Hiking Wyoming mountains in June (Green River, Big Horn: how much, camping, store)

[OA 5599]

I'm currently planning a trip for the upcoming summer, which will include some camping/backpacking in Wyoming, along with possibly Montana and Idaho. What I'm not sure about is whether I should take this trip in June or July.

I've been hiking in Wyoming several times before, but it will have been 11 years sine my last trip. I'll be visiting the Snowy, Sierra Madre, Bighorn, Wind River, and possibly Wyoming and Absaroka mountain ranges. Will this trip be possible in early June, or is there typically large amounts of snow on the road? Are the roads crossing the Snowy, Sierra Madre, and Bighorn ranges typically open in early June? What about the gravel road over Union Pass near Dubios? I'll probably start in the Bighorns, then work my way to the Snowies, and back up towards the Wind Rivers.

Also, is hiking and backpacking at higher elevation (10,000+) feet feasible then, or again, will there likely be too much snow? I know the weather in the mountains are very volatile, and it can snow in July or August, but I'm just looking for some general weather patterns. I'd like to hike high up in the Bighorn and Wind Rivers. I can probably push the trip back to July, but at the moment it looks more convenient to take it in June.

[sunsprit]

A lot depends upon how much snowpack remains after the winter season, which nobody can know at this time.

All you can do is follow the reports in the areas of interest to you.

[HighlandLady]

sunsprit has it right....too early in the year to even hazard a guess. It could be fine hiking/climbing weather or it could be the worst.

[Salt & Light]

If you’re planning on hikes at 10,000 + feet; it would be best to consider July if possible.

[SkunkApe]

I find this tool useful:

NOHRSC Interactive Snow Information

You can check current snow depths, and also enter old dates for historical data.

[MRVphotog]

Definately wait till July

[OA 5599]

Originally Posted by SkunkApe

I find this tool useful:

NOHRSC Interactive Snow Information

You can check current snow depths, and also enter old dates for historical data.

Thanks a lot! That is exactly what I needed. Looks like 2005 was a snowy year for a lot of you guys. Also looks like some years I could do this in June in no problem, and other years there may be 50 inches of snow where I want to hike. Looks like I'll be pushing the trip off until July...thanks again for the info.

[Dinowy]

You could always bring a pair of snow shoes!

As everybody else has said, its hard to tell just yet. Around here (right at the base of the Big Horn Mountains) some of our biggest storms can be in March and April extending into the middle of May some years. And smaller snow storms aren't uncommon through the end of June or later for on top the mountains here (we used to go up and camp at the end of June every year and many years we'd wake up the next morning to a few inches of snow). Many years they get 14A opened up by the middle of May and by late June in a light winter year a lot can be melted off except for patches here and there in the trees. At least until you get up real high, other years that have seen a lot more snow (or a real cool May/June) there can be still patches on the flats down low and back in the trees there are still drifts several feet deep.

[ruggedindividual]

Last year I hiked up to Lame Deer Lake in the Big Horn Mountains (9,500 ft) July 18th and above timberline we trekked through places with 1-2ft of snow still. July 26th we hiked to Lake Angeline (10,550) and there was still snow, but we could avoid it. But the snow wasn't the bad part...the mosquitoes were of biblical proportions! Bring plenty of OFF!

[OA 5599]

Originally Posted by Dinowy

You could always bring a pair of snow shoes!

I was wondering if anyone was going to say that. Think some old tennis rackets and duct tape might work? I could probably throw that together with only a few bucks with some rackets from a thrift store

Originally Posted by navyvet79

Last year I hiked up to Lame Deer Lake in the Big Horn Mountains (9,500 ft) July 18th and above timberline we trekked through places with 1-2ft of snow still. July 26th we hiked to Lake Angeline (10,550) and there was still snow, but we could avoid it. But the snow wasn't the bad part...the mosquitoes were of biblical proportions! Bring plenty of OFF!

I remember them being REALLY bad on my last trip too. I was sitting in the truck near the Green River Lakes over in the Wind Rivers and watching half a dozen of them at a time fly around the window and try to get in. We got bit a lot on that trip in general, all those darn lakes for them to breed in! I'll bring some Off for sure. I'm getting excited for this trip already, you guys have a beautiful state and its been far too long since I've been able to experience it.