What's early summer like in western MT and north/east ID?

[MarkBC]

I'm planning a trip this summer to western Montana and north/eastern Idaho.
(Q: "Didn't you do that trip last summer, Mark?" A: "No, I cancelled my trip at the last minute")

Unlike my cancelled trip-plan last year, this year I'm targeting late June to early/mid-July...unless someone who knows the area can tell me why that's too early.
My itinerary, such as it is, is the same as I planned last year, but earlier in the summer when wildfires will be less of a factor.

So, wondering:

• Will snow be generally gone? One Montana WTWer has told me it was a good winter for snow, so maybe higher elevations won't be clear...?
• How about biting bugs...? Mosquitoes are OK, but I really don't like black flies or other biting flies.
• Any other downside to the span from late June to mid-July?

Thanks.

 

[Taku]

Unless you really want to access high country, even a big snow year should allow you over the Magruder Corridor if you want to go through Elk City - Bitterroot Valley way. Skeeters will be out with a wet spring, but no bad blackflies (deer and horse flies later though). You will definitely miss fire season this year and that early, but if some backcountry roads get washed out due to high water, you may not get to some spots. All in all, it is a great time to be there, and this year, if El Nino comes on strong like they are thinking, August could be wet in the northern rockies. If you fish, the water should be coming down by then, and the fishing should be picking up nicely. Nope, don't see a downside from here!

 

[montana-moods]

It's warm here this week, maybe 80's by Thursday. Snow is already gone except the higher slopes. Everything is really greening up and looks good. Most of April and May have been pretty dry, but that can change.
Your timing should be great.

 

[Foy]

Mark,
Great to know you're planning on heading that way again. I hope it works out. Based on my last trip out there, in early July 2011, I can offer just a couple of additions to my previous contributions:

Winter 2010/2011 was a very high snow year, and snow continued to fly well into May. By the end of the first week in July, we found snowbanks blocking the road as low as 8,500' on north-facing slopes. There were a number of lower elevation areas inaccessible due to washouts. Even Rock Creek canyon, just east of Missoula, was a bit more difficult, with the stream still high from runoff, making crossings to access trails on the west side or to fish the stream an exercise in high-pucker excitement.i

A year earlier, in mid-July 2010, we found snowbank-blocked trails at just over 9,000' on north-facing slopes.

Take your fleece, it'll be chilly at night above, say, 6,000'. Could approach 100 degrees down lower in the daytime. Daytime thunderstorms can be numerous and severe. We had hail daily for 5 days in a row in July 2011.

Enjoy! Looking forward to another fine, fine MarkBC trip report soon.

Foy

 

[MarkBC]

Thanks, guys, for the feedback. I'm starting to get excited.

I was up on the Columbia River gorge -- Hood River area -- this past weekend, and then drove into Portland on Sunday afternoon. As I drove along through that very green area with many waterfalls tumbling and spraying off looming cliffs...some sporadic showers...that view made me think about and get excited/jazzed about heading north (and a little east) to Idaho and Montana. Something about a total change of scene -- from my usual high-desert haunts -- appealed to me. Somehow it seems like a different "change of scene" than going to the Oregon coast, even though the Oregon coast is as different from the high desert as you can get. Maybe it's the addition of mountains that I'll get in MT and ID that makes it exciting-and-different; the Oregon coast range isn't much of a mountain range -- just green and damp.

 

[Foy]

As noted previously, from what I think I have come to know about your WTW travel preferences, I expect you'll like MT and ID a great deal.

Foy

 

[Mike&Becky]

You should have a great time! The only downside although a very slight one for that time as opposed to September is there are more people.

 

[MarkBC]

You should have a great time! The only downside although a very slight one for that time as opposed to September is there are more people.

Welcome to WTW Mike&Becky, and thanks for making my topic your first post!

 

[MarkBC]

I'm getting excited now ...and I posted a new info-request on my original trip-planning thread.
You MT/WY-experts, please check it out. Thanks.

 

[longhorn1]

When we go it is the end of July into early August. We are around Big Timber in the Beartooth-Absorka Mts. and Crazy Mts. and the daytime temperatures range between 80-90 and the evenings down into the mid-40's. Nothing like awakening to a crisp cool sunny morning. My cousins have large cattle and sheep ranches so we go every couple of years.