Road on Big Mountain closed for forest work
Big Mountain and Whitefish Mountain Resort are seen in this file photo. (Daily Inter Lake)
National Forest System Road No. 9790, also known as Taylor Creek Road and Whitefish Mountain Radio Road, will be closed through Dec. 1 during timber harvesting associated with the Taylor Hellroaring Project.
The road closure starts at the junction of Road No. 9790 and Lower Whitefish Road and extends the entire length the road. The closure will impact public access to the summit of Big Mountain at Whitefish Mountain Resort from Road No. 9790.
The Taylor Hellroaring Project, approved in November 2019, includes a commercial timber harvest on nearly 1,000 acres and forest fuel reduction work on another 1,000 acres, all made possible through the Good Neighbor Authority program that allows federal agencies to enter into agreements with the state for projects aimed at improving forest health and productivity.
The project goal is to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire in the region, with specific mention of protecting the "wildland-urban interface" and Whitefish Mountain Resort.
The project also includes 28 miles of new non-motorized trails that will link up with the established Whitefish Trail system, as well as the trails on Big Mountain.