Deschutes National Forest Winter Trail Access and Conditions Update KNOW BEFORE YOU GO! Updated February 27, 2015 Winter Trail Highlights Due to new and forecasted snow, heavy weekend use expected on limited winter trails. Weather forecast calling for cold temps with new snow along with some sun into next week. Snow conditions are currently improving with storm in progress. Watch weather forecasts closely. As of today, only 1 Deschutes National Forest snow park currently has Wanoga Snow Play sledding slope lacks snow. Snow play adequate snow with access to winter hill not recommended until we receive adequate snow. trails. Hopeful change to that in coming days. Currently, 98% of the approx. 600 winter snow pole signs are in place in the Dutchman Flat to Moon Mt. area. Seasonal closures of Hwy 46, Hwy 242, Road 21, 370 Road, Tumalo Falls, Road 16 to Three Creek Lk and Road 60 are now in effect for the winter season. Additional road closures in effect for winter season. Summer trails are under 0-80” snow depth. With winter storm in progress summer trail access likely to decrease over next few days. Go prepared with your Ten Essential Systems: Heads up dog owners, this walking “pincushion” was found Navigation (map and compass) by the photographer’s dog along the Deschutes River Trail. Sun protection (sunglasses/sunscreen) Fortunately the dog knew better and only looked but didn’t Insulation (extra clothing) touch. That’s not always the case! Protect wildlife and Illumination (headlamp/flashlight) protect your pet, leash when required and have control First-aid supplies over your pet when not. Fire(waterproofmatches/lighter/candles) Repair kit and tools Nutrition (extra food) Hydration (extra water) Emergency shelter GENERAL SNOW/WINTER TRAIL CONDITIONS ON FEBRUARY 27: Snowshoers: Please use the designated snowshoe trails when provided. If snowshoeing on a blue diamond ski trail, please avoid walking in the established skier track as this causes difficult to hazardous track conditions for skiers. Know before you go! Lack of snow warning! But change is in progress. The following conditions were as of early AM, Feb. 27. Currently,with a winter storm in progress snow conditions are changing with 2-16” of new snow forecasted for various parts of the Dechutes National Forest. Watch forecasts and ski area snow reports closely over the next few days for signs of improved snow conditions. Snow conditions at all Deschutes National Forest snow parks have deteriorated over the past weeks with only ONE snow park currently providing adequate access to winter trail use. Dutchman has fair snow conditions and access to higher elevations. Elevations of 6,000’ and lower have marginal to NO snow. Snowmobile Trail 5 between Dutchman and Kapka Butte Sno-Parks is in rough and marginal condition due to the melting of poor snow coverage; bare sections of trail are showing. All other snow parks lack snow for winter trail access. Wanoga Snowmobile, Wanoga Snow Play, Meissner, Edison, Skyliner, Upper Three Creek Lk, Ten Mile, Six Mile, and Crescent Lake/Junction Sno-Parks currently have inadequate snow conditions with 60-100% bare ground around or near these snow parks. Snow depths/conditions can vary day to day and we attempt to provide weekly updates on snow conditions and access into the winter season. Weather conditions can change rapidly so be sure to watch closely for most recent weather forecasts. Reports of some blowdown across trails with limited clearing on winter trails in progress. Summer trail options! With a winter storm in progress some rain and snow has covered previously snow free trails. More snow is in the immediate forecast. With recent freezing temperatures and rain/snow some reports have come in with increasing muddy sections of summer trails. With the current change from spring to winter weather, summer trail access listed below will change. Some summer trails are likely to become inaccessible due to new snow accumulations and others not recommended if muddy. addition to the snow free option trails listed in the Summer Trails section below, consider other public trails in the Central Oregon area including: Maston Butte: http://www.blm.gov/or/districts/prineville/recreation/cline/maston-access.php Smith Rocks: http://www.oregonstateparks.org/index.cfm?do=parkPage.dsp_parkPage&parkId=36 Badlands Wilderness: http://www.blm.gov/or/resources/recreation/site_info.php?siteid=399 Millican Valley OHV: http://www.blm.gov/or/districts/prineville/recreation/millican/ Shevlin Park and other Bend Parks: http://www.bendparksandrec.org/Park_List_Hidden/Shevlin_Park/ Photo date, January 14, 2015. Ten Mile Sno-Park snow stake at 5,560 ft. Currently, inadequate snow with no snow