As warmer temperatures have reduced the amount of accumulated snow around the area, the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge has been closed to snow machine usage due to the lack of adequate coverage. The announcement was made last Friday, Dec. 27.
The closure took effect at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 30.
KNWR Deputy Manager Steve Miller says Refuge officials held out as long as possible, hoping for snow to fall. “We kept thinking as snow kept showing up in the forecast, and showing up in the forecast, and we kept holding off and holding off. And you know, finally, it’s no snow machining. There’s not enough snow. So we went ahead and closed it.”
Miller said that doesn’t mean it’s closed for the season; however, a change in the weather could lead to the area reopening.
If the Refuge did reopen, Miller said to check the KNWR website for where folks can snow machine. “For the most part, it’s treeline and below. Then there’s a couple of other closures around the Skilak Wildlife Management areas. No snow machining there except for ice fishing, but we list all of that stuff on our website as far as where they can go and where they can’t go.”
The Refuge originally opened to snowmachine use on Dec. 18.
For more information, please contact Refuge Headquarters at (907) 262-7021, online at kenai.fws.gov, or visit the Refuge Headquarters on Ski Hill Road in Soldotna.
