(PLAY) > Fresh Tracks: You'll never go wrong on classic Moab mountain-bike rides, like Porcupine Rim and the Slickrock Trail. But for something new, head 11 miles north to the Sovereign Trail, a motorcycle playground that's recently added 16 miles of sweet singletrack. Spin through a sage-studded landscape, drop off small ledges, blast fast descents, and hammer up heart-pumping climbs. 435-259-7882, www.poisonspiderbicycles.com > Tower Power: Seventeen miles northeast of Moab, in scenic Castle Valley, 400-foot Castleton Tower is a sharp-angled sandstone monolith offering some of the airiest, hairiest climbing anywhere. Try the five-pitch Kor-Ingalls route (5.9)—one of the best climbs in the U.S. 435-259-1117, www.paganmountaineering.com
The Inside 5
Climber couple Steph Davis and Dean Potter have called Moab home since they started living in Dean's van outside of town in 1996. Steph's perfect day: 1. Grab a go-mug of organic coffee from Eclectica Café, on Main Street. 2. Take a ten-mile trail run up Pritchett Canyon, along Kane Creek, to Hunter and Gatherer canyons. 3. Make a quick lap on Bad Rad Duality, a 5.10 crack in Indian Creek. 4. Cool down at the swimming hole in Mill Creek. 5. Join friends for dinner at the Desert Bistro, on the north edge of Moab.
> Play the Slots: If slithering through shoulder-wide fissures of copper-colored sandstone, in chest-deep water, after a 50-foot rappel sounds like your kind of fun, head to the Cheesebox Canyon, near Blanding, 80 miles south of Moab. Bring a 100-foot rope and a wetsuit—even in summer—for this chilly eight-hour trip. 435-259-3317, www.cliffsandcanyons.com > Rush the Colorado: Fourteen Class IV–V rapids riddle Cataract Canyon, a 17-mile stretch of whitewater just downstream from the junction of the Colorado and Green rivers, a half-hour from downtown Moab. Go in May for the wildest ride, or try July for a toned-down trip. 800-346-6277, www.oars.com > Big Air: Sky Dive Moab will take you to 9,500 feet and let you free-fall for 35 seconds, hurtling—in tandem with an instructor—toward the orange desert deck before pulling the ripcord. 435-259-5867, www.skydivemoab.com > Go Multisport: Can't quite settle on one activity? Don't fret. Adventure Xscapes' Adventure Retreat will hone your rappelling, climbing, mountain-biking, trail-running, night-hiking, and kayaking skills. 970-259-7771, www.gravityplay.com/xscapes
(STAY) > The Sorrel River Ranch Resort and Spa, 17 miles north of town, delivers Moab's only four-diamond accommodations. Enjoy views of the Colorado River to the west and Castleton Tower to the east. Sports massage, a cedar-filled sauna, and spa treatments are available after your four-course organic meal. Doubles, $279; 877-359-2715, www.sorrelriver.com > Make advance base camp at Beef Basin, 60 miles south of Moab, where you'll be a five-minute drive from hundreds of crack climbs and 15 minutes from Canyon-lands National Park. www.nps.gov/cany > Fuel up at Mondo Café, on Main Street in downtown Moab. Try the Green Eggs—with pesto, ham, and tomato on focaccia—or the Stacker, a bagel with red onion, eggs, and tomato. 435-259-5551, www.mondocafe.com > After brekky, browse books next door at the ABC and Beyond bookstore. 435-259-3330
