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Post by hangingtrekker on Dec 19, 2015 17:43:28 GMT -8
Can anyone tell me what kind of shape forest road 70 is in? I see on the motor vehicle use map it is open 9/1-2/28. Is this still current? I would like to take that to the end where Roaring Plains/trail 548 starts at the pipeline.
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Post by hangingtrekker on Dec 22, 2015 5:37:30 GMT -8
Update. I emailed the park district and they actually got back to me.
So FR70 is open 9/1-1/1. It is a "level 2" road and they recommend a high clearance vehicle.
However, there are plans to close off FR19 in the winter. From what the guy said that emailed me back - the order is out for a gate to be put in blocking off FR19 in the winter time. Supposedly the reasoning is they have had several people up there driving around in the winter time that have ended up getting stuck so they are trying to eliminate people getting up there in the winter time so they won't have to launch rescue missions to get them.
They aren't sure the gate is in place yet, but it will be for next winter (end of 2016). They gave me a contact to touch base with to find out more details.
So what about everyone snowshoeing and cross country skiing? FR19 is the only way in. I could see some of the other roads being closed (FR70 and FR75) but 19???
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tomas
Trail Wise!
Posts: 1,906 
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Post by tomas on Dec 22, 2015 10:21:14 GMT -8
It is a "level 2" road and they recommend a high clearance vehicle What in the world is a Level 2 road? In general, does FR70 get plowed at all in the winter? |
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Post by hangingtrekker on Dec 22, 2015 18:48:00 GMT -8
None of the forest roads get plowed - not even 19. 19 is classified as a level 3 road. As per the description the forest service gave me level 3 is accessible by passenger car and level 2 is high-clearance required. I am not sure what the breakdown is of the "levels".
More information:
I called the contact that the forest service gave me for the Ranger District. I spoke to a lady over there who was relaying my questions to someone there that supposedly knew what was going on.
The long and short of what I got was the "gate" is supposed to go in sometime in "mid january". At first the lady said there was a "makeshift gate until the new one was built", then she clarified with whoever it was she was speaking with. I asked about the road accesses and the gates at FR 75/19 and 19/70 are supposedly closed on January 1. I asked if I came in on forest road 75 and was on the other side of the gate, meaning FR19 side, after the date what would happen. She told me "don't park on the other side". I asked what side and she said "both".
So I question the information that I received. The forest service says the new gate has been sent to contract to be installed, Ranger District says it will go in mid-January.
I think it is pretty clear that the usual gates close on January 1. What is questionable is still what is happening with the new gate.
That new gate I presume is east of Laneville at the Laneville Rd access - the bottom of the mountain where the creek crossing is. If that is the case - FR75 may still be open. I have not heard of a gate going in there.... yet. If that is the case - we could come in from the north end, which I did that 2 years ago in the snow (PITA and the drifts kept us from accessing FR19, got within a mile and had to turn back). As long as we got back out by the close of the day on the 31st we should be OK. With it being so warm and wet I don't have any concerns of snow blocking us, and we would be OK with up to a foot or so of snow even if there was enough to stick.
FR75 is far more treacherous in winter than FR19 is because it traverses the plateau. Where the forest starts on the north side is not maintained in the winter time - it is up until the last house. That first run of forest road is crazy slick with the incline with any frozen precip. Without chains theres no way any vehicle is getting up there. That may be a good enough deterrent for most people, but it would seem counter-intuitive that the main road FR19 at Laneville Rd would be gated and not the start of FR75?
I will call the Ranger District after Christmas again and try to clarify whats up. If they close all the roads getting up to Sods is going to be a (fill in the blank...) It may be easier to access the northwest end from the ski resort than anywhere else, at least the ski resort isn't going to close (unless they don't have any snow and are closed like right now) and the ski lifts can do your elevation climb and descent for you....
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