Eastern coastal area open for tundra travel

Alan Bailey

Petroleum News

The Alaska Department of Natural Resources has announced that on Jan. 9 it opened the eastern coastal area of state lands on the North Slope for off-road tundra travel. All other areas of state land in the region remain closed. Land in the eastern coastal area has met the required conditions for off-road vehicle operations: a six-inch snow depth and minus 5 C soil temperatures at a depth of 30 centimeters, DNR said.

Although the eastern area is now open, an operator wishing to use vehicles on state lands must obtain an off-road travel permit, DNR said. The department also cautioned that snow cover may be thin in some areas and that these areas should be avoided, or special construction methods should be used to avoid tundra damage. Approval of specific routes of travel is needed, DNR said.

- ALAN BAILEY