Forest Service identifies "Roads of Concern" in Idaho; works to mitigate safety issues

Typical sign the Forest Service is installing along forest roads

to increase safety for OHV users and motorists (courtesy USFS)

Hi all,

The U.S. Forest Service has been busy working on its "roads of concern" program in the last year to identify the most hazardous roads, install mitigation measures such as safety signage and trimming brush to improve visibility, and in a few instances, close a few sections of highly traveled roads that were deemed too hazardous to leave open to off-highway vehicle use.

This blog provides an update on the program. Just about anybody who has driven a vehicle on narrow national forest dirt roads has probably had a close call with another motor vehicle, not to mention an OHV rider cruising around a blind corner. This is the concern with this issue -- trying to avoid collisions between motor vehicles and OHVs.

The roads-of-concern issue came to the fore when the Idaho Legislature passed a law in 2009 that allowed unlicensed drivers to operate OHVs on national forest system roads as long as they had parental supervision. Previously, a driver's license was required for OHV users to operate OHVs on national forest roads. Fearing for the safety of young, unlicensed drivers operating OHVs on national forest roads used by cars and trucks, the Forest Service began a review of roads of concern in early 2011.

In the 2011 session, the Idaho Legislature passed a new law requiring that unlicensed drivers who wish to operate an OHV on national forest roads must complete an OHV safety course first. The law also clarified that youths on OHVs with parental supervision must be riding within 300 feet of an adult. The passage of that law, which was supported by the Idaho Recreation Council, eased the Forest Service's concerns about unlicensed OHV riders on forest roads, officials said.

Statewide, there are 7,700 miles of forest roads that are used by motor vehicles and OHVs. For the roads of concern process, the Forest Service evaluated 2,500 miles of roads in all eight of our national forests in Idaho.

The Payette National Forest issued a press release last week indicating that it had completed mitigation activities on 80.4 miles of mixed-use forest roads out of 271 miles identified, including safety signage and brushing to improve sight-lines. Additional mitigation work is scheduled for 83.3 miles of roads next summer. Two roads that restrict OHV use, the paved South Fork of the Salmon River road and paved section of the Goose Creek Road, will remain closed.

Here's a map that identified roads of concern on the Payette forest's east side and west side.

• The Boise National Forest identified 359 miles of roads of concern and carried out mitigation activities on 77.6 miles of roads so far, with 57 miles remaining for next field season. Here's a map of the Boise forest's roads of concern.
• The Caribou-Targhee National Forest identified 334 miles of roads of concern and did mitigation work on 201 miles of roads last summer. It plans to do more mitigation work on 89 miles of roads next summer. In August, the Caribou-Targhee announced the closure of 19.5 miles of forest roads to OHV use on four road segments, two of which had been closed previously.
  
  "The purpose of this order is to protect the safety of the public," said Caribou-Targhee Supervisor Brent Larson. "Current use on these roads includes commercial truck traffic and passenger vehicles both operating in excess of 50 mph. This order is to restrict off-highway vehicle use where current mixed use creates unsafe or dangerous operating conditions."
  
  
• The Salmon-Challis National Forest identified 299 miles of roads of concern, and 102 miles that were considered high-risk. Forest officials plan to install signage and cut brush on the 102 miles of roadway next summer. Here's a map of the Salmon-Challis roads of concern.
• The Sawtooth National Forest identified two miles of roadway that needed safety signage in the Minidoka District; that work has been completed.
• The Clearwater National Forest identified 453 miles of roads of concern, and treated some of them with mitigation measures last summer. More details are yet to come. Here's a map of the east side of the Clearwater's roads of concern, and the west side.
• The Nez Perce National Forest identified 735 miles of roads of concern. More details are yet to come. Here's a map of the east side of the Nez Perce's roads of concern, and the west side.
• The Panhandle National Forest identified 151 miles of roads of concern. More details are yet to come. Here are three maps of the roads identified -- north zone, central zone and south zone.

If you have questions about the roads of concern process, please follow up with any of the national forests mentioned above to get the details. Thank you.

Give thanks to IDPR Trail Rangers for keeping our trails clear on national forests in Idaho

Typical tree removal

Trail tread work

Serious downfall!

