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Yellowstone, Red Lodge, etc. REALLY!?

26667

26667

the Wizard of Oz
Opine, please.:wave

I'm leaving Chicago Thursday Sept 10 heading west. Thought I'd stop at the M.C. Museum in Anamosa IA, follow bits of the Oregon Trail from Omaha up thru the Badlands and out to The Red Lodge / Beartooth area to ride thru the Beartooth. Ultimately my destination is Denver then Ouray before I turn for home.

Around Red Lodge, the 15 day forecast looks like highs in the mid-70's, and down into the 40's, 50's overnight, but in Yellowstone, only 40's and 50's during the day, and mid-20's overnight. The Beartooth pass is almost 11,000 feet and certainly colder than whatever it is "that day" in Red Lodge. I wouldn't even attempt to camp overnight in those kind of temps, but I might get thru the pass and thru Yellowstone during the daylight, and ride on thru on my way south...mightn't I???

I've got a Gerbings jacket and heated grips etc.

go ahead. Opine:dance
 
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There has been some snow in the high passes already. I think most of it is gone, but you'd be wise to check the road conditions (http://www.mdt.mt.gov/travinfo/map/mtmap_frame.html). If you get to Red Lodge and the pass is closed you can by pass by heading to Belfry on MT 308 and then south towards Cody on MT72 / WY120.

Be careful, just because the pass is open does not mean there will not be some black ice. Try to hit the pass mid-day and watch out in the shade.

You don't mention the Chief Joseph Byway. If you get to that area you should try to ride it. It is a better ride in my opinion.
 
akbeemer said:
There has been some snow in the high passes already. I think most of it is gone, but you'd be wise to check the road conditions (http://www.mdt.mt.gov/travinfo/map/mtmap_frame.html). If you get to Red Lodge and the pass is closed you can by pass by heading to Belfry on MT 308 and then south towards Cody on MT72 / WY120.

Be careful, just because the pass is open does not mean there will not be some black ice. Try to hit the pass mid-day and watch out in the shade.

You don't mention the Chief Joseph Byway. If you get to that area you should try to ride it. It is a better ride in my opinion.
Click to expand...

Thanx!!!!
tho maybe I should head for Ojo Caliente...
 
This could still be a way fun ride!

As noted - check weather locally before going.

If I'm reading your plan correctly - getting over the Beartooth and through Yellowstone in one day might be a tall order. I'm assuming that you will want to take a little time, stop and look at the scenery, and maybe take photos. Yellowstone is B-I-G!

It's after Labor Day, so finding lodging in or around Yellowstone may be a bit easier. I'd still call ahead.

As noted -if you have to, the Chief Joseph, aka Sunlight Basin (I think that's what it's called) road is an awesome ride!

Enjoy!

Marty
 
hello Marty

W7lej1 said:
This could still be a way fun ride!

As noted - check weather locally before going.

If I'm reading your plan correctly - getting over the Beartooth and through Yellowstone in one day might be a tall order. I'm assuming that you will want to take a little time, stop and look at the scenery, and maybe take photos. Yellowstone is B-I-G!

It's after Labor Day, so finding lodging in or around Yellowstone may be a bit easier. I'd still call ahead.

As noted -if you have to, the Chief Joseph, aka Sunlight Basin (I think that's what it's called) road is an awesome ride!

Enjoy!

Marty
Click to expand...

Thanx, Marty from Spokane. Played Spokane last year when I was out with the "Wicked" tour. Loved your town and the spectacular falls right by the theatre. Stayed at that hotel...red lion? and my room overlooked the water. Wow.

Yeah that's all about what I figured re the weather and such, but I'll see what it's like when I'm in the 'hood, and find alternates if I must. I'd thought I might go back and forth thru Beartooth one day, with stops and pix, and then back to the Red Lodge area for the overnight. Then just get thru Yellowstone, without pix and sightseeing. It's not as much fun w/o the family along so I thought I might just enjoy the ride and head south. But thanx again to both you guys. I live in the Chicago area and all the turns are 90 degrees. One I hit start of the hills and curves, I'll be a happy rider.
 
Chief Joseph sometimes called Dead Indian Pass on maps.

I may have painted too bleak of a picture for riding in the Yellowstone area and the Beartooth Pass in mid-September. My guess is you will experience some chilly temps but nothing very bad. Be prepared for more and check the weather and road conditions often. Heck, we are planning to ride to the Vintage Days Festival at the Barber's Motorsport Complex in AL in mid-October. We won't be hitting the passes you will see, but probably some chilly days.
 
