Wind River Range — Cirque of the Towers
Wind River Range, WY
Elevation Profile
Current Conditions
Bottom Line
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.
47°/26°F · Sunny
Data temporarily unavailable
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0" depth
Elevated flows · 5 gauges
No active fires within 50 miles
9h 55m daylight · Sunrise 7:04 AM · Sunset 4:59 PM
Full Briefing
The weather window is genuinely solid for early November in the Winds. Highs in the mid-to-upper 40s Wednesday and Thursday with light westerly winds under 12 mph and full sun both days — good travel conditions. Thursday night goes mostly cloudy, and by Friday you're looking at partly sunny with temps dropping to 39°F and winds picking up to 14 mph WSW. Friday night has a 33% chance of snow showers with an overnight low of 24°F, so the message is clear: be off the route or at a sheltered camp well before dark on Friday.
Snowpack is zero at all SNOTEL stations, including Annie Springs at 6,021 ft. The Cirque sits above 10,000 ft, and while no snow is showing at lower stations, don't assume the high basins are bare — early-season snow patches are common above treeline in November and can create icy travel on shadowed terrain, especially on north-facing approaches. With overnight lows in the mid-20s, any wet rock or mud will freeze solid each night and may not fully thaw until midday.
The stream flow data in this briefing is pulled from California gauges — San Antonio River, Salinas River, Llagas Creek — none of which are relevant to the Wind River Range. That data should be ignored entirely for this trip. For the Cirque of the Towers specifically, Big Sandy and Lonesome Lake outflows are the relevant crossings, and there is no gauge data available here. November typically means low to moderate flow as snowmelt has long since peaked, but recent precip history is unknown from this briefing. Cross early in the day when overnight-frozen snowmelt keeps flows at their lowest.
Daylight is tight — under 10 hours, with sunset at 4:59 PM. Golden hour starts at 4:17, which means functional hiking light is gone by 5 PM. Build your daily schedule around being at camp or on easy terrain by 4 PM. With the approach to the Cirque from Big Sandy Trailhead running roughly 10 miles, an early start on day one is not optional. Launch by 7:30 AM to have the full day. The Friday night snow chance makes Thursday your best summit or high-route day — clear skies, lightest winds, and you'll be a day ahead of the deteriorating pattern.
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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