Sonora, CA — Effective Tuesday, December 1 the U.S. Forest Service will close roads with seasonal gates.
Once the seasonal closure gates are locked passenger vehicle travel will not be allowed until drier conditions return in the spring. The road closures are normal for this time of the year occuring typically at the end of the Personal Use Fuelwood gathering season which is scheduled to end Monday, November 30.
The routine seasonal road closures are necessary to provide for public safety and to protect the rain soaked and snow-covered roads from wheel-ruts, erosion and washouts. Road gates will remain temporarily closed in specific forest locations until drier conditions render them passable without causing damage to resources.
Visitors traveling on forest roads that remain open are asked to adjust their driving to current weather and road conditions using defensive driving techniques.
Cottonwood Road (1N04) on the Mi-Wok and Groveland Ranger Districts will remain open through the winter months from Tuolumne to Cherry Lake. However travelers are advised that the road is not maintained for winter travel and might be obstructed by rocks, snow and ice.
With the exception of road 2N10 leading through private property owned by Sierra Pacific Industries all forest service roads to the south of Cottonwood Road will remain un-gated and open unless inclement weather, rocks in the roadway or downed trees mandate their closure.
Lumsden Road (1N10) on the Groveland Ranger District is currently open and will remain open until weather and road conditions make the road un-safe for travel.
Beardsley Road (5N02) on the Summit Ranger District is now managed and maintained by Tri-Dam December through April. For road information contact the Tri-Dam project at (209) 965-3214 or (209) 965-3996.
Click http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/stanislaus (Stanislaus National Forest) for additonal road information.
Written by bill.johnson@mlode.com
This post was last modified on 11/25/2009 5:12 am