Fall Snow Storm 10-10-08 ?

[Rob Wadsworth]

Not to sound like somebodies Mom, but make sure that you get minerals suppliments and Vit B/C.
That is the best means of keeping cramps from happening.

Gas prices are starting to fall; MN prices are below $3 now!
I'm not quire sure you will see the effects before you get back to NE though.
Stanky SO2/H2S?
You're on, in, or around the largest caldera in N America.
Cool.
That Hwy you traveled has been referred to many people as the most scenic drive in the US.
Can't wait to see the pics you bagged!

 

[Dann Cianca]

My dad called me today from 7.4SSW Butte, Montana, elevation 6247ft.

As of noon today MDT, they had 13.5" of snow.

 

[Gerrit Gulden]

No snow yet here in Southeast Idaho. Temp is currently 38f with a cloudy sky. I do have a Winter Weather advisory for my area for Snow up to 6". Local NWS still uncertain about actual QPF, which leads me to believe that I could possibly see higher amounts. There was a Winter Storm Watch earlier, that was canceled tho. Still plenty of Winter storm warnings, freeze warnings, etc throughout Idaho and into WY,MT and Utah. It definetely looks like Ski Resorts might open very early this year with Chad Cowans find of possible Snow accum in several to many feet come Monday. I am definetely thinking there will be tons of broken tree limbs/trees, etc from the heavy wet snow that falls.

I will be setting up my Webcam and will do a 3 day timelapse of the storm. Hopefully will get some great footage, excluding the nights of course unless I can get a good light outside my window and avoid glare from the lights inside. I already grabbed out the snow shovels and took the snow boots and jackets outside of the basement. I will also take pictures to show the progress.

Be carefull out there Mike and I am looking forward to any pictures you have taken thus far. Stay Warm and if you travel get an old coffee can, roll of toilet paper and some rubbing alcohol to start a fire and buy extra snacks (beef jerky for your protein) and water.

-gerrit

 

[Mike Hollingshead]

Only a couple pics, since it is almost pointless to do them on this laptop, which is so dependant on what angle I look at the thing as far as brightness/contrast. That and it is just too slow working with the files. Oh and I'm damn tired now.

Thanks to falling snow I was able to get some shutters long enough to blur the falls. It was neat in there with snow falling.

This was from this morning at the Mammoth Hot Springs terraces. The whole morning was amazing around this area with fresh snow, steam, puffy clouds, mountain clouds below peaks, and sunlight filtering in. After stupidly walking up that whole thing, camera gear dragging me down more and more, I see there's a road up there! Doh. I couldn't believe it when I got up there and saw a blacktop road. After all the walking around the last couple days, not a lot of sleep, and muscle cramps, well this morning finished me off. Been in the motel since. It's really not snowed here in Gardiner all day. This should be changing any time now.

I have a lot of other images(600+....damn the space 12mp eats up) but am not in the spirit of messing with them on a slow laptop with a LCD screen.
​

 

[Josh Richardson]

Not too sure how much it will help you this time but for future reference there is a Ski Lodge and some other lodging about 45 mi. west of Cody and just minutes outside of Yellowstone. Dont remember the name as its been years since Ive been there but I know there was something there and its a bit closer than staying over in Cody. You probably saw it already but I thought I would let ya know.

 

[Mike Hollingshead]

Not too sure how much it will help you this time but for future reference there is a Ski Lodge and some other lodging about 45 mi. west of Cody and just minutes outside of Yellowstone. Dont remember the name as its been years since Ive been there but I know there was something there and its a bit closer than staying over in Cody. You probably saw it already but I thought I would let ya know.

Thanks. Yeah, I saw some ski resort listed there, I now forget the name too. I looked it up and all it listed was a "day lodge". I wasn't sure what that was, but figured it meant only for day activities.