At this time of year, it's appropriate to give thanks to some unsung heroes who work hard all summer long in Idaho's back country to ensure that our multi-use trails on national forest lands are free of downfall and brush, usable and sustainable.

I'm talking about the Trail Rangers crews provided by the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation. They're skilled motorbike riders who carry shovels, chainsaws and other tools into the back country and work on opening up multi-use trails for all of us to enjoy.

Last summer, IDPR's Trail Rangers cleared almost 1,500 miles of trails, removed more than 8,000 trees, improved the tread on approximately 1,530 feet of trail, and worked on 1,045 water bars/dips.

The trail work occurred on many of Idaho's national forests, including the Panhandle, Salmon-Challis, Sawtooth National Recreation Area, Caribou-Targhee, Boise and Payette. Please see a detailed accounting of the Trail Rangers work on the IDPR web site.

With the late spring and cool, wet summer, the IDPR Trail Rangers "struggled with excessive amounts of brush growth" that slowed the crews down and made it difficult to treat all of the trail miles requested by the national forests, IDPR officials said.

IDPR has four Trail Ranger crews that serves the state -- one in North Idaho, another in Eastern Idaho and a third and fourth located in SW Idaho. The fourth crew is a “roaming crew” that assists all three regions in trail maintenance.

IDPR also has a trail cat that does more heavy-duty trail work. Statewide, IDPR trail cat operators reconstructed 31.3 miles of of trail, built 3.2 miles of trail and 868 water dips, cleaned out 1,003 water dips, and removed 817 stumps.

IDPR's mini-excavator operators rebuilt 2.9 miles of trail, built 27 water dips, cleaned 28 water dips, and removed 27 stumps.

All of this work is made possible by OHV registration funds.

In the spring, IDPR invites national forest ranger districts to apply for assistance from IDPR Trail Rangers. Trail work is provided to the national forests at no cost. But the Forest Service does provide temporary housing for trail ranger crews. In 2010, 26 ranger districts in Idaho's national forests requested and received Trail Ranger services.

Thanks Trail Rangers!

New hard-copy Motor Vehicle Use Maps for Payette, Sawtooth forests available at IDFG offices

Hi all,

Here's a news release that we went out to the Idaho news media today:

BOISE - (Oct. 14, 2011) – Motor Vehicle Use Maps for the Payette National Forest and the Sawtooth National Forests are now available at Idaho Department of Fish and Game offices in McCall, Nampa, Boise and Jerome as big game hunting seasons kick into gear.

“The Forest Service and Idaho Fish and Game did a special reprint of the Motor Vehicle Use Maps because they have been in high demand,” said IDFG spokesman Mike Keckler. “The hard-copy maps are the best source of information available about what trails and roads are open to off-highway vehicles during hunting season.”

The maps are free. By referring to the Motor Vehicle Use Maps, combined with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game hunting regulations, hunters driving ATV's, 4-wheel-drive vehicles and motorbikes can research what roads and trails are open during hunting season.

“Making the maps available at the IDFG offices should be more convenient for hunters, said Andy Brunelle, a spokesman for the Forest Service. “Maps are at their highest value when in the hands of the people, not on the display rack.”

The maps also are available at national forest ranger district offices and they're available online on the Sawtooth and Payette National Forest web sites.

For specific locations of the IDFG offices, here is a link from the IDFG web site to the regional office addresses.

About the Idaho OHV Public Outreach Campaign: To help raise awareness about the importance of OHVs staying on trails, five state and federal agencies in Idaho work on a statewide campaign called the Idaho Off-Highway Vehicles (OHV) Public Outreach Campaign. The campaign encourages riders to ride safe, responsibly and reduce their impact on the land and other trail users. See www.stayontrails.com for more information.

Many trails, campgrounds will not be accessible for Memorial Day Weekend in Idaho

Hi all,

As one might expect after the long winter and heavy snow in the mountains of Idaho, many roads, trails and camping areas are still snow-bound, and other areas are wet and muddy.

Probably the best bet for Memorial Day weekend is to head for lower-elevation recreation areas that are free of snow. Be sure to check with local Forest Service, BLM or Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation offices to check on conditions before you go.

