National Forest officials announced that North Dunham Creek Road is closed to motorized use beginning Oct. 29 for long-term repairs.

Crews will begin work this week to remove the culvert at the Spruce Creek stream crossing along Dunham Creek Road 4388 on the Seeley Lake Ranger District. Due to this work, the northern portion of the Dunham Creek Road will be temporarily closed/impassable to motorized use throughout the winter and into next summer season.

In July of this year, a large, natural debris flow event occurred in the Spruce Creek drainage and temporarily closed the Dunham Creek road. Although emergency repairs were quickly made to the road after the event, follow-up assessments by engineers and specialists indicate a need for the additional work.

The culvert will be replaced with a new bridge in the summer of 2020. Removing the culvert will allow the drainage to naturally reestablish and prevent road washout during spring runoff.

“We thank the public for their patience and understanding as we work on this critical repair,” said Quinn Carver, District Ranger. “We are still addressing challenges associated with the 2017 fire season, and this project is part of that ongoing response.”

Motorized access to the Lodgepole Creek Trailhead will be temporarily closed due to this repair. Alternative access to the Bob Marshall Wilderness area includes Pyramid Pass, Monture Creek, McCabe Creek, or the North Fork Trailheads.

The northern portion of the Dunham Creek Road/Spruce Creek drainage is situated within the 2017 Rice Ridge Fire burned area and experienced moderate to high soil burned severity during the fire creating conditions susceptible to natural debris flow events.

Debris flow events occur when a high-intensity convective storm cell releases high volumes of precipitation in a short duration over a burned landscape.

For updates or continued information visit the Lolo National Forest Facebook or call the Seeley Lake Ranger District at 406-677-2233.