Wet Weather Causes Concern for Travelers

The wet weather we’re currently experiencing has caused concern for travelers on multiple fronts.
Due to recent rainfall, increased runoff and severe erosion damage, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department has temporarily closed all roads within Sunlight Wildlife Habitat Management Area northwest of Cody. Habitat and Access Supervisor Brad Sorensen said the main access road will be closed at the bridge over Sunlight Creek beginning today in consideration of public safety and to avoid further resource damage. However, he said the area will remain open to foot and horseback travel, and once the road dries up, then damage can be assessed and roads can be repaired or rebuilt. At that point they will re-open the road to vehicles.
Photos taken last week by Nicholson Dirt Contracting of Cody show water and debris flowing steadily down a mudslide on County Road XUX near Crandall (pictured). At a meeting yesterday at Chief Joseph RV Park, residents report that no other homes have been damaged in the Squaw Creek area.
The Beartooth Highway on the Wyoming side is also still closed as of this morning – the heavy precipitation has manifested itself as snow in the high elevations, which has forced the closure from Long Lake to the Montana State Line due to drifting and continued snow.
Yellowstone National Park officials say that the rain has swollen rivers to the point that there is currently enough water going over the edge of Lower Falls to fill an Olympic swimming pool every 10 seconds.