Picking a place to stay hasn't been an easy chore since I wanted to see a lot of snow and be able to get into the park. I figured the east towns like Cody would keep me from getting any access into the park till it was all over. Cooke City with no cell service at all anywhere near there, kept me from using that one. Gardiner rooms a little cheaper than W Yellowstone so opted here, even with less snow forecast. I was thinking a bit ago I really should have skipped the Terraces thing this morning and instead went to Old Faithful and stuff near there, as it would have been an easy drive today. Tomorrow likely won't be the same story. I'm also not thrilled to drive back here down that switchback stuff with snow on it, since the tires on this Blazer aren't terribly new. When I came down it the night before it was snowing but just not quite freezing on the road. I kept thinking, yeah this section would suck with snow. My main plan is at least cover the Terraces stuff today and tomorrow, then do the park stuff I've not done in one day after the storm, or at least some things. Maybe spend another day after that open day, not sure. Then as I leave I can see the dumping on the east slopes.

They showed me some map with two sections of the loop closed in here, but I forget where they were. One was Dunraven Pass, I remember that, but there was another, and one of them they said was now closed for the winter. I had thought they were all open through November 3rd or something. Maybe they say screw it with a big snow. That might have been Dunraven Pass. Guess I can always call that number. But anyway one has been closed now for the season, as well as Beartooth...knew that would.

Thanks for the tips Gerrit and Robert. I've pretty much ate all my "survival food" now, lol. Was thinking about that earlier, yeah it's been cheaper to buy that all at the store, but will bite me in the butt if I do get stuck bad somewhere and I'd already ate it all.

 

[Gerrit Gulden]

Still no snow here in Southeast Idaho. It is pretty cold tho. I put up the webcam and took footage from 3pm till 7:30pm. Got some nice cloud features in the video if you guys want to watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf4aSH--YZ8

I will be doing a full Day timelapse tommorow and Sunday as well. I will post those here as well.

Mike, Beautiful pictures. I really love the second photo, very very unique. By the way, if you end up down this way let me know. There is a place called BIG JUDS that serves up a Monster of a hamburger. I think its a 5 pounder. There is one in Ashton,Idaho off the 20. Definetely worth it if your down this way. If you can eat the whole thing they will take a picture of you for the Wall of fame.

If your clever enough, do a Google for Old Faithfull eruption times and time your trip accordingly. It sucks sometimes when you make it there just after an eruption and have to wait another hour. Of course if you like walking and checking out the gift shop and all that then youll be fine.

Have fun and stay safe...........

-gerrit

 

[Mike Hollingshead]

Very cool Gerrit. Now I'm sitting here wondering the time lapse video one could have gotten of these mountain clouds today.

At this rate I doubt I even see the Tetons on this trip. 5 lbs....ouch. I doubt I could eat a 1 lb one.

Infrared satellite looking more interesting now. Colder cloud tops popping up in western WY and now the Riverton radar is coming to life.

LOL at the google ad I just saw on this page. "Why is your stomach fat." it said.

 

[Josh Richardson]

Thanks. Yeah, I saw some ski resort listed there, I now forget the name too. I looked it up and all it listed was a "day lodge". I wasn't sure what that was, but figured it meant only for day activities.

Here we go I found the name of the place and their website below. Looks like its not just a day lodge but I was thinking there were two different places to stay right next to each other near where the Shoshone River crosses the Highway, I could be wrong though.

http://www.pahaska.com/

 

[Gerrit Gulden]

Snow has started here in Southeast Idaho. I was pretty suprised to see that my Area now has a Winter Storm Warning for 4-8 inches of snow and also 35-45mph winds. Local NWS also looking to consider a Blizzard if the low tracks more near my area. So the storm is finally underway, will be awesome to see 1-2 inch an hour rates as mentioned by local NWS Pocatello.

 

[Mike Hollingshead]

Here we go I found the name of the place and their website below. Looks like its not just a day lodge but I was thinking there were two different places to stay right next to each other near where the Shoshone River crosses the Highway, I could be wrong though.

http://www.pahaska.com/

Ah thanks. The thing I had looked up was Sleeping Giant Ski area. That's what took me to the "day lodge" reference.

Currently in the hills south of Mammoth heading back down to Mammoth. Sections of this twisting climb is covered with more ice than snow, and I really don't want to drive down this thing if it gets worse. Snowing pretty good again now. They got plenty of sand down low where it is flat, but hardly a grain up here where it is twisty and steep. I had a feeling these tires weren't that great in the snow and they aren't. Sliding past pull overs pretty easily on flat ground, so going back down this sucker and getting it out of the way now.

