It’s October 15. Yesterday I finally got the willow tree that “ate” my RV to resume its normal place in nature. That action was followed by clearing off the snow and leaves from my slides and roof. You see, this is what happens when significant snow falls before the leaves have fallen off the trees.
It’s really just early to mid autumn
Summer just ended 3 weeks ago and this is the second snow of the “winter” season! The first just dusted the ground and was gone within hours. This one stuck around. The day after the snow fell, the temperature in Anaconda didn’t even reach 32F!
Now on Wednesday the 15th, I’m ready to make the short journey across the “Georgetown Lake Pass” to Philipsburg. It’s just a 30 mile trek, but requires crossing a small mountain pass about 1000 ft. above Anaconda’s 5300 ft. elevation.
Even though it was a brief journey…
Even though it was a brief journey, it was an adventure. Anytime I’m pulling a 15000 pound, 35 foot trailer, it’s an adventure!
Exiting Big Sky RV Park in Anaconda was uneventful and shortly after I was heading west on Montana 1 towards Georgetown and Philipsburg. There’s a gradual climb as you head west and before you know it, there’s a steep climb towards Silver Lake. All this is highlighted in the video above.
As I climbed, it quickly began to look like Christmas, over two months early! Even though the snowstorm occurred on Monday the 13th, the trees still held their snow and truly looked to fulfill their role for the upcoming holiday season.
Arriving at Georgetown – the inversion clears
Inversions are common in the colder months out west. Overnight cold air “pools” into valleys and if the winds remain nearly calm, cold air can remain trapped all day long. This produces a “counterintuitive” experience where as you climb, the temperature warms. I experienced this as I reached Silver Lake and even noted partial clearing in the thick, dark, low overcast.
Interestingly, there’s a small “pass” between Silver and Georgetown Lakes. As I rounded the curve (also in the video), the clouds returned as low lying fog. Despite driving alongside Georgetown Lake, you could barely see where I had been paddling just a few days earlier.
Despite extensive snow cover on the way up to Georgetown, by the lake itself, snow was sparse. This could be due to less snow having fallen during Monday’s storm or due to more sunshine at this higher elevation on Tuesday resulting in snowmelt.
The most interesting part of the drive was still ahead
Georgetown Lake exists due to a man-made dam which is located at the west end. As you drive past the dam, you begin to descend into a relatively steep canyon with switchbacks. This stretch can be challenging in winter as black ice is common and the road receives little sunlight.
As soon as I began descending, the temperature began to drop below freezing again. This signaled to me that I was re-entering the inversion. The road was on October 15 were in good shape but the scenery returned to that of a Christmas postcard!
After dropping about 1000 ft. into the Philipsburg Valley, the snow disappeared and the road returned to a 70mph speed limit.
The Philipsburg Valley
The Philipsburg Valley is home to Philipsburg, a 19th Century mining town that has retained its character. This area did not receive anywhere near the amount of snow that Anaconda did even though both valleys are at about the same elevation (5300 ft.)
I have spent the last 4 days here in Philipsburg. Believe it or not, I awoke to MORE snow (though just a dusting) this morning, October 18th.
Philipsburg has two coffee shops (naturally, I found both!) Between the two, I prefer Miss Bee’s. This coffee shop is located in a 19th century brick building. It’s a great place to get some coffee, pastries and conversation.
There’s a good Mexican restaurant called Kikos. A famous candy store which is CLOSED on Saturdays. Naturally, there are a few bars to gather and conversate.
If all goes according to schedule, I will be moving on tomorrow morning to Jim and Mary’s RV Park near Missoula. There is rain (and possibly snow) in the forecast for tomorrow morning which *could* impact my travel plans.
Last call for RV Skirting for the upcoming winter…
Dave with Extreme Covers is booked nearly through all of November. He does custom skirts for RV’s of all types. IF you’re planning to spend the winter in your camper, you NEED a skirt for your RV! He does custom work in and near Boise, Idaho – or he ships a high quality skirt to you. Here’s my account from when I got my skirt from Dave years ago. IF you’re ready to take action, contact me and I will get you a preferred price quote for your camper.
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