Lower Foothills closed to tundra travel

Kristen Nelson

Petroleum News

The Lower Foothills tundra opening area was closed to offroad tundra travel May 6.

The Alaska Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Mining, Land and Water said the Lower Foothills tundra opening area “is no longer suitable for off-road travel. Snowpack deterioration is widespread, evident by large swaths of visible vegetation.”

While snow cover appears capable of supporting offroad travel in some areas, it is “highly variable across the region” and with warm air temperatures and sunny skies, the snowpack will continue to deteriorate, the division said.

The Upper Foothills tundra opening was closed to offroad travel April 20.

The division said the Eastern Coastal and Western Coastal areas remain open to offroad tundra travel.

Because snow may be adequate for travel in some areas, the division said DNR “may consider granting travel extensions on a case-by-case basis,” with any exceptions requiring prior approval by an authorized representative.

Summer offroad travel may begin at 6 a.m., July 15, “unless otherwise notified,” the division said, and applies only to holders of valid permits who obtain specific project approval and is further limited to vehicles approved by the division for summer offroad travel.

Specific area information and an area map are available online: http://dnr.alaska.gov/mlw/tundratravel/.

- KRISTEN NELSON