News Release

Contact: Dale Luhman (406)758-5376

Many Closures Lifted for Areas Within Bob Marshall Wilderness

Hunters hoping to gain access to previously closed areas within the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex will find relief this weekend.

Effective September 13th, only the areas within the fire perimeters and the nearby adjacent areas of the Little Salmon Complex on the Spotted Bear Ranger District will remain closed. These fires include the Mid, Independence Park, Little Salmon, Molly, Gyp Mountain, Some Creek, Lime Creek, Gordon, Leota Peak, and High fires. Other areas will be open for use in the South Fork Flathead River and Spotted Bear River drainages. Please review maps for more clearly defined areas.

The current area closure on the upper South Fork Sun River west of Benchmark on the Rocky Mountain Ranger District will open effective September 13th. The Indian Creek Trail and Ahorn area closure is still in effect.

The recent rains and cool temperatures have significantly reduced the activity of the fires within the wilderness. Spotted Bear District Ranger, Deb Mucklow, said that the reduced fire activity and consultation with fire behavior specialists raised her comfort level enough to allow hunters and other visitors access into the Wilderness for the early rifle season which begins September 15.

“In the fire areas we still have a lot of concerns about public safety and resource damage,” Mucklow said. Those concerns include falling snags, burning vegetation and smoldering spots that can pose hazards to the public. We are asking everyone’s help to avoid travelling, hunting, and camping in the fire areas.

“We have not had a chance to travel many of the trails for several months because of the fire activity, so we don’t know the condition of the areas with and without fires. Trees may have fallen on trails, soil may have run off the hillsides, and the water may be looking a little black with ash,” she said. Mucklow requests that visitors cut out any trees encountered and remain on the main trails so as to minimize any new trails being formed.

With minimal staff on hand to enforce area closures, Mucklow is asking all visitors to the Wilderness to be on the honor system and obey the closures that remain in effect. “We’ll need everyone’s help to make this a safe and successful hunting season,” she said.

Here are a few requests that Mucklow has for visitors to the Wilderness:

Maps of the open and closed areas are available at local ranger district offices around the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex and are posted at the following websites:

http://www.fs.fed.us/nwacfire/
http://www.fs.fed.us/r1/flathead/

A general review of the areas in the South Fork Flathead River and Spotted Bear River drainages that are now open include:

Spotted Bear River Trailhead- Spotted Bear River Trail 83 is open; as well as the upper end of the White River Trail 112 is open down to Needle Falls.
Meadow Creek Trailhead- East Side Trail 80 is open to Black Bear; Hungry Creek Trail 105.
Gorge Creek Trailhead- Gorge Trail 218.
Lion Creek Pass Trailhead- Palisades Creek Trail 25.
Smith Creek Pass Trailhead- Little Salmon Creek Trail 29 to Chasm Creek.
Owl Creek Trailhead- Big Salmon Trail 110 to the west end of Big Salmon Lake; Gordon Creek Trail 35 to the junction with Cardinal Trail 506.
Pyramid Pass Trailhead- Youngs Creek Trail 283; Jenny Creek Trail 141 from Youngs Pass to the junction with Hahn Creek Trail 125.
Monture Trailhead- Hahn Creek Trail 125 to the junction with Jenny Creek Trail 141; Limestone Trail 143.
North Fork Blackfoot Trailhead- East Side South Fork Trail 126 from North Fork Divide to junction with Camp Creek Pass Trail 233.
Benchmark Trailhead- Rapid Creek Trail 139; Stadler Trail 271.

The East Side Hungry Horse Reservoir Road 38 is open. The Meadow Creek Road 2826 opens September 13th. The West Side Road 895 remains closed. The Middle Fork of the Flathead River and Spotted Bear River drainages are now open.

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