Well, many of you have heard the sad news that the new Forest Service road closures has already struck pretty close to home here in Flagstaff. Kelly Canyon Rd., which offers the only really good access to the bouldering at the top of the canyon, has been closed to motorized travel.

Whether you have tasted the gritty slopers of Kelly Canyon or not, please consider taking a moment to fill out the bottom of this form www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/coconino/landmanagement/projects/>>>, asking for alternatives to this gate closure.

There are an awful lot of climbers around, maybe it's time we try throwing a little weight around?

Foot travel from the interstate exit is still allowed.........

Done! It was super easy and fast to fill out. Thanks for posting it up JJ. I don't go there that often but know lots that do. It's a nice escape form the heat some and some excellent bouldering for sure!

I'm an out of towner... when you say 'foot travel from the interstate' what does that mean exactly? Also, I would be happy to comment. Would I just say the Kelly Canyon Rd? Do you just park right off the interstate now? Forgive my ignorance, I've only been there once but was looking to taste the gritty slopers again this weekend.

Done!

Do you know why it is closed?

It is listed here: Road Status as "Open".

Let me know what I can do to help. My craving for Coconino Sandstone and cool temps must be satiated!

Right on guys, thanks for helping. MIYG, you can park at the gate, and walk in, but off hand I would say it is three miles or so to the descent into the canyon. I could be very wrong about that, but even the drive in takes a little while. The truly devoted could make the flat hike in without to much fuss, but it certainly changes the game out there.

Done. Bump.

Done.

did it too!

Done ... and done

bump

Yup!

bump

I noticed there is a USGS lock on the gate, hypothetically if someone had such a key and were to unlock the gate, locking it behind them and drive in and park at the top of Kelly would that be so wrong?

done. bump.

hypothetically, how would one acquire said key?

Did it!

I have said key!

I filled this out. As well,when the TMP started, there was a protest petition on MP that a lot of us responded to. Who did that,and what happened to the signatures/meeting/outcome???

Steve

We found some easy access to Kelly from the other side of the canyon. It takes only 5 minutes more than the old approach.

Take the Kachina exit off of 17, west towards the gas station next to the highway. Immediately before the gas station is an old paved road, take a left on that as it briefly parallels the highway. It bends right and goes over a cattle guard. From the cattle guard, go .9 miles and take a left on a dirt road. Go .5 miles and park at a tiny spot on the right. If the road continues at 0 degrees and right is 90, hike at about 60 degrees for a few minutes until you hit a small ridge line and old road. Follow the ridge until it starts to drop down more steeply and then trend right to the bottom of the canyon.

FYI, the road you turn on at .9 mile is not a legal road according to the motor vehicle use map. to be compliant one would have to park and walk from here.

Could be right, but I'm not so sure. There was a Forest Service road sign on it, road 9498A if I remember correctly.

Oookay. Well, per my original post looks like we are good to go with some easy access to Kelly.

I have it on the in from a FS employee that come next year the road will be open again. He said they have to reprint the map every year and they are hearing a lot of protest about the road closure so it is likely to change. He said it was an "ill-informed" decision to close it in the first place.

So much for the environmentalist ethic that used to rule Northern Arizona. There's already too many roads boys, would a three mile walk really kill ya?