Helicopter logging operations are now active in the Mount Elden and Dry Lake Hills FWPP project area. Markit! Forestry Management, the contractor responsible for managing all of the helicopter logging work, has moved crews and equipment into the project area. Ground crews have been engaged in preparation work, and hand-felling operations within the helicopter cutting units have started.
Logging equipment will be active along the Shultz Pass and Mt. Elden Lookout Road area. The primary helicopter landing and service area will be located off the Mt. Elden Lookout Road, behind the locked forest service gate, on Coconino National Forest land. This road is closed for the winter season; please do not enter the area due to the active helicopter operations and for public and operator safety. Noise and visible activity created by the helicopter flight operations will be present in this area starting in mid-January and lasting through late spring.
The helicopter flight operations will be visible in the area as the helicopter lifts and transports bundles of felled trees from the project area to established landing sites. The helicopter operations will occur during daylight hours, seven days a week, and for three to five months depending on operational conditions.
As the helicopter and other FWPP forest thinning work progresses, forest closure areas restricting public access into the Mount Elden and Dry Lake Hills area will be implemented. This will include areas along the Mount Elden Lookout Road, and portions of popular trails like the Rocky Ridge and Oldham trails. These areas closures will change as operations progress, and will be strictly enforced. Please respect all closures, and do not approach logging machinery, helicopters, or heavy equipment at any time. Be Smart, Be Safe! Please visit the FWPP website for project updates, and join our project email list to receive the most current information.
