photo Tidewater Construction discovered the Wallowa Mountain Loop Road iced over and alternate FSR 66 covered with deep snow.

Snow and ice have stifled efforts to open the Wallowa Mountain Loop Road (FSR 39) and the detour route on FSR 66. There will be no through traffic from Halfway to Joseph until mid-June.

Neither route is normally open until June 16, but unusually mild weather conditions initially led Tidewater Contractors, of Brookings, to attempt to open the roads and get an early start on the planned road construction.

Unfortunately, contractors discovered a half-mile of the Loop Road so iced over it couldn’t be cleared and deep snow on alternate route FSR 66.

So, it’s back to the original schedule for work to begin June 16. Beginning June 16, Loop Road will be open to passenger vehicles 5 p.m. on Thursday to 8 a.m. Tuesday so that campers can use the road over the weekend.

Beginning July 1, when construction begins, travelers should expect rough surfaces and delays of up to an hour on Loop Road. They may use the alternate route of FSR 66 but be aware that FRS 66 is a 30-mile, single-lane gravel road with pullouts to allow motorists to pass one another. It is not recommended for motor homes.

The $5.3 million contract to reconstruct 18 miles of Loop Road is the largest of its kind in the Forest Service system and is scheduled for completion this fall.

The Wallowa Mountain Loop Road was designated as a National Forest Scenic Byway in 1992 and named a State Scenic Byway in 1996. In 2000, the Federal Highway Administration established the Hells Canyon All-American Road because of its exceptional views, widely varied terrain, recreational opportunities and historical significance.