ElDO - Iron Mountain road notice.

[Kurtuleas]

Route Des Project......and now this BS.

NEWS RELEASE
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USDA Forest Service
Eldorado National Forest

100 Forni Road, Placerville, CA 95667



Date: January 23, 2007
Contact:
Kristi Schroeder
Release: Upon Receipt
Phone:
530-622-5061
TTY
530-642-5122




Improving Visitor Safety on Morman Emigrant Trail



Placerville, CA... Forest Service management of the Mormon Emigrant
Trail

(MET) that connects Highway 50 at Pollock Pines and Highway 88 will
change

this winter season to improve public safety and to better assist forest

visitors recreating on the Eldorado National Forest. Wheeled motor
vehicle

use such as, cars, trucks, four-wheel drives, and all-terrain vehicles,
is

prohibited along the five mile section from the Iron Mountain Sno-Park
near

Highway 88 to the Silver Fork Road junction on MET during the winter
season

when the road is snow covered and used by snowmobiles.


The Forest Service reports that visitors attempting to travel

over-the-snow from Highway 50 to Highway 88 via the 25 mile long MET

frequently become trapped behind a gate near Highway 88, or become
stuck in

the snow along the road.


“Just last weekend multiple vehicles became stuck and visitors
needed to

be rescued,� said Anthony Scardina, Acting Amador District Ranger.
“The

recent fatality of a stranded motorist in southern Oregon emphasizes
our

need to be proactive to improve public safety.�


The eastern section of the MET near Highway 88 is utilized in the
winter

as part of the Silver Bear snowmobile trail system and is already
closed to

wheeled over-the-snow travel. Scardina says wheeled vehicle
over-the-snow

travel damages the groomed trail and creates an additional safety risk
when

snowmobiles and motor vehicles travel on the same route.


Approximately 20 miles of the MET, from Sly Park Road on the western

Highway 50 end to the junction with Silver Fork Road, are open for
wheeled

motor vehicle over-the-snow travel. A snow berm will be placed on the
MET

at the Silver Fork junction so that vehicles cannot continue eastbound
to

Highway 88. From Highway 88, another snow berm will be constructed on
the

MET at the Iron Mountain Sno-Park to control westbound travel during
the

winter. Appropriate signing will also be installed.


For further information contact the Amador Ranger District at (209) 295-4251 or the Placerville Ranger District at (530) 644-2324.


END



Kristi Schroeder
Public Affairs
Eldorado National Forest
100 Forni Road Placerville, CA 95676
kschroeder@fs.fed.us