Brian Wolfer, Special to the Standard Examiner
The Utah Department of Transportation clears snow from the Monte Cristo Highway east of Huntsville on May 11, 2015.
OGDEN – Two of the major alpine highways in northern Utah will be closed on Sunday due to winter conditions until next spring. The Utah Department of Transportation advises motorists to plan ahead to close the Monte Cristo and Big Mountain freeways
The Monte Cristo Highway or State Route 39 will be closed between Milepost 37, east of Huntsville, and Milepost 56, near Woodruff, Rich County. The Big Mountain Highway, also known as SR 65, will be closed between Milepost 3, north of the Emigration Canyon junction in Salt Lake County, and Milepost 13 near East Canyon State Park in Morgan County.
Due to their high altitude, the highways are likely to experience extreme snowfall within a few hours. According to a press release, motorist safety is a concern of UDOT during the winter months, especially along Alpine roads where fast, heavy snowstorms create treacherous road conditions.
The Monte Cristo and Big Mountain motorways are usually closed from late November to May, depending on the weather forecast. According to the National Weather Service, the greater Ogden area is likely to have intermittent snow throughout Monday.
Motorists can reach the Monte Cristo Summit via US Highway 89 through Logan Canyon. Alternative routes for the Big Mountain Highway include Interstate 84 and SR 66 from Morgan and SR 65 from I-84 at Henefer to reach the East Canyon Recreation Area.
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