June Snow Closes One Of America’s Most Scenic Drives

If you're new to Montana, this story is going to sound completely ridiculous.

If you've lived here long enough, you'll probably just shrug and say, "Yep, sounds about right."

One of Montana's world-famous scenic highways had several sections temporarily closed by officials this week due to heavy snowfall. You read that correctly. Beartooth Highway is closed after receiving a big dump of snow. And just days before the first day of summer.

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Beartooth Highway is no ordinary mountain road. Its maximum elevation sits close to 11,000 feet, and the weather in this high-altitude zone has never been bound by calendar dates. Blizzards can strike in any month of the year, and local meteorologists have long warned visitors that weather conditions can shift abruptly even in mid-summer.

As Montana’s core summer tourism attraction, thousands of visitors travel through Beartooth Pass to get to the North entrance of Yellowstone National Park. Every year, many people can leave Red Lodge under clear, sunny skies and find themselves stuck in a snow drift.

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I have traveled the pass many times. I can still remember the time I found myself having a snowball fight on the 4th of July, while trying not to pass out from the lack of oxygen at 11,000 feet.

According to KTVQ, the closures are only temporary. Road staff will continue monitoring conditions, and the highway will reopen immediately once it meets safety standards.

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As someone who has traveled the pass many times, I give you three practical tips for tourists planning a summer road trip:

1.  Bring a camera that can capture unexpected, beautiful scenery or capture images of an impromptu snowball fight.
2. Set aside plenty of patience for travel delays. You never know what can happen at the top of the world.
3. Don't hesitate to pack a coat, even in the summer heat.

Because in Montana, apparently, June is still negotiating with winter.