East Cabinet Mountains

We have not started issuing avalanche forecasts, but are slowly preparing for the upcoming season setting up weather stations and testing our avalanche rescue gear. Now is a great time to refresh on your snow and avalanche training or sign up for an avalanche class. Our full education schedule will be updated in early October for you to register for a class. 

The next planned fall update will be on November 1, 2026.

Avalanches are possible in the mountains of Idaho and Montana whenever you find snow on a steep slope. Many hunters, hikers, and late season campers have been caught off guard when fall weather changes quickly. The best way to manage backcountry adventures is to have a current weather forecast, recognize when there is enough new snow to produce a storm snow avalanche, and select terrain that minimizes your exposure and risk to even a small avalanche.

If you’re out and about in the mountains and encounter snow on slopes, carry avalanche rescue gear and please consider sharing photos with us!  We like to track which slopes have snow cover early-season and at what elevations. You can email them to [email protected] or submit an observation HERE. In the meantime, take a moment to inspect your avalanche rescue gear (beacon, shovel, and probe) and clear the avalanche brain cobwebs. 

Common avalanche problems you might encounter during the fall:

Storm Slab, Wind Slab, and Loose Dry Avalanches: Avalanches frequently occur during and immediately after a snowstorm. While the chance of winter-like storms in October is less likely, they can occur at any time of the year in the mountains. Every time new snow falls, and the wind drifts the snow through the terrain, new avalanche issues can form. It is easier to trigger avalanches when new snow falls on firm and/ or icy surfaces versus bare ground. Even a small, isolated avalanche can be dangerous if it pushes you off a cliff, or into shallowly buried natural obstacles or a gully.

Click HERE to learn about why carrying avalanche rescue gear, and making sure it’s in good working order and turned on is important during early-season backcountry adventures.