Wyoming / Tetons Filter: Should we cancel our trip due to smoke?

September 5, 2015 11:12 AM

To those who live in or around Jackson Hole / Tetons / Teton Valley etc, what is the air quality like there now? Myself and my SO are planning to take an annual backpacking / hiking / camping trip to the area next Friday and I'm wondering if the fallout from the fires in ID / MT will make it all too unpleasant...

I backpack / Camp / Hike / Photograph in the Tetons or Yellowstone each year around this time and at several points in recent years I have been in the area during nearby wildfires. Some years the smoke in the air has caused me to bail out early because of eye and throat irritation, not to mention spoiled vistas.

My girlfriend and I are planning to head up that way in a week and I have been keeping an eye on the fire situation and know that the fallout from the fires in WA / ID / MT is pretty horrendous in some places - so I'm asking the folks in the area: How is the air quality? I've been checking the webcams here pretty regularly and things don't look as bad as I've seen them in the past...but I'd love to get feedback from folks in the area if possible.

If there is a sort of constant yellow haze and a smoky taste to the air I think we might head to Colorado instead...but i'd really rather not. Any input would be appreciated.

posted by jnnla to Travel & Transportation around Jackson, WY (8 answers total)

Here's the site you want. It's very accurate; I live right in what was the worst of it and would time my dog walks to the hour based on its projections. Sometimes it's off by an hour or so but the overall patterns are correct. Things should be even better after this weekend because it's raining again.
posted by HotToddy at 11:22 AM on September 5, 2015 [3 favorites]

(Make sure you click "Select Runs" and then "Use Latest.")
posted by HotToddy at 11:23 AM on September 5, 2015

Response by poster: What a fantastic resource, thanks so much!
posted by jnnla at 12:52 PM on September 5, 2015

You're welcome. It's been bucketing rain since I posted so I bet you'll be in good shape. We had way less rain last weekend that still really knocked them back. Have fun!
posted by HotToddy at 2:06 PM on September 5, 2015

I live in Wyoming about 125 miles NE of your destination. Here's a data point:

The smoke has been quite bad for a few weeks this summer (blood-red sunrises and sunsets) but has cleared up recently. It's a nice blue sky today, and I can see the Bighorn Mountains, about 35 miles east, clearly. I predict you will have no problems with smoke.

Enjoy your trip!
posted by dono at 2:24 PM on September 5, 2015

I'm in western Montana this weekend, which has been really smoky lately, but isn't at all this weekend due to rain!
posted by pril at 11:12 AM on September 6, 2015

I climbed the Grand Teton on Wednesday and was in Jackson until Friday, the area wasn't smoky and the weather and views were gorgeous at that time. Obviously that can change, but it's a data point for you. The forecast at nws.gov should include smoke info.
posted by counterfeitfake at 3:45 PM on September 6, 2015

Response by poster: Thanks all for the on-the-ground info...we're gonna go for it and stay flexible. Can't wait.
posted by jnnla at 12:30 PM on September 7, 2015