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  1. #1
    Senior Member WaffleBox's Avatar
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    A question for Utahn hangers

    Hi folks! I’m new to Utah - just moved here from Florida in July. This will be my first winter living somewhere that actually has a winter, and I want to get out to experience cold weather backpacking. Any suggestions on good places to go? Prefer places I can hang, but also open to tent camping. Appreciate any suggestions!

    Unrelated to hammocking, or maybe only tangentially related... Do you think I should get snow tires? I have an AWD truck.

  2. #2
    Senior Member BillyBob58's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by WaffleBox View Post
    Hi folks! I’m new to Utah - just moved here from Florida in July. This will be my first winter living somewhere that actually has a winter, and I want to get out to experience cold weather backpacking. Any suggestions on good places to go? Prefer places I can hang, but also open to tent camping. Appreciate any suggestions!

    Unrelated to hammocking, or maybe only tangentially related... Do you think I should get snow tires? I have an AWD truck.
    It has been quite a few years since I lived in UT, but I will throw out a few opinions until someone who does gets here.

    Good places to go? Anywhere in the vast national forests and parks. But, I think SLC averages about 50" of snowfall per year( at least they did up through the late 1980s, may have dried up some since then). But the mountains just outside of SLC average over 500" a year. ( yes, 500, that is not a typo) And avalanche danger is often high. IOW, it can be serious winter up there. So if you are going in the winter, you best know what you are doing. Now, UT has plenty of lower elevation areas where they don't get anywhere near that much snow, but those are more or less desert areas, so not many trees to hang from. Although you can possibly find some areas in the mountains that are not way up high in them, but high enough to have trees and not so much snow.



    Good snow tires can certainly make your life easier, especially IF you get a really snowy winter. If you get a dry one, maybe you can get by without them, as long as you don't go up in the mountains.

    When weather allows, anywhere in the Wasatch Mountains just east of Ogden/SLC/Provo have vast forested hiking and backpacking possibilities. A little further east, maybe a couple of hours from SLC, along the SW border of WY, run the High Uinta mountains, with endless lakes, forests and beautiful mountain peaks, either for a day hike, over nighter or multiday trip. If you have a bit more time for travel, you are about 4 to 6 hours from the magnificent Wind River Mountains in WY, and about the same from Jackson Hole and the Tetons. So, opportunities are endless. I envy you!

    A suggestion: check out something called "The Wasatch Mountain Club". This is made up of local people who go on hiking, backpacking or cross country ski trips somewhere in the area, every weekend. These trips are usually organized by local people who know the area very well. That can give you a big jump start regarding where to start.

    Here is another suggestion for you right now, if a lot of snow has not already fallen. Get directions to Alta and/or Snowbird Ski resorts. ( on same road, about 30 minutes from SLC ) Drive up as far as you can to Alta and get out and hike around. Or stop a few miles before Alta at Snowbird, and pay some money for a ticket on the Tram, and take it up to the top of the peaks and get off and hike around, then take it back down. Then you will quickly realize what an awesome area you have just moved to.
    Last edited by BillyBob58; 10-13-2020 at 15:23.

  3. #3
    Senior Member Crazytown3's Avatar
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    Welcome to Utah! Winter outdoor activities here are truly fantastic, you just have to have the right gear and some basic knowledge of dealing with cold weather and snow. I concur with everything BillyBob mentioned, including finding a local outdoors club. They are typically very welcoming of new people, and have vast amounts of knowledge to share. The usual winter activity areas will be East of SLC in the Wasatch Mountains, which are very close. Other great areas are just a short drive further. The High Uintas are a favorite of mine, especially the Mirror Lake Highway corridor (Highway 150). Great recreation are in both Summer and Winter.

    Our truly 'hard winters' are kind of few these days; call it climate change or whatever term you want to use. We do still get at least a 2-3 whopper snow storms a season though. Snow tires are not a bad idea. We have 3-peak rated all season tires on our vehicles and manage pretty well.

  4. #4
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    What area do you live in? I moved from the Salt Lake Valley 3 years ago and am very familiar with the Central Wasatch! I miss those mountains!

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