Baking yeast breads in the high country can be a pleasurable and successful experience if you remember these few tips. In the high dry climate of Wyoming, flour tends to be drier and absorbs more liquid. A little less flour, or slightly more liquid, may be needed to maintain the proper dough consistency. There is no hard and fast rule to follow, because changes in humidity will affect the flour's dryness and the amount needed in the same recipe on different days. A good method to follow is to add one-third of the flour at a time until you have a soft dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
High altitude affects the rising time of yeast bread doughs as leavening gases expand more quickly.
Bread doughs double in size faster at high altitudes than at lower altitudes. The higher the altitude, the shorter the time required for dough to rise. This faster rising time speeds the bread making process, but it also causes problems. A certain length of rising time is necessary for good flavor and a light textured bread. Using less yeast, or letting the dough rise twice before shaping into loaves or rolls, usually allows enough rising time for good flavor.