Here is a Blaine Country Recreation District trail update for Friday, July 23, 2023:
Sheep
Sheep are in the vicinity of the Taylor Canyon Trail in the Lake Creek drainage. The guard dogs in this band have reportedly been acting very aggressively toward some people and their pets. We also have a report of very aggressive guard dog behavior in the Cabin Creek area of Cove Creek. For info on recommended best practices when interacting with sheep guard dogs go to the Trail Alerts section of the BCRD Summer TraiLink site.
This morning, the Ketchum Ranger District range staff provided this location information:
A band is in the Lake Creek drainage and in the vicinity of the Taylor Canyon Trail.
Sheep are near the Fox Creek Trail.
A flock of sheep is high in Greenhorn; near the top of Howard’s Trail and grazing north.
The Deer Creek band is in Poison Flats grazing south.
A flock is in the Cove Creek region moving from Cabin Creek to Moran Creek by Friday or Saturday.
A band out Warm Springs is on Shaw Mountain.
Please help me improve the quality of the sheep band location information I provide. Contact me with information about the locations of sheep you encounter during your travels. Email me, Chris Leman, at cleman@bcrd.org or phone the BCRD at (208) 578-2273.
Galena
The BCRD and Galena Lodge are hosting Bike ‘n Hike Night tonight, Friday July 21st at Galena Lodge. Come join in on a summer evening of outdoor recreation (bring your bike or hiking boots). It’s a family friendly event with all ages welcome. 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. Free hot dogs and beverages on the lawn.
Spring Creek Trail between Cherry Creek (FS road 216) and South Cherry (FS road 218) is closed until approx. August 6. Northern goshawks are a Forest Service sensitive species. Adult nesting goshawks can be very aggressive in defense of their nests. The pair in this area are exhibiting extremely aggressive behavior. To protect the nesting birds and to ensure your safety and that of other users, the trail will be closed until the nestlings have left the nest.
Vols
The Prairie-Miner Loop is now open. Wood River Trails Coalition volunteers and staff cleared three trails, #134, #132, and #135, making them accessible from Prairie Creek Road to Prairie Lakes and Miner Lake. The Wood River Trails Coalition/Idaho Trails Association WOW group of 15 participants removed 60 trees from #134, and later, volunteers Ryan Romanchuk and Ryan Nestor cleared 43 more trees from #134 and #135.
Want to get involved with volunteer trail maintenance? The next WRTC volunteer trail work party is Saturday, July 29 on the Mill Lake Trail. For info visit the group’s volunteer page at: https://woodrivertrailscoalition.org/volunteer
SNRA
Here is a link to the latest Sawtooth National Recreation Trail Report:
July 20, 2023 SNRA Trail Report
Here is some additional info that came in from the SNRA this week:
Bears are out and about on the forest. Help keep yourself, your food, and the bears safe by properly storing all bear attractants. The Sawtooth National Recreation Area has a Bear Food Storage Order in effect that requires storing all attractants in a residence or hard-sided vehicle, or in a bear proof container, or in a bear-hang in the front country and backcountry. Although this doesn’t apply to the three designated wilderness areas, the SNRA strongly encourages you to store your attractants away from camp and out of reach of bears and other animals. Help keep the bears wild.
While the Sawtooth National Forest is not in fire restrictions, there are always fire restrictions in the Wilderness areas. Check out the links to the wilderness areas. Each area has its own specific regulations about campfires. Sawtooth Wilderness, Cecil D. Andrus-White Clouds Wilderness, and the Hemingway-Boulders Wilderness.
Warm Springs Road
The Ketchum Ranger District reports that Warm Springs Road (FS Rd 227) is open to the South Fork Warm Springs Creek, which is near to the base of the climb up to Dollarhide Summit (this is also near to the low end of the Middle Fork Warm Springs Trail #150). Beyond the South Fork, the road is technically open, but sections are deeply rutted and nearly impassable. At last report, On the other side of Dollarhide Summit, the 227 Road remained blocked by snow. Crews are making repairs and working to open the road further.