General Avalanche Information Banner Summit

We will update this General Avalanche Information post throughout the fall. Our daily Backcountry Avalanche Forecasts will begin when there's adequate snow to ride and slide.

Snow cover across the forecast area is patchy and thin, despite it being mid-November. Sunny slopes and most terrain below ~8,000 feet are largely bare. Shady, north-facing slopes at upper elevations tell a different story: they’ve held onto snow from October storms and throughout dry stretches in between. In the Sawtooths, Smokys, and the higher peaks around the Galena Summit and Eastern Mountains, this older snow is forming a weak, patchy base. It’s thinner and more scattered in the Soldier and Wood River Valley Mountains.

As we know, that old snow matters! Weeks of clear skies have turned much of it into a mix of facets, surface hoar, and crusts—especially where it’s shallow. On their own, this weak snow is fine. But every passing storm that adds weight on top of it builds toward the kind of setup that produces early-season avalanches. Saturday’s storm is the next step in that process, adding an average of 3–5 inches of snow, with up to 7 on the highest peaks of the Pioneers. Below about 7,000 feet, expect rain or a wet mix.

If you’re heading into the high country after the storm, pay attention to how the new snow sits on the old. Wind can quickly build drifts that are much deeper than the snow on surrounding slopes, especially along ridgelines and in gullies. Thin coverage brings its own hazards. Rocks, stumps, and downed logs sit just below the surface, and even a small slide can drag you through them or pile up deep debris in a gully. Approach early-season days with modest goals, carry rescue gear, and stick to terrain where a fall or small slide wouldn’t have serious consequences.

Fall Gear Check

• Beacon: Put in fresh batteries of the type your manufacturer recommends, check for corrosion and cracks, update the firmware, and do a practice search with your partners!
• Airbag: Practice-deploy it if your manufacturer recommends it, then refill or weigh the canister (or charge the battery and update firmware on electric packs) and repack it carefully.
• Probe and shovel: Assemble and lock them several times, and check for bent, cracked, or sticky parts.
• And all the rest: Restock first-aid and repair kits, charge radios, and check skins, bindings, and crampons.

Learn Before the Season

• Wyoming Snow and Avalanche Workshop (WYSAW): November 13–14, 2026, Center for the Arts, Jackson, WY. Registration details are here.
• Not a workshop person? Check out The Avalanche Hour podcast for tips, stories, and early-season wisdom here.

If you get out, please send us your observations HERE. Snow depths, photos, and any signs of instability on shady slopes help us a lot this time of year.