Update: On Tuesday, July 23, Caribou-Targhee National Forest announced another ongoing road closure on the middle section of Chick Creek Flat Road from Monday through Thursday between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. See CTNF’s Facebook page for more details.
DRIGGS, Idaho — Two improvement projects are causing temporary trail and road closures this month in Caribou-Targhee National Forest (CTNF).
CTNF is taking measures to reduce the amount of hazardous fuel for fires in the Mike Harris trail system and is clearing vegetation at the Jackpine Pinochle loop. While these projects are ongoing, certain areas of the forest will see temporary closures.
The Mike Harris trail system, located between the state line and Victor, is undergoing hazardous fuel reduction efforts spanning 475 acres. This includes removing small diameter conifer trees, increasing spacing between large conifer crowns, removing tree limbs that can make up fuel ladders and removing dead and downed materials.
A crucial power line between Jackson and Idaho Falls runs through this area, and is such high voltage that it can’t be shut down in case of a fire, Avery Beyer, Forester with CTNF, told Buckrail. This means it’s important to remove growth around the line so that crews working on a potential wildfire there would be safe and the power line would be less likely to be damaged.
While this project is happening, certain parts of the trail system will be closed from sunrise to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Nemo and Yeti trails are currently closed during these hours and will remain so for at least another week, according to CTNF. After the work in that area is completed, the project will move to the north part of the Mike Harris area and other trails will be affected. Visitors can visit Mountain Bike the Tetons to get the latest closure information, which CTNF is providing to the site. Signs are also posted at trailheads alerting people to closed areas.
The entire project is expected to take about another month, but the timeline is subject to change, according to Beyer.
In a separate project on the northeast side of the valley, the forest is clearing vegetation for 25 feet from either side of the Jackpine Pinochle loop, Rammel Mountain Road and the Indian Meadows Road. The project started on Monday, July 22 and the forest expects it to take about a month, but Beyer cautions this is a rough estimate.
“This work will improve safety by increasing sight distance and opening narrow roadways for vehicle traffic,” CTNF said on its Facebook page.
The forest also notes that removing vegetation in this area will allow more sunlight to hit road surfaces, reducing damage to the roads when wet, and will slow fire spread and allow for a more effective fire response in the event of a wildfire.
CTNF says there will be temporary closures or delays on the three affected roads while this project is ongoing, as heavy machinery will be working in the area and spewing debris. These closures or delays should be short and last no more than half an hour, Beyer says. Signage and/or personnel will be on site to tell visitors where access is closed off.
