MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – In order to provide for public and employee safety, a temporary closure has been placed on Forest Service road M5 on the Grindstone Ranger District between the junction of 17N78 north and junction 17N78 south, located south of the Stonyford Recreation Area.

A substantial washout has made a section of the road impassable. The closure went into effect Dec. 27 and will remain in effect until it is repaired.

A detour is established on road 17N78 to bypass the washout. Signs are in place to direct vehicles to the detour.

The closure order is formally referenced as Order Number 08-15-13. It is available online at www.fs.usda.gov/mendocino .

“The M5 road is a popular area due to its proximity to the Mendocino National Forest world-class Off-Highway Vehicle trail system,” said Grindstone Ranger District Implementation Officer Lori Cayo. “Safety concerns to both visitors and forest resources arise when severe weather conditions bring unexpected hazards. We want everyone to enjoy their trip to the forest, while staying safe. To help with this, visitors are asked to check Forest closures before leaving, be prepared for changing conditions, and minimize impacts to saturated roads and trails.”

With recent drenching storms, and more to come this winter, other forest roads may be impacted. If you come across an area where the road is compromised or washed out, please report it to Forest Engineer Shannon Pozas at 530-934-3316.

For more information, please contact the Mendocino National Forest at 530-934-3316 or visit www.fs.usda.gov/mendocino . Get the latest updates and alerts easily by following us on Twitter, @MendocinoNF.

122715 Forest Road M5 temporary closure