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What kind of temp to expect in the Rockies in late June?

skibumwi

New member
Hey all,

I plan to extend my trip after the rally to ride south through the Rockies. Of course there will be high passes so I'm wondering what kind of temps to expect. I also plan on camping so the same concern applies.

Should I plan on bringing my heated clothing? Should I fork out $120 for a set of Hippo hands for my RT?

I want to travel light, but I also want to be comfortable for long rides.

Thanks,
Ski
 
Heated jacket yes. The other stuff and the Hippo hands no. You most likely wouldn’t be in that cold of temps for that long in the summer. Hopefully :rolleyes
 
Take the heated jacket. I love my Hippo Hands in the winter but do not take them on summer trips.
 
You can see temps from freezing to 90F+. I rode up Beartooth Pass in July, it was snowing.

Definitely take heated gear. I never leave home without mine.
 
Plan your camping stops to be at lower rather than higher altitudes. Take your heated gear. Expect temperatures at or below freezing in the highest passes and 30 degrees warmer 10 or 20 miles away. Expect nighttime temperatures in the 40s. Warmer if you choose wisely and are lucky too. Have fun.
 
If you wear layers you won't need any heated gear or hippo hands at that time of year. If you already carry a rain suit, that works really well in cold weather as an outer layer. Another slightly warmer pair of gloves is a good idea even with heated grips, same goes for a full face helmet. Gloves can get wet. Short of that you don't need anything more. The trick to riding in varying temps is to have layers that you put on - take off and this will work well down to about 6 C or 45 F. After that if it is a long ride at those temps then a heated vest/jacket works well. The RT fairing no matter what vintage of bike is really good to sit behind.

One thing to keep in mind is that the passes are short distance and time wise you are not spending a lot of time at these temps. I travel a lot of the passes ( that are open in middle May- early June ) between BC & Alberta & Montana, sometimes there is snow on the ground, and the temps can be 6 C but will normally be around 10 C or 50 F and other times it will be 20 C or 70 F. Even the Beartooth Pass in July can have snow or be warm it is a crap shoot when you are talking about the weather when it comes to the mountains. The camping at lower elevations is a good point, the higher your go even in the summer the colder it gets.

I've always found rain and low temps to be the killer especially on a longer ride of 8-10 hrs. Then heated gear is a plus in those cases. If you have the room, nothing wrong with taking the heated gear, but is it really necessary at the end of June, my answer is no.
 
Definitely take heated gear. I never leave home without mine.

+ 1 :thumb

I always take heated gear except for one May/June trip several years ago. I friend was pushing me to leave a day early and when I hurriedly over packed, I removed the heated gear.

I was cold for 18 of the 21 days on the road. :banghead

As an added insult, the toggle switch for my heated grips decided to die on that trip. :lol

Always take heated gear as you never know when you might need it. :thumb
 
+ 1 :thumb

I always take heated gear except for one May/June trip several years ago. I friend was pushing me to leave a day early and when I hurriedly over packed, I removed the heated gear.

I was cold for 18 of the 21 days on the road. :banghead

As an added insult, the toggle switch for my heated grips decided to die on that trip. :lol

Always take heated gear as you never know when you might need it. :thumb

+2...I always have my heated gear on the bike. It's rolled up in a small stuff sack and takes very little room. As a veteran of many summer mountain motorcycle trips, there have been many times when I was glad to have it first thing in the morning or after the sun goes down.
 
When we were in the process of moving to Montana from Alaska we decided to ride two of our bikes to our house and shop in Montana. The other bikes we trailered down. We were both due to retire in October, so we rode down in mid-July and flew back to Fairbanks. We encountered snow twice on that ride. First flurries at Pink Mountain, BC, and then heavy snow in Flesher Pass, a Continental Divide pass through the Rockies, 20 miles from our house. We've had snow a few more times in the passes during summer, and our passes are not as high as you will encounter in Colorado. Snow Happens.
 
If you wear layers you won't need any heated gear or hippo hands at that time of year.

If you take heated gear you don't need to layer up to stay warm. No you won't need hippo hands. but a pair of cold weather gloves will be good. Rain gear over the top helps block the wind and makes a great difference in comfort. I ride often in the cold. I have been riding here in North Dakota already, rode a few hundred miles last fall in 25F temps. I have ridden in temps down to -20F. I am fairly well versed on what it takes to stay comfortable when riding in the cold.

I found when I bought a heated jacket liner I carried less other clothing. I used to carry a long sleeved sweat shirt, an insulated vest and a hoodie and layer up and still be cold. The heated gear takes up less space that the Hoodie, vest and sweat shirt plus I stay more comfortable temp wise and wear less bulk.

When I travel my heated gear comes with, no matter where we are going. We were in Texas a few years back, 110F during the day, 70F in the evening and I felt like I was going to freeze to death. My wive and I both wore our heated gear in the evenings. The 40 degree change in temp in a short time makes you feel cold.
 
When I travel my heated gear comes with, no matter where we are going. We were in Texas a few years back, 110F during the day, 70F in the evening and I felt like I was going to freeze to death. My wive and I both wore our heated gear in the evenings. The 40 degree change in temp in a short time makes you feel cold.

We live in the Big Bend, just about 25 miles north of the National Park. Here, 40 degree temperature swings are common, be it 100 down to 60 or 90 down to 50, etc. Not every day of course but our house is at 3,600 feet MSL which classifies as high desert and these types of temperature swings in 24 hours are typical of high desert.

Most of the year our heated jacket liners live in the bikes we ride the most, unless we are wearing them of course. Certainly when traveling we always have them. Given the climate here there can be a 15 degree difference between our house and Alpine, 53 miles away.
 
We have a Colorado trip planned for July and I plan to take our heated jacket liners.
Looking at old pictures I noticed my wife is wearing her heated jacket liner on Independence pass in August.
We also like having the heated liners along for cool rainy days.
 
Bring your gear!

Late June in Colorado can offer up most anything!
Last year I left Colorado Springs on June 24th at 47 F and spent mid day in snow/rain mix at 31 F riding through Kremmling and Walden trying to get into Wyoming.
Bring your heated jacket or vest and make sure your heated grips are working.

If you’re the reason we have 80 degree weather, we’ll all thank you….
 
I always take my Hippo Hands on trips not because of the cold, but in case of rain. They take up minimal space in the luggage...and I've never liked the feel of cold weather or rain gloves.

Pete
 
Last year I left Colorado Springs on June 24th at 47 F and spent mid day in snow/rain mix at 31 F riding through Kremmling and Walden trying to get into Wyoming.
….

One year in June we were on hwy 14 east of Walen and snowmobiles running next to us in the right-of-way.
Here's a picture of my wife coming out of the men's room. The snow was too deep in front of the women's side.
We had a little snow near Walden but not enough to stick on the road.

1983.jpg
 
July 1995. We awoke to a sunny 37º in Estes Park, CO. At 1:00 pm that afternoon we were in Durango, CO. It was 107º. A heated jacket liner under a vented jacket under a rain jacket works great in the cold, then ditch the rain jacket and liner when it warms up. As soon as this current mess gets under control we're going to test the Klim suits in the heat. :dance
 
We take heated gear regardless of seasons for all the mentioned experiences.Better to have that option than wishing for it!
You may zip over a pass and be ok, but the one trip I didn’t take it made me not repeat that.
I came out of AZ desert and froze going over the Grapevine headed into LA as late Spring front had snow and sleet meeting me.
 
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