Tundra off-road winter travel now closed

Kristen Nelson

Petroleum News

Both the state’s North Slope coastal areas and the upper foothills are now closed to winter off-road tundra travel.

In back-to-back announcements, April 23 and April 26, the Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Mining, Land and Water said tundra openings for off-road travel are now closed.

The upper foothills area, opened for off-road tundra travel on Jan. 21, was closed effective April 23, with a requirement that off-road travel in progress at that time must be completed within 72 hours.

The closure notice for the eastern and western coastal areas came April 26, with off-road travel in progress to be completed by April 29.

The western coastal area was the first to open this season, on Dec. 17 - with the required 6 inches of snow and a temperature at 30 centimeters depth colder than minus 5 degrees C.

The eastern coastal area on the North Slope met criteria for opening Jan. 5.

The upper foothills, where 9 inches of snow are required along with the soil temperature of minus 5 degrees C at a depth of 30 centimeters, was opened Jan. 21. The division said it was the first time since 2017 that the upper foothills had met criteria for opening.

In both closing notices the division said that while conditions may be adequate for travel in some areas, exceptions to closure would only be granted on a case-by-case basis, with any exception requiring prior approval from an authorized division representative.

Summer off-road travel may begin July 15, the division said, unless otherwise authorized, and applies only to holders of valid permits who obtain specific approval. The approval is also limited to vehicles approved by the division for summer off-road travel.

- KRISTEN NELSON