Paving Skalkaho Road (Hamilton, Lolo, Big Timber: spring break, how much, camping)

[Jbechtel]

I keep reading in newspaper articles about a proposal by the highway department to streamline and pave Skalkaho pass and road from Highway 93 to Highway 1. Would this relieve some of the Bitterroot's congestion problems, make a faster escape on weekends, etc.? One snag apparantly is who would maintain the new road. Thoughts and opinions?

[Rickers]

I say leave it alone and let it get rough. That may help keep the riff raff (tourists and mc-mansion owners) out of my secret camping spot !

[ladyflyfsh]

I would hate to see Skalkaho paved. It is beautiful just the way it is and in my opinion is maintained well enough for the amount of traffic it gets, adding that it probably doesn't need any more traffic than it already has. Leave it be!

[rangerider]

Leave it be. Period.

[grizzfan]

The Skalkaho Road is paved part way to the top; I'd guess the last 5-10 miles are not; once you get to the top it's unpaved about another 5 miles. The road is closed by snow from about October until about May and sometimes longer depending upon the required maintenance. Paving it all the way would be part of the problem; to make that cost-effective it would have to be plowed in the winter at great expense.

[Greybear]

Would this relieve some of the Bitterroot's congestion problems

Doubt it, where would all this traffic be going anyway, Phillipsberg?

I say keep it dirt.

[Jbechtel]

Originally Posted by grizzfan

The Skalkaho Road is paved part way to the top; I'd guess the last 5-10 miles are not; once you get to the top it's unpaved about another 5 miles. The road is closed by snow from about October until about May and sometimes longer depending upon the required maintenance. Paving it all the way would be part of the problem; to make that cost-effective it would have to be plowed in the winter at great expense.

Yes, that's correct, the article talks about all of those issues and it goes on to say the expectation would be to keep the road open all year. Ravalli and Granite Counties would have to come to some agreement on maintaining the improved road through all seasons. Stimulus monies now available? Hamilton town council? Hhmmm.

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by grizzfan

The Skalkaho Road is paved part way to the top; I'd guess the last 5-10 miles are not; once you get to the top it's unpaved about another 5 miles. The road is closed by snow from about October until about May and sometimes longer depending upon the required maintenance. Paving it all the way would be part of the problem; to make that cost-effective it would have to be plowed in the winter at great expense.

Ain't never driven it myself, but from the map and the altitude, I'd say it'll be snowed shut in winter regardless, just like that one (paved) pass south of Big Timber and the one thru Glacier park (whether you count that one as paved or gravel depends on how much rock fell during the winter . You can pave anything you want and it can still be closed when the Big Snow comes.

If spring breakup is anything like Lolo pass gets, gravel is probably far less of a maintenance nightmare than pavement would be. I've seen Lolo reduced to only one functional lane of pavement, cuz the other half had busted up from the multiple freezes and thaws, and fell into the canyon.

[Montana Griz]

Some additional random thoughts.......................

Before paving could ever be accomplished I think (IMHO) the following would have to be taken into consideration:

Widen the "one-lane" sections (requiring blasting etc)

Installation and replacement of many culverts.

And many other issues that relate to bringing the highway up to certain standards of both the county and the state.

IMHO leave it as it is.........after having traveled it occasionally for 30 years, I think it is one of the components of "The Last Best Place".

Plus.......if you think it is tricky now.........imagine pulling a 4 horse trailer up and over the top during hunting season: (after dark, snowing and at 2 below) and oh yea.....this was 29 yrs ago!!

Leave it as it is, it separates the "wheat from the chaff", particularly when you have to chain up on all 4!!

[Redraven]

They paved the road around Hungry Horse Reservoir. They even paved Lost Johnny Point Campground. Then they started closing the side roads. "civilization" BAH!! Leave the roads alone!
They can't seem to keep the major routes repaired, they don't need to be laying any more pavement to break up.