2023-03-06, 03:13 PM
(2023-03-05, 12:22 PM)Beardilocks Wrote: Just an update from your resident dirtbag on the ground here in DEVA:
NPS is not confident that North Hwy will open any time soon. Apparently they got 4" of rain in that last storm up in that area and the road is destroyed again. Even Scotty's Castle Rd got wiped out again. Access to Beatty is still possible as Mud Canyon is now open, but Beatty Cut-Off was wiped out.
Well, sh!t. This is distressing news. My long planned hike to Red Wall Canyon is likely off. The web site says "flood debris on road." That doesn't sound too bad. Use a road grader to push the stuff off to the side and you are good. However, 4" of rain would be much worse. How much road building equipment does NPS own and how much comes from a contractor? I fear that every contractor west of the Rockies is busy digging out snow.
I've asked the park when will the road re-open. The desk at the Visitor Center tells me "we don't know." An email to DEVA_Information says "At this point, we have not received any indication of time line for opening North Highway."
We were supposed to arrive on March 21. I have a few days for either the road to get fixed or to hike what is accessible or to postpone the trip until late fall.