism Grants to 13 Communities Statewide

Colorado handed out $222,456 in Tourism Management Grants to 13 communities, funding everything from river access signage in Ouray to destination planning in Pagosa Springs.

Sam Ortega2m read
BLM Issues 2026 Raptor Avoidance Map for Indian Creek Climbing Corridor
Updates

BLM Issues 2026 Raptor Avoidance Map for Indian Creek Climbing Corridor

Climbers visiting Indian Creek must avoid 12 named crags through the nesting season after the BLM’s March 4, 2026 raptor-avoidance map was issued effective immediately.

Jamie Taylor2m read
Experts Recommend the Best Hiking Boots of 2026 for Southwest Trails
Analysis

Experts Recommend the Best Hiking Boots of 2026 for Southwest Trails

Salomon Quest 4 GTX tops Yahoo Health’s roundup for all‑around Southwest trail duty, while Hoka Kaha 3 and Salomon X Ultra 5 split the support‑vs‑lightweight tradeoffs you’ll actually feel on steep, sandy routes.

Nina Kowalski7m read
Glen Canyon, Concessioners Coordinate Plans for Low Lake Powell Visitor Access
Updates

Glen Canyon, Concessioners Coordinate Plans for Low Lake Powell Visitor Access

If you plan to boat or launch at Lake Powell in 2026, expect coordinated contingency planning by Glen Canyon managers, concessioners and state partners as reservoir elevations trend lower.

Jamie Taylor3m read
Visit Zion Canyon This Winter While Shuttle Service Is Paused
Analysis

Visit Zion Canyon This Winter While Shuttle Service Is Paused

Shuttle service pauses for winter, opening the 15-mile Zion Canyon Scenic Drive to private cars; beat the crowds but prepare for icy trails, limited parking, and winter-only gear.

Jamie Taylor3m read
Moab Easter Jeep Safari Celebrates 60 Years With New Trails and Youth Programs
Community

Moab Easter Jeep Safari Celebrates 60 Years With New Trails and Youth Programs

The 60th Easter Jeep Safari adds a new trail into Arches National Park and debuts "The Final Exam" for advanced riders seeking graduation diplomas.

Sam Ortega3m read
Moab City Council Approves Sand Flats Road Multi-Use Pathway Project
Updates

Moab City Council Approves Sand Flats Road Multi-Use Pathway Project

Moab City Council voted unanimously to green-light a multi-use pathway along Sand Flats Road, a corridor heavily used by cyclists, hikers, and jeepers.

Jamie Taylor1m read
SAR Veterans Share Simple Backcountry Survival Tips for Hikers, Climbers, Skiers
Analysis

SAR Veterans Share Simple Backcountry Survival Tips for Hikers, Climbers, Skiers

SAR vets say telling someone your plan, packing an extra jacket, and using text-to-911 where available can prevent common backcountry rescues.

Nina Kowalski5m read
Zion Forever Project Seeks New Board Members in Nationwide Search
Updates

Zion Forever Project Seeks New Board Members in Nationwide Search

Zion Forever Project launched a nationwide search for 2-4 new board members as it rolls out a new five-year strategic plan and installs new leadership across the organization.

Nina Kowalski2m read
North Kaibab Trail Reopens to Ribbon Falls After 2025 Dragon Bravo Fire
Updates

North Kaibab Trail Reopens to Ribbon Falls After 2025 Dragon Bravo Fire

Ribbon Falls is back on the map: the lower North Kaibab Trail reopened March 4 after nearly eight months closed following the 2025 Dragon Bravo Fire.

Jamie Taylor2m read
CDOT Resumes Glenwood Canyon Bridge Work March 16, Narrowing I-70 Traffic
Updates

CDOT Resumes Glenwood Canyon Bridge Work March 16, Narrowing I-70 Traffic

Concrete barriers hit both lanes of I-70 Monday as CDOT and contractor KSK, LLC tackle eight remaining bridge joints across 17 miles of Glenwood Canyon.

