Trip Planning for Southern Madison

Bottom Line: A mid-October winter storm reminds us to dig out warm jackets, tune sleds and skis, check avalanche rescue gear for damage, put fresh batteries in our transceivers and sign up for an avalanche class. Mountain snow also requires us to consider the potential for avalanches. Slides are most likely where wind-loaded snow drifts more deeply in gullies and near ridgelines. Getting caught and carried this time of year has the added consequence of bouncing off rough underlying surfaces of rocks and stumps. Carry a beacon, shovel and probe, follow safe travel protocols and watch for signs of instability when traveling in and around steep snow-covered terrain.