Amador County – The U.S. Forest Service announced last week that the Mormon Emigrant Trail will be closed due to snow likely until mid-June, and will not be available as an alternate route to Lake Tahoe, after Caltrans closed Highway 50 for two weeks, starting this week.

El Dorado National Forest Public Information Officer Frank Mosbacher said Mormon Emigrant Trail was expected to remain closed due to snow until mid-June. Mosbacher said the “popular El Dorado National Forest highway runs between Sly Park and Highway 88 is currently covered by 10 feet of snow on its eastern end, near Highway 88.”

He said the “road will not be available as an alternate route to Lake Tahoe with Highway 50 closing for two weeks of repairs to Echo Summit’s roadsides.

Caltrans is detouring traffic on Highway 50 eastward traffic and Highway 99 northward traffic to Lake Tahoe through Amador County, via Highways 16, 49, 88, and 89.

Caltrans District 3 made the decision to temporarily close the route while working to replace a rock wall at Echo Summit in El Dorado County. The project will include one-way traffic control for up to six weeks after Highway 50 is reopened. Highway 50 will be open with no restrictions on Memorial Day weekend.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.