Who's playing in the smoke this summer?

[ChezHed]

How many of you are spending the summer playing in smoke in the northwest part of the US? I live in Kalispell, MT (not far from Glacier National Park) and have been playing in smoke for most of the past two weeks. The air quality here has been classified as "Very Unhealthy", just one step up from "Hazardous", for most of the past week.

 

Here's a shot towards Glacier National Park from the course I play, back in April...

 

 

Here's another shot I took yesterday, again, towards Glacier, from nearly the same spot...

 

[TomWishon]

[quote name='ChezHed' timestamp='1440787588' post='12225404']
How many of you are spending the summer playing in smoke in the northwest part of the US?
[/quote]

Not quite as bad as your area, but we here in Durango, CO get it when fires pop up in AZ to the southwest of us. This year also from the CA fires. Prevailing winds always blow it to us. Oh, and then we had the orange river flowing past our golf course for a week or so when the EPA cut loose a major flood of toxic waste from one of the old mines in the mtns above us in early Aug. Fortunately that's back to its original color now.

[GWD]

California has been in a fire haze for a couple of months. Just when it starts to clear up another fire starts.

The Sacramento Valley acts like a bowl and fills with smoke.

We are looking for a big El Nino to put an end to this all.

To the OP: Stayed in Kalispell a couple of years ago on a trip through Yellowstone, then through Glacier, and up to Banff for golf. Nice town. Road to the Sun was a highlight of the trip (although construction was a pain).

[Matt J]

Medford, Oregon here. Smoke for the last month.

We have fires to the north and fires to the south so whichever way the wind blows....

No visibility, smelly, and it seems to give me a headache and digestion issues if I'm outside in it all day. I've still been playing a lot of golf though.

[irvtrain]

[quote name='TomWishon' timestamp='1440788417' post='12225502']
[quote name='ChezHed' timestamp='1440787588' post='12225404']
How many of you are spending the summer playing in smoke in the northwest part of the US?
[/quote]

Not quite as bad as your area, but we here in Durango, CO get it when fires pop up in AZ to the southwest of us. This year also from the CA fires. Prevailing winds always blow it to us. Oh, and then we had the orange river flowing past our golf course for a week or so when the EPA cut loose a major flood of toxic waste from one of the old mines in the mtns above us in early Aug. Fortunately that's back to its original color now.
[/quote]

Tom, the toxic waste was a huge disaster...Denver has been bad as well. This past weekend the visibility was maybe 10-15 miles. I think the smoke is coming from Oregon and Washington.

[ChezHed]

[quote name='GWD' timestamp='1440793568' post='12226088']
California has been in a fire haze for a couple of months. Just when it starts to clear up another fire starts.

The Sacramento Valley acts like a bowl and fills with smoke.

We are looking for a big El Nino to put an end to this all.

To the OP: Stayed in Kalispell a couple of years ago on a trip through Yellowstone, then through Glacier, and up to Banff for golf. Nice town. Road to the Sun was a highlight of the trip (although construction was a pain).
[/quote]

I think the Flathead Valley (where Kalispell is located) is probably much the same as the Sacramento Valley...the smoke pours in, and has nowhere to go. The visibility this afternoon/evening was probably about a mile.

Kalispell ain't bad. I moved here from Rochester, MN a few years ago. I definitely miss the short drive to the Twin Cities for pro sports, concerts, a ton of different courses, etc, but if you enjoy the outdoors, this area is tough to beat.

Yellowstone -> Glacier -> Banff is a great trip, without even stepping foot on a golf course. Did you play in Kalispell (or any of the surrounding towns)? There are some courses in the area designed by the likes of Nicklaus, North and Faldo. The Going to the Sun Road is pretty amazing. Pictures don't do it justice. Most of the construction is done now. They say you need to take two trips up that road...once as a passenger, or in a tour bus, so that you can truly enjoy the beauty of the park, and a second time as a driver, so you can experience the white-knuckle drive on that narrow road, with all of the other traffic on that road. Before the road was opened to vehicle traffic this spring, I rode my bicycle up the road to Logan Pass. That's sixteen miles, uphill. 3,300 feet up. It's a pretty sweet cruise back down the mountain though. The hiking in the park is pretty great too. I've done a few 10+ mile day hikes, with some pretty amazing views.

[Matt J]

NWS calls our visibility 7 miles right now. I'd say that's generous.

It's weird how it ebbs and flows based on the winds. It'll be perfectly clear outside then you'll go inside to get a glass of water, return, and you can't see the car in the driveway. At least we have a little rain the forecast for later in the week.

[GWD]

Don't want to get too off topic but....

Didn't play golf near Kalispell. The National Park part of our trip was visual only. Lots of photos.

Logan Pass was quite scenic but I can't imagine riding a bike up that climb especially at altitude!! You must be in incredible shape.

It wasn't smoky when we were there, but rather a morning haze.

[attachment=2929876:CanadaDay3_05.JPG]

[attachment=2929874:CanadaDay3_04.JPG]

[attachment=2929866:CanadaDay3_47.JPG]

[KYMAR]

Matt Every

[sabram]

I'm in the Black Hills and there is a haze over the golf course that I think may be from the smoke blowing east.

[knock it close]

Just a couple hours north of you OP and its been bad here the last week.

[mizleft]

I'm in Calgary Alberta
We have had smoke foe the last month
I can't golf due to medical issue but it is almost like fog here

[ChezHed]

[quote name='GWD' timestamp='1440854544' post='12229212']
Don't want to get too off topic but....

Didn't play golf near Kalispell. The National Park part of our trip was visual only. Lots of photos.

Logan Pass was quite scenic but I can't imagine riding a bike up that climb especially at altitude!! You must be in incredible shape.

It wasn't smoky when we were there, but rather a morning haze.

[attachment=2929876:CanadaDay3_05.JPG]

[attachment=2929874:CanadaDay3_04.JPG]

[attachment=2929866:CanadaDay3_47.JPG]
[/quote]

Nice shots, through the haze. Glacier makes anyone with a camera phone feel like Ansel Adams, doesn't it!

I'm definitely not in incredible shape...just discovered what 1st and 2nd gears are for, on a 24 speed bike! :-) Let's just say it definitely wasn't a Tour De France pace.

[attachment=2935326:LakeMcD.jpg]
[attachment=2935330:Mountains.jpg]

[MichiganMan]

[quote name='ChezHed' timestamp='1441134485' post='12246514']
[quote name='GWD' timestamp='1440854544' post='12229212']
Don't want to get too off topic but....

Didn't play golf near Kalispell. The National Park part of our trip was visual only. Lots of photos.

Logan Pass was quite scenic but I can't imagine riding a bike up that climb especially at altitude!! You must be in incredible shape.

It wasn't smoky when we were there, but rather a morning haze.

[attachment=2929876:CanadaDay3_05.JPG]

[attachment=2929874:CanadaDay3_04.JPG]

[attachment=2929866:CanadaDay3_47.JPG]
[/quote]

Nice shots, through the haze. Glacier makes anyone with a camera phone feel like Ansel Adams, doesn't it!

I'm definitely not in incredible shape...just discovered what 1st and 2nd gears are for, on a 24 speed bike! :-) Let's just say it definitely wasn't a Tour De France pace.

[attachment=2935326:LakeMcD.jpg]
[attachment=2935330:Mountains.jpg]
[/quote]

That first photo is incredible. Love the symmetry of it. That's one to frame for sure. Great work.

[Matt J]

Riding a bike is just an awesome pace to enjoy good weather. Even if it's slower than walking sometimes.