Putting this here as a PSA to those planning to head to the mountains soon. We've been in Montana for a week and the experience has been far from typical due to the smoke from all these wildfires and the heat. I can't speak to other areas in the Rockies (perhaps some others could chime in), but up here in the northern Rockies it has been hot and smoky. For most of our trip the smoke has been so thick that the view of the mountains on either side of our valley is little more than a silhouette due to very limited visibility.

The reason I say all this is to mention that if anyone is planning a trip soon to an affected area and has the flexibility to do so, pushing your trip back into the fall could make for a better experience this year, and also just to help set expectations for anyone visiting these areas. I will also add that there are no fires near us, but the smoke is pervasive in this region.

Same in Jackson hole this week

Where are you in Montana? We are in Willamette valley now and although a haze not bad.

We will drive to Glacier next week

went through this crap last year in Jackson Hole and Yellowstone. It never seems to end.

Yep. Been throughout Idaho, northern Utah and into eastern Wyoming over the last month and it's crazy how smoky it's been, even when there aren't any fires in the direct area. SLC fire department had to put out a statement that there were no active fires in the area because residents kept calling in asking because of how smoky it was.

Flew through Denver this week and the Rockies were obstructed. It's nuts how much smoke is floating around up here.

Utah - August 2018 - smoke from the Paradise fire plus other fires in Utah. Very hazy.
Yellowstone/Grand Teton - Aug/Sept. 2020 - very hazy, can see in my pictures from the Yellowstone/Grand Teton thread.

Going to Breckenridge in a month and I will be shocked if there isn't haze.

I guess that it's part of traveling in the late summer in the west.

I'm in northern Wisconsin and it was hazy from the smoke all last week, and resulted in air quality warnings.

The haze and heat in Montana definitely is different from last year. However we still had a great time this week. The temps should go down next week. As to the smoke, not sure.

We're in northern New England and the smoke the last couple of days was impressive considering the distance- especially in northern New Hampshire. I wanted to go east this year because we've had several trips out west choked off by fires/smoke over the years. I guess you can't get away from it at this time of year.

In Big Sky right now and it's been pretty hazy, although yesterday was pretty clear

TXAG 05 said:

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In Big Sky right now and it's been pretty hazy, although yesterday was pretty clear

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Where are you staying? I'm looking at the Summit hotel for next year and I think they are renovating right now. Have you gone to the West Entrance of Yellowstone? Just curious if Big Sky would be a good base to go to the park a few days or if it's too far.

We're in the Bozeman/Yellowstone area. Hope it's not as bad as far north as Glacier. Yesterday was better but it's looking bad again this morning here.

AgOutsideAustin said:

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TXAG 05 said:

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In Big Sky right now and it's been pretty hazy, although yesterday was pretty clear

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Where are you staying? I'm looking at the Summit hotel for next year and I think they are renovating right now. Have you gone to the West Entrance of Yellowstone? Just curious if Big Sky would be a good base to go to the park a few days or if it's too far.

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My wife's parents rented a house in an area called Moonlight Basin, it's pretty close to the Big Sky resort/ski area. Very convenient for Yellowstone, we went through the West Entrance yesterday, it's about an hour drive. The road runs alongside the Gallatin River, it's beautiful.

Wow super cool that's where they had the golf match with Tom Brady and Phil Mickelson.

I don't want to hear any of this crap whining from people in Wyoming and Montana. It's little more than a light haze there. When you get to Oregon and California it's raining ash and ocassionally burning embers.

My employee just had a burning stick land on his poarch the other day from a fire 6 miles away.

Climbed La Plata Peak in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness of San Isabel National Forest yesterday and the views from the top were amazing with no signs of haze or smoke in any direction.

Just got back from a week in Bozeman/Big Sky myself. View was definitely a little obstructed but didn't notice any breathing issues due to smoke. We went to the top of lone peak and couldn't see the Tetons but they're 150 miles away so can't complain too much.

A good rain in Glacier yesterday so the haze should clear somewhat.

Haze followed us from Montana to Texas--some smoke haze yesterday here. Should clear out by thursday.

Today is the clearest it's been in Denver over the past 3 weeks. Still not haze free though

I live just south of Eugene, OR

It's hazy, but not ridiculous though I can't see the Cascades from IH-5 anymore, at least not clearly. It's nothing compared to last September when the Holiday Farm fire was raging though.

Really bad haze today across the high alpine in CO.

We're supposed to be in Lassen Volcanic Ntl Park for Labor Day. The Dixie Fire is threatening that trip.

Dixie fire is bad with 40 homes destroyed and threatening the Polson cherry crop. Hungry Horse haze is getting better particularly with the front moving in tomorrow.

Denver is crazy hazy right now. I live right up by the foothills and they are barely visible.

Just got back from summit county CO and the haze was so bad you could barely see the mountains at all.

aggie_wes said:

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Just got back from summit county CO and the haze was so bad you could barely see the mountains at all.

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Same in Montezuma and La Plata counties in CO today.

Here in Jackson now. We drove in yesterday from Laramie and from Jackson Hole the Tetons were only visible as an outline through the haze.

The smoke was definitely worse in Laramie and Rawlins, though. It reminded me of the Southern San Joaquin valley in California when air pollution gets bad there.

Good to hear Wyoming is clearing... I hope it all blows away from everywhere fast.

I'm in Estes Park and the smoke has been terrible for the past few days... can't even see the Continental Divide from town. Too many bad flashbacks to last summer's fires.

Heading to Brek Sunday-Wednesday and curious on the air quality. Has the smoke from the wildfires been bad lately?

No. It's been weeks since we've had issues.

Tree Hugger said:

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I live just south of Eugene, OR

It's hazy, but not ridiculous though I can't see the Cascades from IH-5 anymore, at least not clearly. It's nothing compared to last September when the Holiday Farm fire was raging though.

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I'm in Portland.

Look forward to the big rain this week. We we're up at Trillium Lake for Labor day and the smoke rolled in mid-day and you could barely see Mt. Hood.

Denver was horrible last week, i'm still a little congested today after spending 4 days there last week

We were in Wyoming last week and it was bad a couple days, but fine others. These were taken two days back to back. The first day we were there we were pretty bummed because the smoke was really bad and you could barely see anything, but the next two days we're better. The day we left was pretty smoky again