Beautiful weather should draw holiday hikers into the mountains this weekend, but many trails are still snow-covered.
The Sawtooth National Recreation Area has warned that trails over 8,000 feet may still be snowy and icy. Downed trees and high river levels also pose threats to hikers and other recreationists, blocking trails and making river crossings difficult or impossible.
According to a news release from the SNRA, more than 30 trees are down on the Williams Creek trail on the east side of the Sawtooth Valley, and trees at Alpine Creek in the Sawtooth Mountains will force hikers off the path. Baron Creek Trail is closed at the North Fork of Baron Creek crossing.
"All of the creeks are still rolling high and fast," said Kurt Ingold, wildlands education coordinator for the Sawtooth Valley Work Center. "People want to be careful if they're fording."
The Hell Roaring Trail up to Imogene Lake may have serious patches of snow past the lake, Ingold said, but it should be passable up to that point.
The Alice Lake Trail should be clear, but Ingold said most creek crossings on all trails will be somewhat "hairy."
Hiking and biking trails in the vicinity of Ketchum are mostly dry. Those include the Fox Creek, Corral Creek and Greenhorn Gulch trails.
Ingold said the Murdock Creek Trail, near the SNRA building north of Ketchum, is mostly passable, though the bridges are out and the trail is probably not wheelchair accessible.
Some roads are also closed, including Elk Meadows, Sawmill Creek and Rough Creek. The Alturas Lake road is only open to the Alpine Lake trailhead. Though the snowline currently begins at the Fourth of July trailhead, the road is open up to Heart Lake.
For more information on trail and road closings, as well as campground and river openings, call the Sawtooth National Recreation Area visitors center at 727-5013.
Katherine Wutz: kwutz@mtexpress.com
