Forest service roads winter plow

[brazen]

Is there any way to know in advance what forest roads get plowed in winter?

[hunter1947]

If me I would give the forestry service in your area a call and ask them I would think that they would know because they check in on the forestry cuts..

[Stone Sheep Steve]

You'll need to call Gormans and/or Tolko depending on the area in question....if you're talking local.

SSS

[d6dan]

Is there any way to know in advance what forest roads get plowed in winter?

Call the BCFS and they will give you that info.

[boxhitch]

No , it is super top secret as they don't want people planning ahead for outings like sledding or wood getting.

[brazen]

Ok i will phone around get info, too bad it's not just publicly posted

[gwillim]

Remember to use extreme caution when on plowed forestry roads. Bad enough trying to stop a loaded logging truck in the summer, can be almost impossible in the winter!! Also, there are less places to safely pull over.

[Stillhunting]

It is extremely dangerous to be traveling on an active logging road without a radio, and chances are it's active if it's plowed.

[RiverOtter]

The BCFS isn't gonna have a clue what roads are plowed/unplowed...

Tolko/Gorman's in the South Interior would have people that know, but I'd guarrantee anyone working at the reception desk for those two companies wouldn't have a clue. You'd need to talk to a bush boss covering that particular area.

All that said, if Tolko for example has a contractor(s) working in a specific area they are only going to plow the road(s) necessary to reach the work site, no extra side roads. Unless the graded section goes right past where you need to go, you're gonna be doing lots of snow shoeing, or driving right into active logging. We meet a few panic struck drivers every winter in the crummy, and our logging trucks meet several more, and its not fun for anyone.

Yes they are public roads, and you do have a right to be on them, if you so choose, but I would strongly suggest avoiding them on the most part in the winter; radio or not....

[emerson]

It is extremely dangerous to be traveling on an active logging road without a radio, and chances are it's active if it's plowed.
Exactly, and they are more like 1 1/4 lane in the winter. It's always better to take the ditch than head on a logging truck. Unless you're following a truck and have a radio it's a gamble. It's not bad on the weekend if the hauling is only 5 days a week. You might meet a lowbed though.

[RiverOtter]

Unless you're following a truck and have a radio it's a gamble.
Good luck keeping up with an empty going up, who runs the same road a minimum of 2 times per day and as many as 6 or 8. That, and often pullouts don't come in doubles, so you'd be left hanging with no place to clear a loaded.


It's not bad on the weekend if the hauling is only 5 days a week. You might meet a lowbed though.

OR, a service truck, a welder, a crew cab getting wood ahead for Monday, or even logging trucks cleaning up a block on a Saturday, which seems to be more and more common with Tolko...........:-D

[Mikey Rafiki]

MFLNRO gives maintenance permits to forestry companies or industry. Then they schedule the work they need themselves or with their own contractors. Even if they have a permit doesn't mean it will be done and their is no obligation to do it otherwise. Use at own risk. Radio is a must.

[junkyard_g]

Trying to plan a trip in the winter when considering which roads will be plowed is damn near impossible except until just before leave. If the road accesses residences it must be kept plowed and you can generally count on large mainlines that access a large amount area area being plowed. But when we are logging 20km down a secondary mainline and we cease activities there for a week we are not plowing that road for that week unless there is an agreement in place. Area supervisors and roads supervisors for the larger licensees are the only reliable sources for this info (i.e. BCTS, Canfor, West Fraser, Tolko, etc)

[brazen]

i SOOOO value radio, heard my own 'toyota truck comin up on you'...as a pickup passed me goin downhill...so i was ready for him and he for me, and it WAS a blind corner, and we was BOTH goin extra slow so we was both ok, ready, expecting, whew. I was goin to bring supplies to a buddy who got wiped out by a logging truck on the same road...he aint goin nowhere till insurance gets all sorted out....doin ok tho camped out on a moose swamp :)

IF there are roads accessible to me i WILL be on them when i can snow or no snow, trucks or no.

[nap]

Is there still logging going on in B.C. Radios are a cheap investment for someone spending time on a fsr. The newer ones are so easy to get programmed.

[cloverphil]

I've never even thought of a plowed FSR in the snow, been up plenty that haven't been plowed, and it's easier to see where no one has driven before

[Sofa King]

it's pretty simple.
if there is active logging up there, they'll be plowed.
if not, they won't.
they don't plow the fsr's just for something to do.

and usually you only have to worry about the logging trucks on weekdays.
i was up this weekend, and the bunchers were going all weekend and new site prepping.
so there were work trucks and cats and graders running.

i wish we had snow to worry about being plowed or not.
it rained on me all day.
came home rather than spending another night and day getting wet.

[boxhitch]

IF there are roads accessible to me i WILL be on them when i can snow or no snow, trucks or no.living up to the name, good on ya.
Waiting for updates as to your conflicts on the roads.

[kgriz]

Did you actually mean FSRs specifically or were you using that term as a general reference to all "forest roads"? People replying are mixing these all together....so if you are wondering about a specific FSR road, somebody at the Forest District office where the FSR falls under will probably know...depends on what district as some have staff that like to get out and about and others not so much. As far as the mainlines and spurs are concerned, then you are dealing with the mills that hold the road permits and the road user group members that are responsible for maintaining it. A CP applications forester or planning forester is likely to know what roads will probably be plowed when.
The absolute best source you could have for which roads are being actively maintained is a bulk fuel truck operator as he must deliver fuel to all of the active logging areas/operations.....if you know one of these guys you are set.

[brazen]

Ya i meant all forest roads, FSR seemed like a good title though, and i have difficulty telling them apart also. Fuel truck hmm. Talked to a Chevron driver at a brake check once, cleared up some questions i had about ethanol content here... Maybe hang a trail cam at a chain up area...and then... nah...lol I will try calling around!

[XPEIer]

it may be worth talking to the Compliance and Enforcement staff as well, they are out and about all the time, they should know.