Satellite loop looking interesting now. Almost looks convective feeding north-northwest now in s WY.

Still a lot of toursists in this place. I think so far it's about 50/50 English to "other" so far that I'm hearing.

I'm damn glad I brought my lens hood. Almost didn't. Shooting right now would be impossible without it. Whole bottom of the thing was full of snow just now.

http://kamala.cod.edu/wy/latest.nwus55.KRIW.html

Some snow totals for around here so far.

 

[Gerrit Gulden]

Snow has let up as of this moment. The big stuff is expected tonight and into tommorow. Might even get some thundersnow in the mix tonight as well. The temp here is about 38 degrees, there is a light wind and it is 100% cloudy. The storm will be moving Northeast from Nevada and will put my area in the Heavy precip region of the low, Forecast calls for 100% snow tonight and I am ready with Snow Shovels at the front and back doors. I was hoping to capture more than a snow shower with the webcam. I am certain tho that the video will be pretty cool as you can literally see the clouds rotating with the low. Im crossing my fingers for the snow to get heavy before nighttime so that the webcam will be more interesting. To waste some time I put together a yeast roll dough and just finished baking. Smells great and will go awesome with the Meatloaf, mashed potatoes and mashed turnips for dinner. Yummmm.

Will update a little later.......

-gerrit

 

[Mike Hollingshead]

[FONT=lucida sans typewriter, lucida console, courier]/O.CON.KBYZ.WS.W.0011.000000T0000Z-081013T1200Z/
ABSAROKA/BEARTOOTH MOUNTAINS-CRAZY MOUNTAINS-
INCLUDING THE CITY OF...COOKE CITY
358 PM MDT SAT OCT 11 2008

..WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM MDT MONDAY

A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM MDT
MONDAY.

SNOWFALL RATES WILL INCREASE EARLY TONIGHT AS TEMPERATURES COOL
AND AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 2 FEET OF SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED ON TOP OF
THE 18 TO 26 INCHES THAT HAS ALREADY FALLEN. ANY ROADWAYS THAT
WERE NOT ALREADY SNOWPACKED WILL QUICKLY BECOME SNOW COVERED...WITH
WIND CAUSING ADDITIONAL BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF SNOW.

THE GREATEST SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF
THE CRAZY MOUNTAINS AND NORTH SLOPES OF THE BEARTOOTH AND ABSAROKA
MOUNTAINS. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE BETWEEN 3 AND 5 FEET
BEFORE THE SNOW TAPERS OFF SUNDAY NIGHT. LESSER SNOWFALL AMOUNTS
OF 1 TO 3 FEET CAN BE EXPECTED ON THE SOUTHERN AND WESTERN
SLOPES...INCLUDING THE MOUNTAINS AROUND COOKE CITY.

[/FONT]Damn! Too bad I can't drive back up Beartooth Pass after this.

http://kamala.cod.edu/wy/latest.nwus55.KBYZ.html

Red Lodge already 22 inches. The trip back east after this ought to prove amazing.

 

[Rob Wadsworth]

"...The trip back east after this ought to prove amazing." Mike H

Man, I-80 was really dangerous last month when I drove thru Wyoming to California over it.
That is when it was still relatively warm - too.
I can only imagine how bad it is now that snow and ice have hit.
Did you plan to stay there for the next week or more?!?

Forecast on I-80 is pretty frozen until Thurs or Fri.
The Cody/w Yellowstone doesn't get a warming trend until at least Tues - but I'm sure you already know this.
I'm guessing that you planned to stay a couple of weeks then?

Nice pics - have any more to display yet?
BTW - What photo software are you using on the road?

 

[Gerrit Gulden]

Todays timelapse is now available. Its 5 minutes long. There were intermittent snow showers today. Close to the end of this video is when a heavy snow shower moved in and left 1/2 an inch of snow. The heavy stuff is coming tonight and I should have over 5 inches tommorow morning. I will do a timelapse for tommorow as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eT2wq5FjI8

Hope your all safe and warm....

-gerrit