- Joined
- Dec 5, 2017
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Months ago I got a permit for 5 nights in the Needles to head down Salt Creek and eventually make it to Chesler Park, starting in about two weeks. Our plan was for Coyote Shuttle to drive us to Cathedral Butte TH and stay SC1, SC3, Open Zone, LC1, EC3 then exit. I had been delighted to get almost all of our 1st choice campsites. But Winter 2023 had other plans for us... NPS says the road to the TH is impassable and will remain that way for awhile. We've created a Plan B, to start at the Needles CG and stay Open Zone, then head up to SC3 and do as much exploration between SC3 and SC1 as possible, then head back down and continue as originally booked, staying at Open Zone (again) and beyond. To do Plan B, I have to change SC1 to Open Zone for our 1st night, and I haven't done that yet; I have a tiny hope that the road might be passable after all and we'd hate to give up SC1 prematurely. But we also don't want to lose the opportunity to get an Open Zone permit for the 1st night. Because of conditions, they're reserving Open Zone based on # people rather than # groups, so there are still spots left, but you never know how things might develop.
SO my question is: Does anyone have a sense of the roads in that area and think there's a possibility Bridger Jack Rd (107) will be passable two weeks from now (in contrast to what the NPS says)? I welcome your info and advice.
SO my question is: Does anyone have a sense of the roads in that area and think there's a possibility Bridger Jack Rd (107) will be passable two weeks from now (in contrast to what the NPS says)? I welcome your info and advice.