Breaks monument road sinks; BLM issues emergency closure

Timber Ridge Road in the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument is closed due to an emergency until further notice, the Bureau of Land Management said Tuesday. "Certainly we're urging travelers right now to be cautious, especially on backcountry roads, and especially roads in remote locations because they may be the first ones to discover a hazard in the road conditions," said Jonathan Moor, a BLM spokesman. "We encourage people to report any hazards they do discover." Josh Chase, Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument manager, said a significant slide has occurred in the middle of Timber Ridge Road making travel impossible. "It's in a fairly remote location," Moor said. "I would say it's used by people from the local area." Slides are a common occurrence in the Upper Missouri River Breaks due to a combination of steep terrain and loose soils, Moor said. Recent moisture has added to the instability, he said...MORE