Current conditions for popular backcountry routes. Updated daily from NWS, SNOTEL, avalanche.org, and USGS.
Cascades, WA
No snow, no fires, calm weather — the Enchantments are open and quiet. The main constraint is 9.5 hours of daylight, so plan your camp placement to avoid finishing the traverse in the dark. Fog should clear by mid-morning each day.
Cascades, WA
Snow-free right now but a storm arrives Thursday night with 37-84% chance of snow by Friday — if you're not off the trail by Friday morning, you could get caught in deteriorating conditions. Short daylight (sunset 4:39 PM) compresses your daily window significantly. The stream flow data attached to this briefing is for Central California gauges and does not reflect Wonderland Trail conditions — treat crossings as unknown.
Cascades, WA
No avalanche bulletin yet for the season and minimal snowpack on approach, but a significant storm moves in Thursday night with 35% precip chance building to 85% by Friday and winds gusting to 33 mph ESE at valley level — that's easily 60+ mph at summit elevation. Plan your summit bid for Wednesday or early Thursday and be off the upper mountain before Thursday night.
Cascades, CA
A storm system arrives Thursday night with 97-100% precip probability, heavy snow, and winds 32-40 mph SSE at the valley — that's easily 60-80 mph on Shasta's upper mountain. Wednesday is your last viable summit window. If you're not down by Thursday afternoon, you're riding out a serious storm at basecamp or on the route.
Cascades, WA
No snow on the ground at Mt. Baker right now — SNOTEL at Annie Springs (6,021 ft) is reading 0 inches. Temps are sitting in the mid-to-upper 40s with rain in the forecast all three days. This is a rain event at elevation, not a snow event. Ski touring is not viable this trip.
Elk Mountains, CO
No avalanche concerns, no fires, stable weather window Wednesday through Friday. The main constraint is daylight — you've got under 10.5 hours and the Four Pass Loop passes top out above 12,000 ft, so your daily mileage windows are tight. The stream flow data in the raw feed is from California gauges and doesn't apply to this location — treat crystal mill and Maroon Creek crossings as unknown until you're on the ground.
Elk Mountains, CO
Clean conditions window for Capitol Peak right now — Low avalanche danger, stable snowpack, and a 3-day high pressure stretch. The limiting factor is daylight: you've got just over 10 hours, so a pre-dawn start is non-negotiable on summit day. Friday night brings a slight chance of snow showers with SW winds building — plan to be off the ridge by early afternoon Friday.
Front Range, CO
Clean conditions window for Longs Peak — Low avalanche danger, light winds, and three consecutive sunny days. The limiting factor is daylight: 10h 6m with sunset at 4:50 PM means you need to be moving by 3 AM from the trailhead to summit and descend safely. Plan your turnaround hard.
Front Range, CO
No snow at Berthoud Pass right now — SNOTEL stations are reading 0 inches at elevation. This is an early-season recon trip, not a ski tour. If you're going anyway to scout the terrain, the weather window is excellent.
Grand Canyon, AZ
Good weather window Wednesday and Thursday — 75°F, sunny, light winds. Friday night brings a 75% chance of thunderstorms, so if you're doing a multi-day R2R, plan your canyon exit before Friday afternoon. Daylight is your real constraint at 10h 23m — a full R2R (~24 miles) needs to start by 7 AM to finish with margin.
Grand Canyon, AZ
Friday night is the problem — 73% chance of showers and thunderstorms after dark. Plan your itinerary so you're not caught exposed on the upper trail when that system moves in. Wednesday through Friday daytime are clean and mild. The overnight lows (26°F Wednesday, 31°F Thursday) are the other thing to manage — cold for the Canyon in November.
Sawatch Range, CO
Conditions are manageable but cold — this is a November high-country trip that will feel like winter. Daylight is your biggest constraint at under 10.5 hours; plan your camp placement around 4:56 PM sunset. Stream flow data in the raw feed is from California gauges and doesn't apply to the Collegiate Peaks — treat water crossings as unknown and expect low, cold flow typical of mid-November in the Sawatch.
Sawatch Range, CO
Good running weather — sunny, calm, and cold. The limiting factor this week is the short window: sunset at 4:56 PM means you're done by then or you're running in the dark. Stream crossing data pulled from California gauges and doesn't apply here — treat any crossings at Leadville-area drainages as unknown until you can scout them. No snow instability concerns.
Sierra Nevada, CA
Winter Storm Watch is active through Friday morning — snow and 15-30 mph winds are coming Friday, and you're on trail through Day 4. If you can't get out before Thursday night, you're looking at potentially hazardous conditions on the exit. The weather window Wednesday-Thursday is fine, but the Friday system is real.
