Wind River Range — Cirque of the Towers
Wind River Range, WY
Elevation Profile
Current Conditions
Bottom Line
Active winter storm hitting the Winds right now — temps staying well below freezing, sustained snow through Sunday, and wind chills in the -10 to -20°F range on exposed ridges. The Cirque at this time of year is a full winter objective. If you're not dialed for multi-day winter camping in storm conditions, push the trip.
31°/10°F · Chance Snow Showers
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52" depth
Elevated flows · 5 gauges
No active fires within 50 miles
13h 45m daylight · Sunrise 6:23 AM · Sunset 8:08 PM
Full Briefing
This is a full winter storm, not a spring dusting. The NWS forecast shows snow showers every period through Sunday with precip probabilities hitting 74-76% Thursday night and Friday. Highs stay at 27-34°F at valley level — at the Cirque (roughly 10,500 ft) you're looking at temps 10-15°F colder than that. Combine tonight's 10°F low with 29 mph westerly winds and you've got wind chills around -15 to -20°F on any exposed terrain above treeline. The Cirque is above treeline by definition. Plan for real winter conditions every night and most of the day.
Avalanche data is unavailable for this zone, but that absence doesn't mean the hazard is absent. You're heading into a cirque with sustained westerly winds loading northeast and east-facing aspects — classic lee-side terrain. New snow on an April snowpack that's been going through melt-freeze cycles is a real concern. Without a current forecast, treat any steep (30+ degree) aspect cautiously, especially wind-loaded features on the back walls of the Cirque. The 52-inch snow depth at elevation means significant buried terrain features and creek crossings will be hidden or bridged unpredictably.
The stream gauge data in this briefing pulls from California watersheds and is not applicable to the Wind Rivers — disregard those numbers entirely. What matters here is the snowpack trend: Long Lake SNOTEL (a high-elevation Wyoming analog) shows 97 inches depth with a falling trend, meaning the melt cycle is active. After this storm adds new snow, watch for elevated afternoon flows once any clearing and warming hits. Big Sandy Lodge area and the approach drainage crossings will be higher than typical by late afternoon each day — cross early in the morning when overnight freezing has suppressed snowmelt runoff.
With 13h45m of daylight you have plenty of time, but weather windows during this storm cycle will be narrow. Friday looks like the worst day — 27°F high, 76% precip probability, sustained wind. If you go, plan a conservative Friday: stay in camp, let the storm pass. Saturday moderates slightly (34°F high, winds dropping to 5-17 mph WSW) and gives you a potential weather window in the morning. Get miles in before Saturday afternoon when the next round of showers spins up Saturday night. The Cirque is absolutely worth it — just not in this window unless you are fully equipped and experienced for winter mountaineering conditions.
Waypoints
Big Sandy Lodge Trailhead
Long dirt road from Pinedale. The trailhead for both the Cirque loop and Wind River High Route.
9,501 ft
Big Sandy Lake
Beautiful alpine lake camp. Many hikers spend a night here before the pass.
9,820 ft
Jackass Pass
The crux. Views of the Cirque beyond. Snow through mid-July.
10,801 ft
Cirque Basin
The heart of the Cirque. Pingora, Wolf's Head, and the other towers surround the meadow.
10,000 ft
Route Details
Distance
22.0 mi
Elevation Gain
3,750 ft
Elevation Loss
3,750 ft
Max Elevation
10,801 ft
Estimated Days
4
Trailhead
Big Sandy Lodge Trailhead
Best Season
July through September. Snow on passes in June and early July. Grizzly bears present—bear canister required.
Permit Required
Bridger Wilderness permit required. Self-issue at trailhead. Bear canister mandatory.
About This Route
The Cirque of the Towers is a dramatic horseshoe of granite spires in the southern Wind River Range of Wyoming, one of the most spectacular alpine environments in the Rocky Mountains. The 22-mile loop reaches the cirque via Big Sandy Lake and Jackass Pass, surrounded by towers with evocative names—Pingora, Wolf's Head, Warrior, Overhanging Tower. The approach from Big Sandy Lodge is 7 miles to Big Sandy Lake, where most hikers camp before continuing over Jackass Pass (10,798 ft) into the cirque basin. The towers are a world-class rock climbing destination, but the non-climbing hiker can experience the full visual spectacle of the granite walls from the meadows below. This is true wilderness. No maintained trails in many sections, camp fires prohibited above 9,500 feet, and grizzly bears are present in the drainage. Pack a bear canister and know your bear safety. Snowpack lingers well into July on the north-facing passes. The solitude here is profound by western standards—permits are required but quotas are generous. The nearest town is Pinedale, 30+ miles away. Cell service is absent for days at a time.
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