Saturday meeting in Yellow Pine to discuss road changes
A public meeting will be held Saturday at the Yellow Pine Community Center at 1 p.m. on proposed changes in roads and trails in the Big Creek-Yellow Pine area.
The changes, proposed by the Payette National Forest, would revise road and trail designations on the Krassel Ranger District and build a bridge to eliminate a ford over Big Creek.
There are 16 changes planned in the Big Creek-Yellow Pine area which contains 165 miles of roads and trails. About 18 miles of all-terrain vehicle trails would be added to the road and trail system in the plan. About three miles of trails and roads would be opened to all vehicles in the plan.
Sugar Creek Road would remain closed and converted to its natural form. Road cuts would be eliminated and natural slopes would be placed over the former roadway, a news release said.
Other roads affected by the plan include:
• Big Creek-Smith Creek Forest Service Road 371: A 0.7-mile section of the road would be changed from open to all vehicles to open to vehicles 50 inches wide or less.
• Pueblo Summit Forest Service Road 373: A 0.9-mile section would be changed from a road open to all vehicles to a temporary road that is closed to public use with a gate installed. A 2.9-mile stretch of the road will be changed from road to other public trails.
• A 4.6-mile section of McRae Mine Loop/Spur Road, a 6.1-mile section of Horse Heaven Road, a three-mile section of Red Mountain Road, and a 4.3-mile section of Golden Cup Road are unauthorized roads that would be designated as trails open to vehicles less than 50 inches wide.
• A 1.7-mile section of Ludwig Mine Road and a 1.1-mile section of Red Metals Road, both unauthorized roads, would be changed to trails open to all vehicles.
• Quartz Creek Road: Would change one mile of road from trails open to all vehicles to trails open to vehicles 50 inches wide or less.
• Upper Haul Road: Would change from being open to all vehicles to a temporary road, which means it would be closed to public use.
The plan would also build a 75-foot bridge over Big Creek that would replace a ford in the creek on Lick Creek Trail.
The bridge would improve access for private lot owners in the Edwardsburg subdivision. The private landowners in the area had forded the creek for decades to access their land.
In addition to bridge construction, about 1,000 feet of new road construction would be completed.
The Payette is seeking public comment by Sept. 13 on the plan. Details of the plan can be found at http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/payette.
Written comments should be sent to Krassel District Ranger Joe Harper at Krassel Ranger District, 800 W. Lakeside Ave., McCall, ID 83638. Comments may also be sent by fax to 634-0634.
E-mail comments can be sent to comments-intermtn-payette-krassel@fs.fed.us. Hand-delivered comments will be accepted at the Krassel Ranger District office at 500 N. Mission St., McCall, during regular business hours.
Harper can be reached at 634-0601 for more information. Paul Klasner, interdisciplinary team leader for the project, can also be reached at 634-0630 or pklasner@fs.fed.us.
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