San Rafael Swell poster-style illustration
Why We WaitWet sandstone breaks. The science, the casualties and one very salty crimp.

San Rafael Swell, UT

the Swell now
Nearly dry: sunny faces may be ready, shady rock needs more time
Rest day. Hit the gym or a rainy-day crag, and let the holds live.
Likely climbable by Mon, Nov 9 around 4 PM.
⚠ This could be a sandbag: shaded, north-facing or seeping rock can stay wet longer than the gauges suggest. Touch the rock and check the ground before you tie in.
Updated · updates hourly
Sun and shade
Chase the sun or hide in the shade?
Live sun and shade map ↗ · ShadeMap
Live radar

Live radar

Updates hourly
Loading radar…

The last hour of rain and snow on radar; the pin marks the Swell. Green is light, yellow to red is heavy. Radar: NOAA/National Weather Service. Mountains can block radar in parts of the West, so light rain may not show.

NWS radar ↗ · Windy radar ↗

Rain, last and next 7 days
Rain at the Swellmeasured forecast
Mon, Nov 2: 0.00 in measuredMTue, Nov 3: 0.00 in measuredTWed, Nov 4: 0.13 in measured0.13WThu, Nov 5: 0.00 in measuredTFri, Nov 6: 0.00 in measuredFSat, Nov 7: 0.00 in measuredSSun, Nov 8: 0.00 in measured•0%Mon, Nov 9: 0.00 in forecast, 0% chanceM0%Tue, Nov 10: 0.00 in forecast, 0% chanceT0%Wed, Nov 11: 0.00 in forecast, 0% chanceW0%Thu, Nov 12: 0.00 in forecast, 0% chanceT2%Fri, Nov 13: 0.00 in forecast, 2% chanceF10%Sat, Nov 14: 0.00 in forecast, 10% chanceS23%Sun, Nov 15: 0.00 in forecast, 23% chanceS
Last 7 daysNext 7 days
Gauges within 10 mi: PC151 · forecast: NWS
Rain gauges
Updates hourly

Last rain at these gauges: 93 h ago (3 days) · 0.13 in at Cedar Mountain, ending Wed 5 PM

Rain in the last 3 days: none <0.10 in 0.10–0.25 >0.25. Tap a gauge for its name and link.

Webcam

Huntington, 17.2 mi from the Swell: today's pictures, newest last. Most nearby cams watch towns or roads; look for wet pavement, low clouds and rain over the hills. Open on Windy ↗

Thanks and community

Local coalitions and stewards

  • Access Fund ↗For keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment across the country.
  • Weather data ↗Rain gauges via Synoptic Data (MesoWest) from public and private weather networks. Forecasts from the National Weather Service. Model estimates from Open-Meteo when gauges go quiet.

Local climbing community

GroupsUtah Climbers ↗
OnlineMountain Project Southern Utah Deserts forum ↗
Local guidance

Local guidance

General guidance The Swell is BLM land reached by long dirt roads that turn impassable when wet. Never climb on or near rock art (the Buckhorn Wash panel). Eastern Reef slabs are runout and committing. No local wet-rock guidance was found for this area. The general rule for sandstone: most areas need 2 to 3 days after rain and up to a week after big storms. If the ground at the base is damp, the rock is too. Climbing: wet sandstone ↗

  • Rock Wingate and Navajo sandstone
  • Group Fragile when wet: red for 48 h after rain, caution to 72 h (96 h in winter)

San Rafael Swell on Mountain Project ↗
Rain check details

Dry all around

Every gauge within 30 mi of the Swell stayed dry for the last 3 days.

Where the rain fell (72-hour totals)

AreaGaugesRain
the Swell areaCedar Mountain, Flattop Mountain0.00 in
North, 26 miWellington 3 E, Price, US-6 at MP 256 SR-1230.00 in
Southeast, 20–28 miRattlesnake Bench, I-70 @ MP 141.7 Black Dragon Canyon, US-6 at MP 296 Sphinx Siding, San Rafael River0.00 in
South, 21 miGhost Rocks0.00 in
West, 23–30 miNorth Horn, Joes Valley Reservoir0.00 in
Northwest, 26 miBear Valley Canyon0.00 in

The site shows 🔴 Likely wet. Last rain: 0.13 in at Cedar Mountain, ending 93 h ago on rock still damp from earlier rain (about 0.06 in). Drying it out takes about 32 h of good drying weather; at the forecast humidity, wind and sun, the rock is likely still wet. Still, touch the rock before you tie in.

