Eastern North Slope now fully open

The eastern coastal area of state lands on the North Slope is now open for winter off-road tundra travel, the Alaska Department of Natural Resources announced Dec. 23. The eastern area had been conditionally opened on Dec. 19, with travel restrictions applying in places where soil temperatures remained above required freezing limits for tundra protection. However, the entire eastern area now meets the tundra travel criteria of snow depths of at least six inches and soil temperatures below minus 5 degrees F at a depth of 30 centimeters, DNR said.

The western coast area was opened for tundra travel on Dec. 17. The lower and upper Foothills areas remain closed.

DNR commented that people wishing to operate off road in areas that have been opened for winter travel require state off-road travel permits. The agency also cautioned that people need to watch for and avoid areas of thin snow cover, or used special construction methods to avoid tundra damage in these areas.

- Alan Bailey