Seasonal closure raises questions

As has happened every year for decades, the historic McKenzie Highway (Highway 242) closed on the Sisters side last week. A week earlier, the western side closed. The November 1 close is about average, and just in time as a series of minor storms dropped as much as 10 inches of snow above 5,000 feet.

Photo by Bill Bartlett

The gate on the Sisters end of the McKenzie Highway is closed for the season.

The top of Highway 242, at the Dee Wright Observatory - the halfway point - sits at 5,187 feet. In making its annual announcement of the closures, Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) hit a nerve with recreationalists who thought the agency had changed its position and verbiage from largely one of "go past the snow gates at your own risk" to "do not go past the snow gates."

Two Valley newspapers – The Eugene Register Guard and The Salem Statesman Journal - jumped on the announcement, setting off a maelstrom of criticism and dismay. The latter reported: "But over the past few years, the Oregon Department of Transportation quietly decided that once the highway is closed to cars, it's closed to everyone else as well. Officials cited safety concerns and said that anybody who went beyond the closure gates was doing so 'at their own risk.'"

ODOT denies any change in policy. When reached by The Nugget, ODOT spokesperson Kacey Davey said, "It's basically the same press release we've put out for five years. There is no rule, no regulation, no law. It's a common-sense advisory."

Davey is ODOT's public information officer for Central Oregon.

Photo by Jarod Gatley

Those who venture beyond the snow gates on Highway 242 should be aware that they are undertaking the enterprise at their own risk. Anyone venturing into the backcountry should be prepared for adverse conditions.

She added, "There are no enforcement measures. OSP (Oregon State Police) isn't going to arrest anybody. But it is a potential risk, especially in the spring when wind is downing trees and the road is spotty with ice, snow and debris. And there's no cell coverage up there."

"We are asking people to make the right choice and the safe choice and not go into a closed area," ODOT spokeswoman Mindy McCartt said. "The road is not plowed. There's no cell service. There's no resources and it's extremely difficult for search and rescue to reach anybody that needs help. In the spring we have crews and heavy equipment up there reopening the road. It's not a safe area when it's closed."

McCartt is Davey's counterpart for the section of Highway 242 that is in Lane County.

Yet, despite its public statements, recreationalists don't seem to be buying it. Christian Sammons of Stayton started a moveon.org petition that has already garnered over 1,900 signatures and more than 150 signers have donated money to the cause.

Petitioners to ODOT's director, Kris Strickler, "are asking ODOT, USFS, and other key stakeholders to reconsider this closure. Instead of blocking winter access completely, let's work together to create a solution that allows safe and responsible recreation while maintaining public safety and supporting local economies."

Photo by Jarod Gatley

The McKenzie Pass–Santiam Pass Scenic Byway was designated a National Forest Scenic Byway in 1989. It was later made an Oregon State Scenic Byway in 1997 before becoming a National Scenic Byway in 1998.

The Nugget asked local heads of the Forest Service and the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office to comment on the alleged changes. Neither agency was aware of any changes and neither thought their agencies' roles would in any way change.

When The Nugget contacted Sergeant Nathan Garibay of the Search and Rescue unit of the Sheriff's Office, he too was unaware of any changes.

"If there are changes, it won't affect the way we respond," he said.

He reinforced the need for preparedness when in such areas.

Davey said law enforcement and emergency services personnel all have keys to the gates.

In the winter, Highway 242 beyond the closed gates, is used by Nordic skiers, snowshoers, and snowmobilers. The Mt. Jefferson Snowmobile Club has groomed McKenzie Pass for over two decades. The club's grooming efforts mitigate avalanche risks and maintain clear trails in an effort to provide a safer environment for all visitors.

The bulk of ODOT's concerns are not for winter recreationalists, but in the spring when the snow starts to melt and the highway is a magnet for bicyclists. They worry most when their crews are on the road clearing it of downed trees and limbs and plowing the remaining snow.

The McKenzie Pass–Santiam Pass Scenic Byway was designated a National Forest Scenic Byway in February 1989. It was later made an Oregon State Scenic Byway in February 1997 before becoming a National Scenic Byway in June 1998.

The McKenzie Pass Scenic Bikeway is a highly rated ride up and over the Cascade Mountains along Highway 242. Starting in Sisters and finishing in the community of Rainbow, this 36.1-mile road traces an 1860s wagon route with picturesque switchbacks and is listed on the U.S. Register of Historic Places.