Drivers hoping to traverse the network of backcountry roads that cover the three districts in the San Juan National Forest will have to wait a little bit longer this year. The ample snowpack, a boon to reservoirs, has rendered some roads impassable, while others are at risk of being damaged.
The Columbine Ranger District will begin to reopen most low-elevation roads on May 1, while staff in the Pagosa and Dolores districts will evaluate roads on a case-by-case basis as the melting continues.
Seasonal closures go into effect at the end of November or mid-December to prevent people from traveling dangerous, unmaintained roads.
Snow is still covering some roads, making passage difficult. Others run adjacent to waterways that are at risk of flooding.
As spring temperatures warm, traveling muddy roads can cause extensive damage to vehicles, and vice versa, said San Juan National Forest spokeswoman Lorena Williams.
“It really damages the road surfaces, which is expensive and causes us to have to re-close the roads to do repairs,” Williams said. “We get into that cycle of repairing damage rather than just extending a closure for, say, a week and then opening it and everything's fine and no maintenance or repairs are needed.”
She also warned that some roads may appear passable in the morning, but that drivers can get stuck when they try to return in the afternoon, when the road has had time to thaw.
“We will be able to open some roads on May 1 that are under wildlife closures,” Williams said. “Even when our main roads are clear of snow, we will try to keep gates closed long enough to protect the secondary routes that are native surface roads and tend to get torn up more easily.”
For the latest information on road status, visit the SJNF’s website.
rschafir@durangoherald.com