Here are links to Memorial Day press releases from various national forests:

• Boise National Forest - "Visitors will find many areas, including roads, trails and campgrounds still heavily impacted with snow this Memorial Day weekend, and many areas above 6,000 feet may be inaccessible" ... (click national forest link for full story).
• Panhandle National Forests - "Snow-covered access roads, muddy campsites and saturated terrain are combining to delay the opening of several popular national forest campgrounds in the Coeur d’Alene area. Five of the nine campgrounds managed by the Coeur d’Alene River Ranger District on the Idaho Panhandle National Forests are impacted by the lingering winter weather and are expected to delay their opening for up to two weeks."
• Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest - "It’s been a cold, damp spring on the Nez Perce – Clearwater National Forests, but with Memorial Day Weekend – and the promise of better weather – just around the corner, Old Man Winter is finally starting to loosen his icy grip on the backcountry. There are plenty of great reasons to enjoy a getaway to Idaho’s “Big Wild”; what are you waiting for?"
• Sawtooth National Forest - "Recreationists planning on visiting the Sawtooth National Forest over the Memorial Day Weekend will find that there are a limited number of campgrounds available for the holiday. Due to the lingering snowpack, a number of campgrounds, roads and trails will be closed."
• Caribou-Targhee National Forest - "Memorial Day weekend signals the start of the camping and recreating season in this part of the world. Before traveling to the forest, Caribou-Targhee National Officials remind visitors to keep in mind the following information."
• Salmon-Challis National Forest - "According to the current Motor Vehicle Use Maps for districts on the Salmon-Challis National Forest, most of the seasonal motorized route open periods begin May 22. However, many Forest Service roads and trails at mid- and high- elevations remain impassable (closed) due to snow conditions.
• BLM Idaho Falls-Pocatello area - "Southeast Idaho may be flooding with cold and rainy weather, but hardy campers are still looking to enjoy the outdoors on the public lands. “Calls have been ‘pouring’ in with people wondering whether campgrounds are open,” said Chuck Patterson, outdoor recreation planner for the BLM Pocatello Field Office (PFO). “The answer is yes they are.” He cautioned that accessing campgrounds could be problematic because of poor road conditions or local road closures."
  
  

Statewide, the BLM announced Friday that Most Bureau of Land Management (BLM) campgrounds throughout Idaho are open and ready for Memorial Day weekend; however, rainy weather and wet conditions have prompted some campground closures. BLM recreation planners suggest that recreationists check local road and weather conditions, visit Idaho BLM’s website, www.id.blm.gov, or contact their local BLM office before heading out this weekend.

"Before leaving for the Memorial Day weekend, recreationists may benefit from contacting their local BLM office for the latest BLM recreation site status,” said BLM Outdoor Recreation Planner Terry Heslin. “We plan to have many sites open and ready for campers, but there are a few throughout Idaho that may be closed due to high water conditions or unfit roads.”

The following BLM sites are closed until further notice:

Eastern Idaho - Pipeline and Snake River Vista campground boat ramps along the Snake River, below the American Falls Dam, are closed. River flows are too dangerous for boat launching, as the flow is moving more than five times beyond its normal speed. For more information, please contact Chuck Patterson at 208-478-6362.

Northern Idaho - Blackwell Island Public Boat Launch on Lake Coeur d’Alene will remain closed until high water subsides enough to allow the boat launch facility to be used. The launch facility is currently under two feet of water.

BLM’s Windy Bay site is also under about eighteen inches of water. If the water continues to rise as high as expected, foot access into Mica Bay Boater Park will be under water as well.

Heslin suggests using caution while traveling on muddy roads. “Even though some Idaho BLM campgrounds are well established, many roads leading to them are muddy and could pose safety hazards, which can make accessing campgrounds problematic,” he said. “Recreationists can also cause significant resource damage by traveling, hiking, biking or operating off-road vehicles on muddy roads.”

Have a great weekend!

Forest Service invites public comment on forest roads safety review; comments due Feb. 22

OHV riders in Idaho should take notice that the U.S. Forest Service is currently seeking public comment on a forest road safety review to identify national forest system roads where OHV use may be a safety issue due to the heavy use of passenger cars and trucks.

