Winter Road Plowing in Denali National Park and Preserve: Monitoring Results 2018
Clark WC, Appignani JA, Bracher TA. 2018. Winter Road Plowing in Denali National Park and Preserve: Monitoring Results 2018. Natural Resource Report. NPS/DENA/NRR—2018/1794. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado
Denali National Park and Preserve completed an Environmental Assessment in 2013 that evaluated opening the park road to private vehicle traffic earlier than the typical mid-March date to increase the range of recreational opportunities along the Denali Park Road during winter months. The Finding of No Significant Impact, signed June 2013, identified the alternative which allows road plowing from mile 3 to mile 12.6 (Mountain Vista Rest Area) as the preferred alternative. The Early Road Opening (ERO) period begins annually near February 1 and occurred on a trial basis for three to five years from 2013 while the effects on natural resources, park program finances, and visitor experience and opportunities are monitored. Here we report findings from the 2018 ERO, the final year of the original trial period (a Categorical Exclusion was signed in summer 2018 to continue the plowing period another two years). Principal findings include: 1. The amount of traffic during 2018 ERO was the most observed during the trial period (at least 1,033 vehicles); an average of 36 vehicles traveled the Denali Park Road each day. 2. Total road use during ERO increased by 15% compared to 2017. Part of this increase is likely in part due to several weather-related road closures in 2017. 3. Nearly 80% of ERO traffic was from private vehicles, 58% of which occurred on Saturdays and Sundays. 4. Most road use occurred in the early afternoon. 5. We observed minimal commercial use (similar to past years). However, observations at the winter visitor center during the implementation of a visitor survey suggest that commercial vehicles access the road nearly daily. 6. Moose were the only observed large animal species. 7. We observed no significant negative wildlife-vehicle interactions and no significant safety or law enforcement incidents were reported. 8. Parking at the Mountain Vista Rest Area increased in 2018. We observed an average of 6.2 parked vehicles compared to 4.5 and 5.0 average vehicles in 2017 and 2016, respectively. 9. The park expended nearly $51,000 for ERO 2018. This expenditure has increased each trial year and has been greater than estimated within the Environmental Assessment.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Clark, William; Appignani, Julien; Bracher, Taylor
- Date of Issue
- 2018-11
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- DENA , NRSS
- Keywords
- Alaska, carrying capacity, DENA, Denali, National Park, Preserve, road management, traffic, vehicle, visitor use
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Mammals , Ecological Framework: Human Use | Visitor and Recreation Use | Visitor Use , Ecological Framework: Landscapes | Soundscape | Soundscape , Ecological Framework: Landscapes | Viewscape | Viewscape/Dark Night Sky