Taneum Road (Joe watt)

[Bone Chaser]

Does anyone know if taneum Road, the alternative road that goes through joe watt opens the same time joe watt does?

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[ShadowHunter]

Taneum Road (actually W Taneum Rd on that side of I-90) does NOT go through, or even next to Joe Watt.  Are you thinking of Hutchins road?  If you open the gate at Joe Watt and stay to the right, that's Hutchins, go to the left and you go up Joe Watt.

[sled]

You sure can go up tanuem creek and get on to joe watt, or Hutchins rd.   It's longer around but not as rough.

[ShadowHunter]

What Sled says is true.  However, that route is a groomed snowmobile route in the winter and as such holds onto it's "compacted" snow MUCH later (in the shaded spots) than other roads in the area.  I am assuming this question is being asked as a way in before the gate opens on the 1st.  You can certainly try that route, but I wouldn't be surprised to find impassable snow on the 3320 rd (Tamarack Springs)  I've been watching the snow recede from the ridges here and it "appears" to have melted at "that elevation" just in the last few days....where the sun got to it! :-)

[Bone Chaser]

Yeah that's what I was thinking I drove up that road multiple times during elk seasons.

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[Bone Chaser]

No I was just wondering if that road was gated or open during the wintering monthes, seems pretty dumb if they open that road before may 1st?

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[ShadowHunter]

That road is not "gated" but it does close to wheeled vehicles in the winter at the old guard cabin (Taneum Creek campground) for snowmobile use.  The road opens back up in the spring when the snow melts.  If you go to the FS website their "road reports" will say...such and such road open to X point, closed beyond...or some such wording.  I do a lot of camping up there and "most" years, I find an impassable drift at some point along that route until a week or so after May 1st. 

[RG]

There is a fairly new yellow gate gate on the upper portion of Hutchins Rd near Yahne Canyon so you can't come down into the LT Murray very farvtill they open it May 1.