Nina Kowalski2m read
National Parks 2026: Expanded Fee-Free Days, Digital Passes, Pricing Shifts
Updates

National Parks 2026: Expanded Fee-Free Days, Digital Passes, Pricing Shifts

Digital America the Beautiful passes roll out Jan 1, 2026, new fee‑free dates include July 3–5 and other holidays, and several high‑traffic parks have changed reservation rules while pricing and residency rules remain under review.

Nina Kowalski4m read
Colorado Parks and Wildlife Re-seeds Thousands of Burned Acres Across Western Colorado
Updates

Colorado Parks and Wildlife Re-seeds Thousands of Burned Acres Across Western Colorado

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is re-seeding thousands of burned acres in western Colorado to restore wildlife habitat and protect watersheds after an intense 2025 wildfire season.

Jamie Taylor2m read
Utah Replaces Hunting License with Video and Free Permit for WMAs
Updates

Utah Replaces Hunting License with Video and Free Permit for WMAs

Utah will swap the adult hunting-or-fishing license requirement for a 2-3 minute online video and a free digital permit to enter WMAs in four counties, with statewide expansion by July 1, 2028.

Jamie Taylor3m read
Utah's Record March Heatwave Threatens to End Winter Adventure Season Early
Updates

Utah's Record March Heatwave Threatens to End Winter Adventure Season Early

Utah temps are forecast 25-30°F above normal this week, threatening to wipe out what little snowpack remains and end backcountry season months early.

Sam Ortega2m read
Fatal Avalanche in Boss Basin Kills Backcountry Skier Near Ptarmigan Pass
News

Fatal Avalanche in Boss Basin Kills Backcountry Skier Near Ptarmigan Pass

David Pickett-Heaps was found dead in Boss Basin avalanche debris at sunrise March 8 after an overnight search — Colorado's first avalanche fatality of the 2025-26 season.

Sam Ortega2m read
Beginner's Packrafting Guide to Southwest Colorado and Moab: Safety, Gear, Skills
Analysis

Beginner's Packrafting Guide to Southwest Colorado and Moab: Safety, Gear, Skills

Packrafting unlocks remote Four Corners canyons no hiker reaches on foot alone — here's how to start safely, gear up right, and build real skills.

Jamie Taylor6m read
Utah Delegation Files CRA Resolution to Nullify Grand Staircase-Escalante Resource Management Plan
Updates

Utah Delegation Files CRA Resolution to Nullify Grand Staircase-Escalante Resource Management Plan

Visitors planning trips to Grand Staircase‑Escalante face potential management uncertainty after Utah’s delegation filed a Congressional Review Act resolution to overturn the BLM’s January 2025 plan for the 1.87 million‑acre monument.

Jamie Taylor3m read
Moab's Echo Canyon Project Stirs Controversy Among Developers, Environmentalists, and Officials
Updates

Moab's Echo Canyon Project Stirs Controversy Among Developers, Environmentalists, and Officials

Two lawsuits now threaten Echo Canyon, a proposed luxury resort on 176 acres of Colorado River floodplain near Moab, including a constitutional challenge that could kill Utah's new city-creation law entirely.

Sam Ortega4m read
Grand Junction Officials Warn Boaters About Gear That Can Cause Drowning
Updates

Grand Junction Officials Warn Boaters About Gear That Can Cause Drowning

Pool toys and inflatables on the Colorado River near Grand Junction are being flagged as drowning hazards as spring runoff begins pushing water levels up.

Nina Kowalski2m read
Colorado's Cloud Seeding Programs Shape Snowpack for Ski Resorts and River Basins
News

Colorado's Cloud Seeding Programs Shape Snowpack for Ski Resorts and River Basins

Winter Park's cloud-seeded storm dropped 12 inches when Vail got 4 — Colorado's 7 permitted programs are quietly reshaping ski seasons and river flows across the Southwest.

Nina Kowalski7m read