Forest Service Re-Opens Gate Today After Several Day Closure

By Alison Grey, 1-03-08

Hyalite Canyon, whether it involves plowing, gate closures or access to different areas by different user groups, has been one of the area’s most contentious and controversial access issues over the past year, as city and county officials, the Forest Service and members of the community continue to try to work out the plethora of issues that arise in the implementation of the Gallatin National Forest Service’s new Travel Management Plan.

And, over the past week, the issues have continued to arise, making it evident that access to Hyalite and all of the safety concerns surrounding it, will be a work in progress, with plenty of detours, road blocks and successes in the years to come.

This week, the issue was plowing and gate closures.

After determining that the road would not be plowed at all this winter, as stated by José Castro, district ranger for the Bozeman District Office, in a recent NewWest article, the Forest Service recently decided to allow Gallatin County to plow the road from the mouth of the canyon to Blackmore in anticipation of making the roadway safer for the influx of people traveling on it for the Tour de Hyalite, a Nordic ski race event, on Dec. 29.

The Forest Service agreed to close the road on Dec. 27 allowing the County to safely plow the road, a service funded by the Southwest Montana Climbers Coalition and the Bridger Ski Foundation.

According to the Forest Service, the County inadvertently plowed past Blackmore to the Grotto Falls parking area, a section of one-lane roadway that is not in proper condition nor wide enough to be plowed safely for winter use transportation.

“After the ski race, the Forest Service closed the gate on Dec. 30 right after the dam because we were very concerned about safety issues on that final section of the road,” said Marna Daley, a Forest Service representative. “In the winter, it truly is a one-lane road, and until we are able to widen it and address other improvements to make it safe for plowing, we have no intention of plowing past Blackmore.”

With the freshly plowed road, people were able to access the area in motorized vehicles, resulting in the roadway experiencing a huge influx of all user groups, from skiers, to hikers to ice climbers and snowmobilers, making it more congested and bringing up a slew of safety concerns, said Daley.

“We closed the gates as a precautionary measure to evaluate the situation,” she said. “We needed a few days to step back and look at the situation and minimize the safety risks.”

The gate closure incited a public outcry from local access groups, lead by the Southwest Montana Climber’s Coalition, concerned that the closure was blocking access guaranteed in the Travel Management Plan.

“We were very concerned about the gate closure,” said Joe Josephson, a board member on the Southwest Montana Climber’s Coalition and long-time local ice-climber. “The road was in the safest condition that people had seen up there in 30 years, and there were tons of people up there loving the access and having a great time; there was a lot of Hyalite lovin’ going on.”

Whether or not that outcry had anything to do with it, as of today, the gate has been officially re-opened to the public, and members of the community can enjoy increased motorized vehicle access to the area via the plowed road, depending on weather conditions.

Addressing their safety concerns, the Forest Service plans to post signs in the coming days, warning people to slow down and drive cautiously on the final section of roadway, said Daley.

However, enjoy the increased access while you can, because plowing all the way to Grotto Falls was a one time gig, (i.e. mistake/miscommunication) and the Forest Service has no plans of allowing the County to plow the road past Blackmore until improvements on the final stretch of roadway occur.

“The Forest Service should really be applauded for allowing the road to be plowed in the first place,” said Josephson. “And now that the gate is reopened, we (the Southwest Climber’s Association) are excited to continue to work with the Forest Service in a positive way towards meeting the long-term goals of the Travel Plan. Our main goal now is educating the public on how to safely use that area.”

Safe access and good vibes between all user groups will have a big influence on future access to Hyalite, so here are a few tips from the Forest Service on how to drive safely and keep the peace:

1) Slow down, drive cautiously and be aware of winter road and weather conditions and, most importantly, be courteous of other users.
2) Be prepared; always have a shovel and chains in your vehicle in case you get stuck. 
3) Be confident that your vehicle can traverse the conditions that exist on the roadway before you proceed.
4) Educate yourself on the Travel Management Plan and the rules and regulations for each user group, whether you are accessing the area as a skier, on a snowmobile or in a motorized vehicle. The Forest Service has free Winter Recreation Maps indicating where people can, and cannot go, and that map is now available online.

Also, check out www.hyalite.org for up-to-date news on all things Hyalite.