From 13 gauges out to 30 mi. Farther gauges as of 2:29 PM MST. Red means 0.10 in or more, amber a trace. Storm cells can be smaller than the gaps between gauges.
Local Beta Board

Local Beta Board

Climbers posting what they see at the Swell: which walls are dry, seeps, closures, approach and trail conditions.

No beta posted yet. Be the first to spray some beta from the Swell: which walls are dry, wet or seeping?

Post your beta

Posts are screened automatically and some are reviewed before they appear. Be kind, stay on topic, no personal info. See the terms.
Get alerts

Get alerts

An email when the Swell changes. Unsubscribe anytime.

Your email is used only for these alerts. See privacy.
Rain chance, wind and temperature

Rain chance, wind and temperature

Temperature: 48°F now · next 24 h 37–57°F

Good friction temps (high 57°F).

Wind now: 3 mph from the E, gusts 7 · Cedar Mountain (PC151), 6 mi, 34 min ago

2p57°3g103p56°3g104p55°3g105p52°16p48°17p46°18p45°19p44°110p43°111p42°012a41°01a40°0
No rain in today's forecast. Wind by hour (mph, arrow shows where it blows; g = gusts) and temperature. Forecast: National Weather Service.

NWS hourly forecast for the Swell ↗Sun and shade now (ShadeMap) ↗
Rain gauges

Last rain at these gauges: 93 h ago (3 days) · 0.13 in at Cedar Mountain, ending Wed 5 PM

  • Cedar Mountain
    PC151 · 6.0 mi · checked 2:29 PM
    0.00 inlast 24 h
    Last rain 93 h ago (3 days): 0.13 in, ending Wed 5 PM
    24 h ago12 hnow
    Reports every 10 min · PacifiCorp weather station
  • Flattop Mountain
    FTMU1 · 14.0 mi · checked 2:29 PM
    0.00 inlast 24 h
    Last rain 93 h ago (3 days): 0.09 in, ending Wed 5 PM
    24 h ago12 hnow
    Reports hourly · Fire-weather station (RAWS), sends by GOES satellite

Bars show rain each hour over the last 24 h. "Last rain" looks back 7 days. Tap a gauge to see its full record on MesoWest. The site checks every gauge hourly.
Is it actually dry?

Check the rock yourself

Rain gauges measure rain, not rock. Sandstone is weak when wet and holds water long after the surface looks dry, especially on shady or seepy faces. If the ground is damp, the rock is too, and the route will still be there tomorrow if nobody breaks it.

Is it actually dry?

Field checks before you tie in

  • Is the sand at the base dry? It dries before the rock does; damp sand means wet rock.
  • Are the trail and the ground at the cliff base dry? If not, don't climb.
  • Look for dark damp patches, moisture behind flakes and inside cracks, and fresh sand on holds.
  • Shaded walls, spots under trees and grooves that channel water stay wet much longer.
  • Sun and wind dry rock fast; cloudy, calm, humid days slow it down, and winter drying is slow (great friction, bad drying).
  • After long, soaking rain the rock can stay wet inches deep. Give it extra time.
  • If any part of the route, base included, is wet, pick another climb. No send is worth a broken hold.
  • Wet day? These nearby crags aren't sandstone, so rain doesn't weaken the rock (it can still be slick), nearest first:
    1. Maple Canyon cobble conglomerate · 58 mi · not sandstone, but cobbles can be loose
    Miles are straight line from the Swell. Links go to Mountain Project.
Thank you

Thank you

  • Access Fund

    For keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment across the country.

    Access Fund is the national climbing advocacy nonprofit. It works alongside local climbing organizations, like the coalitions thanked on each area page, on access, stewardship and education, including how long to wait after rain.

    How to assess sandstone after rain ↗

  • Weather data

    Rain gauges via Synoptic Data (MesoWest) from public and private weather networks. Forecasts from the National Weather Service. Model estimates from Open-Meteo when gauges go quiet.

Local climbing community

Facebook groups and pages

Online: forums and meetups