The agency is reviewing safety issues primarily on main haul roads that OHV riders may use to travel to Forest Service trailheads or to complete loop rides. The review process is being conducted in every national forest in Idaho. Forest Service officials say they plan to look at mitigation measures to improve safety first, such as signage or brush cutting to improve visibility, but some restrictions on OHV use may occur, or roads may be closed to OHVs if no other alternatives can be found. Even if restrictions on OHV use occurs, the Forest Service roads would remain open to the general public traveling in cars or trucks, officials said.

The Forest Service is requesting public input on the issue. Each national forest has prepared a list of roads that they deem may be hazardous to OHVs riders. The list of hazardous roads is available for public review from each national forest. Contact the national forest where you like to ride to learn more. Public comments are due by Feb. 22.

Here is a copy of the Forest Service's news release regarding the issue.

For example, in the Panhandle National Forests, they reviewed 4,300 miles of roads and came up with 151 miles that need to be evaluated for safety improvements. The agency has several maps and information on its web site for more information.

One reason the agency was prompted to conduct a review of its main access roads, some of which are paved, is that kids under the age of 16 are allowed to ride OHVs on some major Forest Service roads with parental supervision. Previously, OHV use on main forest roads was restricted to people aged 16 and over who have a driver's license, a requirement that still exists for county roads.

"Safe operation of motor vehicles on national forest roads is compromised because unlicensed and untrained drivers are now sharing roads designed and maintained for passenger cars and commercial truck traffic," said Harv Forsgren, regional forester of the Forest Service's Intermountain Region based in Ogden, Utah.

Idaho Parks and Recreation officials advise OHV riders that they should pay attention to the Forest Service road safety review because it could lead to restrictions or closures. But they are also concerned that the Forest Service may be over-reacting. "People have been riding OHVs on these roads in mixed-use areas for 30 years," said Troy Elmore, OHV program manager for IDPR. "The Forest Service was supposed to review mixed-uses on main Forest Service roads during the travel planning process, so this shouldn't be anything new to them."

Statewide, Andy Brunelle, Forest Service liaison in Boise, said the agency evaluated some 7,700 miles of roads used by cars and trucks, and then shrunk the list down to 2,500 miles that are of concern. Approximately 770 miles of national forest roads are either paved or two-lane and experience high traffic volumes and speeds. Other national forest roads of concern were identified based on roadside character such as limited sight distances, blind curves, cliffs or steep embankments, or presently have limited locations for pull-outs.

Potential safety measures being considering include reduced speed limits, brush removal for improved visibility, warning signs, speed bumps, or other minor engineering changes. "In cases where risks are unacceptable, OHV use may be restricted," Forsgren said. "However, for each road of concern, restricting OHV use will be considered as a last resort when no other reasonable and effective safety measures can be implemented."

Sandra Mitchell, a spokeswoman for the Idaho Recreation Council, said she would prefer to see signage and other measures used vs. closing roads. "We don't think there should be any closures of forest roads in the state of Idaho," she says. "The fundamental question that needs to be asked is, "Is there a problem out there?" To our knowledge, there hasn't been a mixed-use accident out there. It's just not happening."

Mitchell notes that parents are required to supervise kids riding on OHVs on Forest Service roads, and she said she thinks parents by and large are doing a good job of monitoring their kids on forest roads and avoiding accidents.

Adds Elmore, "We would support any mitigation measures where they could improve safety for all users and continue to allow people to complete their loop rides. But beyond that, we don't believe that any closures or restrictions are necessary unless data supports otherwise."

A related issue is that the Idaho Recreation Council is co-sponsoring new legislation that would require Idaho kids under 16 to take a mandatory safety course before they ride OHVs on public roads. The legislation, Senate Bill 1001, has been introduced. The bill is pending in the Senate Transportation Committee.

The Forest Service supports SB 1001, Brunelle said. Elmore said that IDPR has not taken a formal position on the legislation, but if it passes, the agency would be prepared to implement it.

Mandatory safety courses for youths would ease the Forest Service's safety concerns, Brunelle said. "If we have training for kids, that lowers the risk," he said.