access from Ten Mile. Water/slush and down trees are just a few of the hazards on and off trail users may encounter during the winter season. The new Meissner Sno-Park warming shelter is now open and provides a warm and dry place to get out of the cold and meet with fellow skiers/shoers and have lunch. Meissner Nordic Club volunteers will continue over the coming weeks to add signing and a few finishing touches. Grooming operations are currently on hold with patchy snow depth at Meissner Sno-Park. Located on Road 45 less than ¼ mile south of Hwy 46 and road 45 interchange (and 3 Hwy miles from Dutchman Sno-Park) the new Kapka Butte Sno-Park currently has 2 -8” snow depth. Dogs and overnight RV camping permitted. Trail conditions to Dutchman are rough with increasing bare sections. Trail may not be safely passible into the weekend without new snow accumulations. Due to unseasonably winter rains, many normally “snow bridged” creeks and drainages are currently open and flowing water. Some winter trails cross these creeks and have become “water hazards” making for challenging crossings. Over 600 winter signs and trail marking “snow poles” are installed each winter season in the Dutchman Flat, Tumalo Mt. and Moon Mt area. These poled signs provide trail safety and designate legal boundaries. Approx. 98% of the sign poles are in place and remainder scheduled to be installed with adequate snow. Snow Park Conditions Table coding: Special area restrictions or notations relating to the table below are as follows: 1 = Area/trails closed to dogs except working dogs in harness on groomed snowmobile trails and only with a permit 2 = Area open to dogs 3 = Area/trails closed to motorized use 4 = Vehicles with trailers limited to 40’ overall length 5 = High to extreme use with special area/trail restrictions, see sno-park information board, trail maps and area signing for full details. Very limited parking, try to avoid on weekends and holidays. All sno-parks (except Skyliner and Hwy 242) are plowed with State funds and require a Sno-Park Permit Deschutes National Forest Snow Park Conditions Table Updated February 27, 2015 at 3 PM Snow conditions: Nearly all Deschutes sno-parks and winter trails currently lack adequate snow. SNO-PARK NAME LOCATION PARK APPROX. SNOW CONDITIONS AND SPECIAL Designated trails or Hwy or Road and ELEV. SNOW COMMENTS activities with numerical milepost DEPTH (Conditions subject to change without notice and notations explained TOTAL at the whim of Nature) above Meissner 1 HWY 46, MP 14 5,350’ Patchy-1” Inadequate snow, not recommended. Area roads Ski/snowshoe 1” new closed to hwy vehicles Dec. 1-April 1 Wanoga Snow Play HWY 46, MP 15 5,400’ Patchy-1” Inadequate snow, not recommended. Wear 2, 3 Tubing/sledding 1” new helmets, don’t build jumps, sledding hill closed to Groomed ski/dog trails snowmobiles. Wanoga Snowmobile HWY 46, MP 15 5,500’ Patchy-1” Inadequate snow, not recommended. Area roads 2 Snowmobiling 1”new closed to hwy vehicles Dec. 1 - April 1 Swampy 1 3 HWY 46, MP 16 5,800’ 2-8” Poor/marginal, hard/icy or spring-like, low snow Ski/snowshoe 2” new and trail conditions! Area roads closed to hwy vehicles Dec. 1 - April 1 Vista Butte 1 3 HWY 46, MP 18 5,950’ 2-8” Poor-marginal, hike to snow, a number of trees Ski/snowshoe 2” new on trails. Area north of parking closed to snowmobiles, use Kapka Butte or Wanoga if snow. Dutchman 1 4 5 HWY 46, MP 22 6,250’ 22-38” Fair snow conditions, might be icy to soft Ski/shoe/snowmobiling 3-4” new depends on temps. Low snow hazards with some open creek channels exist on/off trails. Bare pavement sections on trail to Elk Lk, becoming difficult. 98% of winter signing in place. Limited parking/no overnight camping. 40’ max length limit for vehicle/trailer combination. Expect heavy use! Kapka Butte (new) 2 ¼ mi. s. of Hwy 46, 5,900’ 2-8” Marginal snow with bare areas/trails, trail Snowmobiling/ski/shoe on Road 45 2” new grooming on hold, early season conditions with low snow hazards. Edison 2 4 mi. s. of Hwy 46 5,000’ Bare ground Inadequate snow conditions. Heavy beetle killed Ski/shoe/snowmobiling on Road 45 1” new lodgepole in area, high number of trees on trails. Area roads closed to hwy vehicles Dec. 1 Skyliner 2 Skyliner Rd MP 9 4,700’ Bare ground Inadequate snow conditions. Gate/road to Ski/snowshoe Tumalo Falls closed for the winter season. Six Mile 2 Road 21, MP 6 4,400’ Bare ground Inadequate snow. Road 21 beyond Ten Mile Snowmobiling East of Hwy 97 closed to vehicles for winter season. Ten Mile 2 Road 21, MP 10 5,560’ 1” Inadequate snow access, early season Snowmobile/ski/shoe East of Hwy 97 1” new conditions with low snow hazards. Lower Three Creek 2 Road 16, MP 8 4,400’ Bare ground Inadequate snow.