Logging at ski resort temporarily closes roads

As part of Whitefish Mountain Resort’s ski area expansion project, there will be log hauling on the Big Creek and Canyon Creek roads that will prompt a temporary road closure for public safety.

The Flathead National Forest will close a section of Forest Road 316 beginning Nov. 25.

The closed section normally would be gated starting Dec. 1 but it will close five days early.

The biggest impact will be to early season snowmobilers since the road usually is open to over-snow vehicles. Because the road will be plowed from the Flower Point area on Big Mountain to Big Creek during the project, there will be no over-snow use on that portion of Road 316.

From Nov. 25 to 30, the road will be closed between the gate at milepost 8.2  to the gate at milepost 16.6 to all motorized vehicles.

From Dec. 1 until hauling is completed in mid-December, the road will be closed to snowmobiles between milepost 8.2 and milepost 23.5.

Whitefish Mountain Resort opens for skiing on Dec. 7.