Check out 5 new rides in the Yankee Fork, Bayhorse areas near Challis

Bayhorse Pacific Mine Tour

Big mountain views are easy to find on the Bayhorse Lake - Trealor Creek Loop

Bayhorse Lake

Looking off into the Squaw Creek drainiange

Hi all,

We wanted Idaho OHV riders to know that we've added five new rides to the Where to Ride section of the http://www.stayontrails.com/ web site, including the new Lombard Trail that starts and finishes at the Land of the Yankee Fork State Park in Challis, Idaho.

With the five new rides, there are now a total of 31 OHV trails statewide to check out on the http://www.stayontrails.com/ web site. Most of the rides are appropriate for ATV or motorbike use, and a few of them feature singletrack rides for skilled motorbike riders.

As we mentioned in our last blog about the Lombard Trail dedication on Saturday, Sept. 11, the Yankee Fork region is loaded with literally hundreds of miles of OHV trails. The Yankee Fork District of the Salmon-Challis National Forest, the Challis Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management and Idaho Department of Parks & Recreation officials have been working together to develop the trails, sign them and map them. See the overview map above for a glimpse of the possibilities.

Here's a breakdown of the five new rides. Click on the title of each ride to get more detailed information about the ride on http://www.stayontrails.com/.

1. Lombard Trail - The Lombard Trail, named for IDPR Board Member Ernest Lombard, runs for 13.5 miles one-way from the Land of the Yankee Fork State Park to the mining ghost town of Bayhorse. It takes about 1.5 hours to ride to Bayhorse. The Lombard Trail is an ATV trail but it is suitable for motobikes as well.

2. Bayhorse Pacific Mine Loop - You can either ride the Lombard Trail from Challis to Bayhorse or drive to the Bayhorse ghost town and trailhead to do this ride. The mine loop runs for 15 miles, and you should allow at least two hours for the tour, so you have time to walk around, take pictures and read interpretive signs. This trail is suitable for ATV's or motorbikes.

3. Bayhorse Lake - Trealor Creek Loop - This ride starts and finishes at Bayhorse Lake, which is a nice place for overnight camping and fishing. The loop is 25 miles from Bayhorse Lake. If you start from Bayhorse, it's five miles to Bayhorse Lake from the ghost town. This trail is more demanding than the Pacific Mine Loop. It's suitable for either ATV's or motorbikes. It has several challenging steep climbs and descents and some rough, rocky riding in the last five miles of the ride. Otherwise, it's a gorgeous trail with many big views of the surrounding mountains, fun ridgetop riding and curvy trails that weave through deep woods.

4. Martin Creek - Squaw Creek Loop - This ride features a number of singletrack trails, so it is suitable for motorbikes, but not ATV's. The 25-mile loop takes about three hours. Motorbike riders should have experience riding rocky and uneven terrain before attempting this ride.

5. Cinnebar - Five Mile Loop - We had to include a more epic ride from this region, and this is it. Again, this ride features mostly singletrack trails, so it's suitable for motorbikes, but not ATV's. The ride goes for about 50 miles. It's a big tour of the Yankee Fork region, starting from a trailhead on the Squaw Creek Road. Because of the distance of the ride and the variable terrain, it's best for experienced motorbike riders who like to ride a lot of miles in a single day. Be sure to bring plenty of food and water for the ride.

Have fun!

Watch out for kids on forest roads

In the spirit of concern about the safety of all citizens, the U.S. Forest Service and Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation are working together to inform off-highway vehicle (OHV) users and passenger vehicle operators about traffic safety during the summer months when recreationists spread across Idaho’s public lands.

The agencies put out a news release prior to the July 4th weekend about watching out for young kids driving OHV's on forest roads. The release was similar to a warnings issued by the Forest Service last fall, urging hunters to watch out for kids on forest roads. Here is a YouTube video about that issue.

Off-highway vehicles include motorcycles, specialty off-highway vehicles (SOHVs), utility type vehicles (UTVs) and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs).

“Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation has recently stepped up its OHV safety training classes for the coming summer months to respond to the increased number of users on our public lands and to help ensure OHV users know the rules of the road,” said Idaho Parks and Recreation Director Nancy Merrill. “We encourage people to consider taking one of our free classes. The information presented in these classes will help our younger riders become better, more knowledgeable, and safer riders.”

