Recent earlyseason storms have brought everything from light dustings of snow pretty enough for instagram to accumulations deep enough for some rare October turns. Along with temperatures cold enough to support sustained snowmaking, these early season storms have allowed several ski areas to open up limited terrain. Arapahoe Basin was all set to be the first to open on Sunday, October 26, but Keystone narrowly beat them to the bragging rights by opening up for a few hours the day before. Many backcountry skiers have already been poking around at higher elevations, not tied down to opening days, but the first human-triggered avalanche of the season serves as an important reminder that early season skiing can be among the most dangerous.
On October 16, 2025, a backcountry skier triggered an avalanche in the Gunsight Area near Alta Ski Area at a little over 10,000 feet. The avalanche was relatively small at only six inches deep, but ran for 500 feet over all of the not-yet-covered rocks present. In his report to the Utah Avalanche Center, the skier said “My guard is usually completely down at this time of year, so this was a surprise and a good reminder to stay vigilant. Getting carried would probably involve some uncomfortable rock encounters.” The Gunsight Area has been infamous for early season avalanches, hosting “The Day of Madness” in 2011, in which numerous skier triggered avalanches resulted in a fatality and another skier with life-threatening injuries.
Related: Alta, UT, Report: Powder Skiing The Gunsight Area in Scary, Thin, & Deep-In-Spots Conditions
Early season skiing is dangerous for a number of reasons. One of the most obvious reasons is that all of the obstacles that lurk beneath the snow, like rocks, fallen trees, bushes, are not completely covered up, but may be hidden from view. Skiers sometimes call these hidden obstacles “sharks” and they can lead to season ending injuries like ACL tears or worse before the season starts. Avalanches are often far from people’s minds when they are worried about having enough snow to cover up all the rocks, but that mentality can lure people into dangerous situations. Even if an avalanche only releases a few inches deep, there may be enough snow to fill up a small gully or other “terrain trap” or carry a skier into obstacles like rocks or over cliffs. In the north, Avalanche Canada has already started issuing warnings this season about such risks, while their forecasting operations in Canada will not begin for a few more weeks.
Hunting for early season backcountry turns can be extremely rewarding, but should be done with a clear view of the heightened risks that come with shallow snowpacks. In just a few more storms, many of the sharks will be safely lurking in deeper waters, replaced by the “White Dragon.” But with careful decision making and realistic expectations about conditions, early season trips can serve as an excellent template for good ski touring habits for the rest of the season.
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