I'd love to see Yellowstone, parts of Montana, and some more of Utah and Colorado this fall. When does the snow start to fly out there? Any advice on when it's too late for an OldCoot to travel out that way?
Uh, snow fell this weekend. I was camping with the US based Latin America group on the east side of the Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. Trail Ridge road was closed from Friday afternoon until Sunday morn. Snow was down to about 9000'. Come anyway, you may just have to hole up in some swell town for a couple of days before you can ride again.
"Normally" late September... I like to ride the Colorado Rockies in mid-September. It's usually cool mornings and nice afternoons. Lows in the 30s and highs in the 60s. However, that can vary... Lizard Head Pass the last week of September, 2006: Like was mentioned, it snowed this weekend up there. Some friends of mine spent lots of time in the hotel this weekend...
Yellowstone is one of the coldest parts of the US. It mostly depends on whether you're at elevation or not, but if you watch the weather, have the right gear, and aren't going to get too put out by a delay or two, you can do a Sept trip pretty easily. That doesn't mean you won't get caught out but the odds are with you. But by Oct 1, the odds start tilting the other way and by mid-Oct and later, you really are starting to take a risk of serious and prolonged snow at elevation. And Yellowstone starts shutting down for the season in mid-Oct. - Mark
...to ride that doesn't have tires like my Sportster's. I wouldn't want to ride on any snow with the street tires I have on mine. Might have to wait til next year. Thanks, guys!
That is my favorite time of year to ride. I am planning on Yellowstone and south in early Oct. It does get cold for camping, so I do the motel thing if it gets cold. Late starts are the norm. By 9am all is usually good. Woolies and Hippo Hands are good to 45-50 degrees, below that electrics. A very invigorating time of year. Fall colors. No tourists, 'cept me. No HD or Goldwing caravans (I get tired of all that waving ) Weather is fairly stable in the fall. Check weatherunderground.com and things are usually quite accurate, up to 3 days. Go for it.
Thanks for the tip. Could you tell me if heavy winter gloves fit inside hippo hands? Also, do you have a good source for woolies?
The large Hippo Hands are big enought to cover my bark busters and the large Maier wind deflectors. I just use regular gloves most of the time. If 40 degrees or lower a light insulated glove is sufficient. I have grip heaters and use them intermittently. Eating often is really effective to stay warm. The body generates heat burning simple calories. A hearty breakfast, light lunch, cookie break, or maybe soup in afternoon and don't get carried away at supper, cause I'm fat enough. When it is really cold or the body just won't warm up I stop quite often. Like every 30 min. Sometimes even every 10 min. I take a lot of pics so this isn't a problem, for me. Try to stay ahead of the game, don't get really chilled. I mugged a sheep for my woolies.
We were in the area this past June and had to keep the gloves on the mufflers at stops. It was pretty dang cold mornings and evenings from Rifle CO till we looped around through the Cascades heading towards Bend OR after hitting up Glacier.
Oldcoot, The only time I can do trips is the first part of Oct because of work. It can get preaty cold out here this time of the year. You can expect to ride off in the mornings at or below freezing and it's not uncommon to get a snow storm (in the high country). I ride with a Darien jacket w/Gerbings heated liner if it's really cold I zip in the Aerostich fleese liner and ware fleese pants under my Darien pants and don't have any problems keeping warm (now that I know how to use the heated gear) usually the heated liner is all I need. I have heated grips and have been looking for some elephant ears to use when it's really cold. I run TKC 80'S and will cary tire studs this year as the ice on the road last year scared me, if needed I can find a drill to borrow a zap them in in about an hour. I camp out most of the time and use a Marmot Never Summer down bag I have not got cold yet and sleep very well in the cool air remember a lot of the campgrounds are going to be closed this time of year but it's nice beacuse the tourest, for the most part are gone also some of the stuff in yellow stone will be closed shops gas stations etc.. I have learned that while riding with a heated liner or coat if you are feeling a little warm thats a good thing if you get cold then turn it up your body may never catch up even though you think it has, you may need to get a motel room and jump into a tub of hot water to get warmed back up as long as I keep the heat up a little more than I think I need I'm fine. Happy fall riding
thanks for the great advice. Last February I took a ride over to seem my grandkids. On the way back I thought I was plenty warm in my heated jacket, but I got a terrible chill after I got home, and I couldn't shake it. Thought I was sick. Next time I'll jump in a tub of warm water when I get home!