The 2009 Idaho Legislature passed a law that includes a provision removing the requirement for individuals to have a driver’s license to operate off-highway vehicles on national forest system roads. According to Intermountain Regional Forester Harv Forsgren, the Forest Service is deeply concerned about the ramifications of untrained children on off-highway vehicles driving the same roads as passenger vehicles, recreation vehicles and logging and livestock trucks.

“During the summer, forest roads become crowded with cars, trucks pulling trailers, RVs, and larger vehicles including construction and logging trucks,” said Regional Forester Harv Forsgren. “OHV users – including unlicensed/underage users - and drivers of passenger vehicles will find themselves sharing many miles of National Forest roads in Idaho. Drivers of all vehicles should stay alert to this and drive defensively.”

Approximately 7,700 miles of National Forest System roads are open to passenger vehicles with about 700 miles either paved or two-lane. These are the type of roads where the Forest Service is most concerned for driver safety as travel speeds tend to be faster and drivers of passenger vehicles aren’t expecting to share the road with OHVs.

Be safe out there and watch out for kids on OHV's! Thank you!

5 ATV riders cited for tearing up meadows in the Clearwater National Forest

Restoration work is under way in a meadow torn up last fall by illegal all-terrain vehicle (ATV) use on the Palouse Ranger District of the Clearwater National Forest.

According to the U.S. Forest Service, the majority of the work is being funded by $2,000 in restitution paid by individuals responsible for the damage.

The damage occurred during the fall of 2009 when five minors on ATVs were mud bogging in the Lindley Meadows area near Elk River, riding off road and tearing up fragile meadow vegetation in violation of Palouse District Travel Planning regulations. The individuals were cited, brought to court, found guilty, and forced to pay restitution for their actions. The defendants live in E. Washington.

“When we see illegal ATV use like this, we want to both help users understand the environmental damage caused by their actions and correct the behavior,” said Steve Bryant, Law Enforcement Officer for the Palouse Ranger District. “Then we turn to restoring function on the damaged land. In this case, the perpetrators’ actions were so egregious they were required to pay substantial fines, providing the agency with the means to begin restoration work.”

Palouse District Watershed Specialist Meg Foltz developed a restoration plan for the one-acre Lindley Meadows site.

“The ground was severely impacted from the extensive ATV use, plus the area was extremely wet at the time resulting in deep tire ruts throughout,” she explained.

As part of the plan the Forest Service, in partnership with the Palouse Clearwater Environmental Institute, will soon be planting approximately 400 sedges in the area. “As long as the site remains free of vehicles, I feel confident that the sedges will take hold and meadow functionality will return before long,” Foltz said. For updates regarding the project, contact the Palouse Ranger District at (208) 875-1131.

Forest Service: Watch out for youngsters on OHVs on national forest roads

The U.S. Forest Service is concerned about a new law passed by the 2009 Idaho Legislature that allows underage kids to ride motorcycles or ATVs on national forest roads without a driver's license.

"This change in law deeply concerns me because of the ramifications this change of law could have on the safety of people using roads on public lands managed by the Forest Service," said Bill Wood, supervisor of the Salmon-Challis National Forest.

"Mixing cars, recreational vehicles and commercial traffic on forest roads with children and young adults that are untrained and uneducated in the rules of the road or the basic operation of their vehicles is a recipe for disaster."

While Forest Service officials said they seriously considered closing their roads to underage OHV drivers, they determined that the cost of enforcing a closure like that would have been cost-prohibitive. So instead, they will work on public education about the issue, and changing the law in the 2010 legislative session.

Most national forests in Idaho have some verbage on their web sites about the issue. The Forest Service may undertake some additional public outreach efforts such as a Public Service Announcement (PSA) video and other measures as the fall hunting seasons draw near.

Here is a link to how the Boise National Forest handled the issue on the front of their recreation web page. The message is titled "Your Safety is Important to Us."

The same message ran on the front page of the Caribou-Targhee National Forest's web site.

Here is an op-ed piece in the Idaho Statesman penned by Region 4 Forester Harv Forsgren and acting Region 1 Forester Jane Cottrell Henifen.

Here is an article about the topic that ran in the Challis Messenger.

No matter what you might think about this issue, please drive slow and watch out for young kids driving ATVs and motorcycles on forest roads this year.