Pacific Northwest Backroad Adventures

MISSOULA - Congress is considering a $65 million program to decommission roads the U.S. Forest Service doesnt want or didnt authorize.

The agency currently faces a $10 billion backlog of road maintenance needs and has struggled for years to find the money to keep up its 400,000 miles of road that crisscross national forests.

The “Legacy Roads and Trails Remediation Initiative” being considered by the House of Representatives would set aside funds for road decommissioning, road and trail repair and maintenance and the removal of fish barriers.

Read more at BillingsGazette.com: Congress aims at unwanted roads

Well it looks like another forest service road will soon be off limits for backroad explorations.

Today, the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest was scheduled to close the last 7 of the 25 miles of the Middle Fork Snoqualmie Road to all motor vehicles. The road will be maintained as a trail for hikers and mountain bikers, resulting in making multiple popular day hikes into overnighters.

The forest service cited “kegger parties”, theft, vandalism and the costs to maintain the road. The closure was also supported by environmental and hiker groups.

Read more at Off Limits: Middle Fork Snoqualmie Road closing this week.

More closures of forest roads are on the horizon. The Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest is taking public comment on its Recreation Site Facility Master Plan. More than 200 sites are being reviewed in the plan. Public meetings are scheduled. For more information regarding this planning process, visit http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/rsfmp/.