Main trail in Bob Marshall will likely remain closed through the month

Spotted Bear District ranger Deb Mucklow said Monday that while progress is being made on reopening trails and roads in the Trail Creek and Bear Creek fires, Trail 80 - the main trail into the Bob Marshall Wilderness from the South Fork, will likely remain closed through the end of the month, if not longer.

Mucklow said the trail has significant tread damage from Mid Creek to at least Bear Creek, with holes and sloughs from fire damage.

"It won't open anytime soon," she said.

Last week the Bear Creek Fire was active near Harrison Creek and on the southern edge in the Slick Creek area and helicopters and hand crews were working on hot spots in the fire area. Crews were also working on opening the trails, including using explosives on hazard trees that couldn't be cut or removed safely by sawyers.

There's better news in other areas of the fire. Mucklow said she expects the Bunker Creek Road, the Meadow Creek Road and trails in those regions, except for Trail 80, to open in the next five to seven days, if the weather cooperates. It's supposed to be cold, wet and snowy in higher elevations for the next few days, the National Weather Service is predicting.

Wilderness travelers still have alternate routes, they'll just have to travel a bit farther to get to some regions.

The Benchmark Trail at Augusta is open as is the Big River Trail in the Middle Fork, the Badger Pass Trail at Summit and the Morrison Creek Trail in the Middle Fork. The Spotted Bear campground has also reopened.

At Holland Lake, travelers can go over Pendant Pass, but the Gordon Pass Trail was still closed due to the Lena Lake Fire, which was still active above the trail.

Other trails that have opened recently include:

*White River Trail #112 (entire length)

*Wall Creek Trail #90

*Gordon Creek Trail #35 from the South Fork River to Jct. of Shaw Creek Trail #212

*Shaw/Feline Creek Trail #212 from Pendant Cabin to the Jct. of Holbrook Trail #131

*Holbrook Trail #131 (entire length)

*Youngs Creek Trail #283 (entire length).

In addition, fire restrictions have also been lifted, so campfires are now legal again.

But there are still plenty of closures in effect as of presstime, including the Spotted Bear River Road and trails associated with it.

Together the fires have burned 93,106 acres - the largest fires of the season in Northwest Montana. For continued fire updates, visit www.hungryhorsenews.com or http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/