Road Reports May 29, 2024

Please share road reports. Most back country roads are not maintained. Conditions can change quickly, be prepared for ice, deep snow in the high country, rocks and/or trees in the road. Remember there is no cell phone service. Please turn on your lights when traveling our narrow mountain roads, you are not the only vehicle on the one lane road. Do NOT rely on your GPS.

Yellow Pine:
May 29: In the last 3 days we have received 0.68″ of rain (from thunder storms May 28 with lots of wind.) Local streets are bare, wet and pot holes full of water.
Be on the lookout for elk, deer, dogs, horses and small children wandering the streets. Please respect residents and wildlife and SLOW DOWN.
link: Local Forecast
Yellow Pine Webcams (check date on images)
Link: to YP North webcam
Link: to YP West webcam

photo courtesy YP Tavern

Highway 55 Open
Report May 28 (from Hwy 55 group): “Tree cutting in Goose Creek Canyon from McCall to New Meadows. One lane traffic. Expect delays.”
Report May 27 (from Hwy 55 group): “Repaving being done just into the canyon from round valley. Flagging, single lane. Rocks from this morning on the corner just north of Banks are on the road just barely outside the white northbound line. Use caution northbound hugging the line.”
Thursday (Apr 18) from ITD: “Drivers on State Highway 55 should expect minor delays north of Avimor and south of Horseshoe Bend over the next few weeks as ITD makes roadway improvements. Work will be limited to weekdays with two lanes of traffic open on weekends.”
Summer Flagging Schedule at Hwy 17 intersection:
Father’s Day Sunday
1st Sunday in July
2nd Sunday in July
3rd Sunday in July
4th Sunday in July
1st Sunday in August
2nd Sunday in August
Labor Day

Warm Lake Highway: Open
Report Wednesday (May 29): mail truck driver reports the road as far as the South Fork turnoff is clear.
Report May 28 from Boise NF: “A large wind event swept through the Cascade Ranger District this afternoon, leaving many large, downed trees across roads in the Warm Lake, North Shoreline Lodge, and Stolle Meadow areas. Crews have been dispatched to address the issue and remove trees blocking roadways. With Spring melt may come many surprises and changes to the landscape, including hazard trees and road washouts. As areas become available to the public, we want to remind you of these potential conditions and urge caution.”
Report May 26: Warm Lake switchback old avalanche (to be cleared this week.)

link: SNOTEL Big Creek Summit 6580′
Note: The elevation at Warm Lake summit is 7241 feet.

photo courtesy Adam P

South Fork Road: Open
Report Wednesday (May 29) mail truck driver reports there were trees down but had already been cut out. Some fresh rockfall, mostly small.
Report Wednesday (May 29) from Payette NF: Two Week Closure of the South Fork Salmon River Road to Begin June 3
The South Fork Salmon River Road will be closed for construction beginning June 3, 2024 for an estimated two week time frame. The closure will specifically be from mile marker 7.5 to mile marker 12, and occur Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with no closures over the weekends. The only recreation site impacted by this closure is the Poverty Overlook.
The pavement on the road is being rehabilitated as part of a Great American Outdoors Act and the Federal Land Transportation Act. Construction of these improvements will require the use of heavy machinery that will occupy the entire road width. On the ground signing and temporary barricades at both ends of the road will be deployed.
There will be no access to sites along the river during this time within the closure area. Access to the East Fork of the South Fork Salmon River and Yellow Pine will be via Johnson Creek Road during this time. Johnson Creek is being opened this week.
Report Tuesday (May 14): “South Fork is getting busy as summer approaches. Remember there are posted speed limits on SF. We have already seen reports of side swipes and close calls. Driving in today bike riders also on the road as is mine equipment, propane trucks and building transports. Remember go slow around corners and honk even. You never know what will be on the other side.”

photo courtesy Adam P
Note: Starting late October the road maintenance goes back to Valley County.
link: Tea Pot Weather Station 5175′
link: South Fork Stream Gauge

EFSF Road: Open
Report Wednesday (May 29): Mail truck driver reports rough road, wash boards and pot holes. No trees down, or big rocks.

Johnson Creek Road:
Report Wednesday (May 29) from Payette NF: “Johnson Creek is being opened this week.”
Upper Johnson Creek Road: Road is closed to regular traffic for now.
Lower Johnson Creek Road: Report Monday (May 13) from Perpetua: “Perpetua took a drive-up Johnson Creek yesterday afternoon and made it just shy of Trout Creek campgrounds. About 7-8 miles from Landmark. Snow was no more than a foot deep. Very slushy could not get through it without sinking. If temperatures stay warm, the road would mostly be melted in 2 weeks. The road out had very few potholes, no washboards, no blow downs, and very little rock on the road. In surprisingly good shape.”
Link: to Johnson Creek South Webcam (check date on image.)
Link: to Johnson Creek North Webcam (check date on image.)
Link: to Johnson Creek Stream Gauge
Note: The elevation at Landmark is 6,630 feet

Lick Creek: Closed
Report May 21 – Target opening Date: Lick Creek Summit is mid-June to Fourth of July,
No current report. Likely deep snow on the summit.
Note: The elevation at Lick Creek Summit is 6,877 feet

Profile Creek Road: Closed to wheeled vehicles
Report May 21 – Target opening Date: Profile Summit is Fourth of July.
No current report. Likely deep snow on the summit.
Note: The elevation at Profile summit is 7607 feet.

Big Creek Webcams (check date on images)
Link: to Big Creek Webcam North
Link: to Big Creek Webcam South

Big Creek to Elk Summit to Warrens Road: Closed to wheeled vehicles
No current report. Likely deep snow on the summit.
Note: The elevation at Elk Summit is nearly 9000 feet.

Yellow Pine to Stibnite: Open – watch for equipment.
Road maintained by Perpetua Resources.
Report May 29: mail truck driver says OK Gravel is working on the Stibnite road.
From Perpetua May 17th: OK Gravel mobilizing grader to YP and will start grading Stibnite Rd. next week.
Report May 16: “Perpetua has started brushing Stibnite Rd., should be finished near the end of next week.”
link: Stibnite Weather Station 6594 feet

Stibnite to Thunder Mountain: Closed to wheeled vehicles
No current report. Likely deep snow on the summit.
Note: The elevation at Monumental Summit is 8590 feet.

Deadwood Summit: Closed to wheeled vehicles
Report May 21 – Target opening Date: Deadwood Summit is Fourth of July.
No current report. Likely snow on the summit.
Note: The approx. elevation at Deadwood Summit is 6,883 feet.
link: SNOTEL Deadwood Summit 6860′

Warren Wagon Road: Open (?)
No current report.
Report May 21 – Target opening Date: Secesh Summit Memorial Day Weekend.

Valley County Road Maintenance Dashboard Link:
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