Sierra Nevada, CA
Winter Storm Watch is active through Friday afternoon — NWS is calling for snow with 83% precip probability on your exit day. Overnights are dropping to 20-25°F and Friday's winds hit 18-25 mph WSW at summit elevation. This is a go, but you need to be off the mountain before Friday's storm window opens.
Sierra Nevada, CA
NWS has a Winter Storm Watch active through November 17 — significant snow is likely starting Friday with 90% precip. You have 3 good days to work with, but plan to be out or in a protected camp well before Friday afternoon. The stream flow data in this briefing is from gauges well outside the High Sierra Trail corridor and isn't reliable for this route — treat creek crossings with fresh eyes on the ground.
Sierra Nevada, CA
Winter Storm Watch is active through Friday morning — a major storm is inbound and will end this trip early. Wednesday and Thursday are your window; Friday is not safe to be in the backcountry. Avalanche center has no rating yet (early season, insufficient snowpack), so treat any snow you find as untested and unpredictable.
Sierra Nevada, CA
NWS has a Winter Storm Watch active through November 17 — a significant storm system arrives Friday with 90% precip chance and snow likely at elevation. You have a narrow 3-day window before conditions deteriorate hard. The bigger issue is that this route crosses 12,000+ ft passes in mid-November with a storm incoming, and you need a solid exit plan before Friday.
Sierra Nevada, CA
Winter Storm Watch is active through Friday afternoon — NWS Las Vegas has flagged a significant storm arriving Friday with 83% precip probability. Your summit window is Wed/Thu, but you must be off the upper mountain and ideally out of the backcountry before Friday morning when winds hit 18-25 mph WSW and snow starts. Plan your descent for Thursday afternoon at the latest.
Tetons, WY
Late-season Teton Crest in November — no snow on the ground now, but Friday night brings a 42% chance of snow showers. Temps drop to 23°F every night, so you're winter camping regardless of the snowpack. The stream flow data in this briefing is from California gauges and doesn't apply to Teton drainages — treat any crossings as unknown. Manageable trip with good prep.
Tetons, WY
No avalanche bulletin yet (early season, essentially no snowpack), clean weather window through Friday with light winds — this is a technical mountaineering objective, not a snow stability problem. Your real constraints are short days (under 10 hours of light), cold overnight lows in the low-to-mid 20s, and a potential snow shower Friday night that could ice the upper route. Launch by first light Thursday or Friday, summit and descend before 2 PM.
Tetons, WY
No skiable snow exists at or near the Grand Teton right now — SNOTEL stations show 0-1 inch of snow depth at all elevations, and the Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center has not opened for the season. This trip cannot happen as planned. Check back after the first significant storm cycle builds a base.
Tetons, WY
No skiable snow at Teton Pass right now — SNOTEL at Annie Springs (6,021 ft) is reading 0 inches with only 0.1" SWE. The weather window this week is beautiful but there's nothing to ski. Check back after the Friday night snow showers (62% precip) — that's the first real precipitation signal in the forecast.
Wasatch, UT
No snow on the ground — SNOTEL at Annie Springs (6,021 ft) shows 0" depth and 0.1" SWE. This is a no-go for ski touring. The LCC Circuit doesn't exist yet this season.
Wasatch, UT
Good running weather through Thursday — cool, sunny, and stable. Friday night brings 88% chance of rain, so plan your longest days for Wed/Thu. Daylight is tight at just over 10 hours, so start by 7:30 AM if you're running big mileage.
Wind River Range, WY
Good window for the Cirque — no snow on the ground, no fires, calm winds, and sunny skies through Thursday. Friday night brings a chance of snow showers (33%), so plan your exit for Friday afternoon. The stream flow data in this briefing is from California gauges and does NOT reflect Wind River Range conditions — treat water crossings as an unknown and plan accordingly.
Wind River Range, WY
Stable late-season window with minimal snow and no major storm threats until Friday night. The stream flow data in this briefing is from California gauges — not Wind River drainages — so treat crossing conditions as unknown and scout everything. Under 10 hours of daylight means your margin for long days is gone; plan camps accordingly.
Zion, UT
Good conditions for Angels Landing this week — clear skies, mild temps, and no fires. The main things to manage are the short November daylight window (sunset 5:26 PM) and a 50% rain chance Friday afternoon. Plan your summit push for mid-morning and be off the chains before 3 PM to comfortably beat darkness.
Zion, UT
Friday night is the problem — 92% chance of showers and thunderstorms in a slot canyon you cannot safely exit during a flash flood. The Virgin River is already running elevated. Plan your exit for Friday morning before the storm system arrives.
Zion, UT
Great window Wednesday and Thursday — sunny, mild, no fire smoke, dry trails. Friday brings a 48% chance of rain so plan to finish or be well into lower canyon terrain by then. The only real constraint is daylight: 10h 18m means you need to be moving by first light if you're doing the full traverse.