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Just days after the summer solstice, winter made a surprise return to the high country.
A rare late-June snowstorm slammed Beartooth Pass over the weekend, dumping up to 14 inches of fresh snow along U.S. Highway 212. Drifts piled up to more than three feet in places, and full-on whiteout conditions turned one of the most scenic drives in America into a snow-covered gauntlet.
WYDOT crews jumped into action, deploying V plows, rotary snowblowers, and heavy equipment to clear the pass. Still, the storm temporarily closed the northeast entrance to Yellowstone National Park via Beartooth Highway. While crews in Yellowstone are no strangers to spring snow removal, having to fire up the plows in late June isn't typical, and peak tourism season in Yellowstone is firing up as we speak.
Sadly, the unexpected snowfall came just a little too late for the one place that would’ve loved it: Beartooth Basin Ski Area. Located at 10,900 feet near the top of the pass, Beartooth is North America’s only summer-only ski area, operating from late May through early July—when the highway is actually open. The cash-only resort, served by two platter lifts, had already wrapped up for the season. With no chance to harvest the storm's goods, it’s a bittersweet ending for the Basin’s 2025 run. Better luck next year.
For everyone else heading into the mountains this summer: don’t let the season fool you. The weather in the high country still has some tricks up its sleeve. Be ready, check the forecast, and carry that winter kit—it may come in handy.