08/31/2026
*San Juan Conditions Report*
Monsoon season isn’t done with us yet. We’re still seeing the same pattern that’s held all month: clear, calm mornings that give way to building clouds and afternoon showers. It’s late enough in the season that you can feel it starting to loosen its grip, but not so late that you can stop watching the sky.
That said, the rock is coming into its best stretch of the year. Ophir is climbing great right now. The Dark Side and Ophir Wall both benefit from the cooler mornings, and once the summer heat backs off, the friction gets noticeably better. If you’ve been meaning to get on those walls, September is the month.
Out in the desert, temperatures are finally coming down. Moab and the towers are heading into prime season, and Black Canyon is right there with them. Sandstone needs cool, dry rock to climb well and stay healthy, which is exactly why fall is the season out there.
Mornings are the window. Get up early, get on the rock, and plan to be wrapping up as the clouds build. If you’re heading to the desert, give the sandstone time to dry out after any rain before you climb on it.
Fall is the best-kept secret of the climbing calendar around here. Cooler rock, thinner crowds, and the light gets better every week.