Have rode through the Yellowstone three times. All in late September and through all the high passes. Never hit snow yet....... Frost on the tent overnight and could not sleep for the elk bugling, but no snow. Go and enjoy.

Going to be a great ride!
 
Just be sure to get your reservation in. Some areas sell out every motel room in town. Even in Sept as that is a nicer time up there without the summer heat or the winter freeze.
dc
 
Glad you enjoyed Spokane!

26667 said:
Thanx, Marty from Spokane. Played Spokane last year when I was out with the "Wicked" tour. Loved your town and the spectacular falls right by the theatre. Stayed at that hotel...red lion? and my room overlooked the water. Wow.

Yeah that's all about what I figured re the weather and such, but I'll see what it's like when I'm in the 'hood, and find alternates if I must. I'd thought I might go back and forth thru Beartooth one day, with stops and pix, and then back to the Red Lodge area for the overnight. Then just get thru Yellowstone, without pix and sightseeing. It's not as much fun w/o the family along so I thought I might just enjoy the ride and head south. But thanx again to both you guys. I live in the Chicago area and all the turns are 90 degrees. One I hit start of the hills and curves, I'll be a happy rider.
Click to expand...

Did you happen to note the old red brick "Washington Water Power" building west at the other end of the falls? I get to see the falls every day - my office is in the lower floor of that building.

Regards, Marty
 
Hey Gene:

Hope you're having a good ride.

What I would suggest is that once you're in Red Lodge, and the weather is decent, just ride up the Pass later on in the morning, and see how the conditions are. If it get's iffy on the way up, just turn around and come back. Be careful in the shade, of course.

You can roughly figure out whether the top is at freezing level by using the "average atmospheric lapse rate" (sorry :D) of 3.5 F degrees per thousand feet. With the Plateau at 11,000 and Red Lodge at 5,500 ASL, it works out to 19 F degrees cooler than at Red Lodge. This is the calculation I sometimes use before running passes west of here in iffy weather. Keep in mind that at this time of the year, the pavement has retained heat, so you might still have wet roads at temperatures below freezing, even in precipitation.

Most importantly, check out the Snow Creek Saloon while staying in Red Lodge. The town is one of our favourite places.
 
Weather for Red Lodge. Today and tomorrow might be good days...
 

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akbeemer said:
Weather for Red Lodge. Today and tomorrow might be good days...
Click to expand...

Yes, and the forecast lows for all the days suggest that the Plateau temperatures will be well above freezing. The forecast thunderstorms are easy to spot from a distance.
 
akbeemer said:
Weather for Red Lodge. Today and tomorrow might be good days...
Click to expand...

Went over the Beartooth on 17 September 2015 on my Pirsig Pilgramige - rain up to ~ 10,000 feet, then snow flurries over the pass - would have had a great helmet video except I neglected to clear the camera lens when I also cleared my visor of slush...:dunno
 
Just got back...

A friend and I just returned from a 2400 mile ride from Denver to Glacier and back, starting on 9/13 and finishing on 9/23. We attempted Beartooth on 9/15 coming from Cody and Chief Joseph, but had to turn around at 10,500 (the pass is at roughly 11,000') because we were in 36 degree pea soup. Following this, we had cold rain from Cooke City to Gardiner (north end of Yellowstone) and then an all day rain from Livingston to Great Falls. Otherwise we had mostly sun, though the wind did become an issue in several places. On our way back (9/21/15) we did Beartooth Pass and Ch. Joseph a second time coming from Billings/Red Lodge and it was a spectacular clear day.

Gerbing is your friend this time of year in the Rockies.

Hope you have a great ride.

My blog is here: http://bobandkc.blogspot.com/2015/05/damn-i-could-get-into-that-to.html
 
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Only a few days left this year to ride the pass—the Vista Point-to-Wyoming-line section is scheduled to close Monday for the season, and with the weather forecast for the weekend, I wouldn't bet much on it making it that long.

(and, of course, my bike is in a state of partial disassembly...need to get fork seals swapped and then I should be ready to put it all back together, fingers crossed that happens before they close the road)

Also, the Snow Creek is certainly a must-visit if you're looking for what is usually the rowdiest bar in town (and the decor is pretty damn cool, too). If you want to sip whiskey (or one of*many local draft beers) and be able to hear yourself think, the Front Bar is my preference.*

*: Yes, I'm biased, as I do also work for the company that owns the place, but I've recycled enough of my paychecks there to back up the preference.
 
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