Update to winter road dangers on the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest
By Garrett Christensen on Friday, December 6th, 2024 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
BAKER CITY – (Release from the U.S. Forest Service) As winter weather conditions set in across the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, forest leadership feel it necessary to inform the public and visitors to the forest about the danger of driving on high altitude roads this winter to ensure the safety of all travelers. Effective immediately, the following roads are not recommended for wheeled vehicles:
- 39 Road (Wallowa Mountain Loop Road)
- 73 Road (Anthony Lakes Highway)
- 51 Road (Connecting North Fork John Day Campground to Starkey, over Chicken Hill)
- 52 Road (Connecting North Fork John Day Campground to Ukiah)
The original Nov. 26 News Release was worded incorrectly as it was made in haste with the immediate concern of public safety in mind right before Thanksgiving weekend, a popular time to travel, and after several vehicles had to be rescued by local emergency responders trying to travel the roads. Recently, multiple SAR operations have occurred on the 39 Road near Joseph and the 52 Road near Ukiah, particularly during I-84 freeway closures.
To further assist travelers, a large reader board has been placed between Haines and the ski hill, clearly indicating that these routes are not through routes and that truck traffic is dangerous. This is in addition to the winter road warnings already installed along these routes.
The Wallowa-Whitman National Forest encourages all travelers to respect these warnings for their safety and the safety of others. The warnings will also be reflected on the ODOT Trip Check website.
Additionally, please note that commercial GPS may reroute travelers to these roads if major highways are closed due to weather or accidents.
For more information or inquiries regarding road conditions, please contact your local Wallowa-Whitman National Forest office.
