Strike Dam Road closed

[StacyR]

Went to CJ today. Nothing impressive fishingwise, but I found found that they'd closed the dirt road to the dam. I talked to a ranger a few weeks ago who mentioned that IPC was supposed to be paving it sometime this year.

I'm hoping that's what they're doing, because that road is pretty darn scary in the dark. Not bad if you're driving away from the dam, but a white knuckle ride if you're heading towards it, since there's no guardrails and no advance warning when you're about to hit that first curve with the 60 foot drop.

In the meantime, if you're coming from Mountain Home or down Simco Road, better tack on about 15 minutes to your trip. You have to detour all the way into Grand View.
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[AverysAdventure]

Thanks for the info.. That would be great if it is really being paved. Is the river road still open so one doesn't have to go all the way into Grandview?
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[kansasrockchalk]

So they are paving it all the way from the Grandview highway to the dam?

If this is the case, it will be worth the wait.
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[Bassnbob]

That's some good news, I wouldn't take my boat on that dirt road to begin with. If they pave it that would be a big time saver.

I'm sure the road by Simplot to the river is still open, Avery. That's the way I've been going with my boat but I haven't been there yet this year.
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[StacyR]

Yeah, the road by the Simplot complex is where they have the marked detour.

The signs they have up for the road closing and the detour are staked and not just set up with sandbags, so it looks like the road will be closed for awhile. I hope that means they've started the paving project.

Not sure how much of the road they'll be paving, but I hope all of it. Going down Strike Dam Road as opposed to the detour shaves a good 20 miles off the round trip.
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[PACKFAN]

Wondering how many will going sailing off that curve into space once they get it paved and up their MPH substantially.[crazy]
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[StacyR]

The speed limit on that road is already pretty high. It's 40 MPH. Considering how rough it is, unless you're going pretty fast it's like driving over a washboard.

I imagine once it's paved, there will be warning signs and guard rails to prevent people from slipping over the edge.

Now if they'd just pave the dirt road to Cottonwood Campground... Some of those holes are almost big enough to fish in when it rains.
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[StacyR]

YAAAAAAY!

Did some poking around online, and found:

http://apps.itd.idaho.gov/apps/MediaMana...px?Id=2426

[left]February 10, 2010[/left]
Contact:
Reed Hollinshead
Public Information Specialist
(208) 334-8881

June Sparks
Public Information Specialist
(208) 334-8003


[left]FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE[/left]

[left]Road to C.J. Strike Reservior in Elmore County to be rebuilt and paved starting this spring or summer[/left]

[left]BOISE - The Dam Cutoff Road carrying recreational traffic to the C.J. Strike Reservoir area in Elmore County will be paved in a project beginning this spring or summer.
[/left]

Western Construction Inc. of Boise is the apparent low bidder on the project. In the bid opening Tuesday, their bid of $1.86 million was the lowest of five contractor's bids submitted.

The Idaho Transportation Department cautions that the road will be closed during construction, which is expected to take 5-6 months.

This route is one way to get to C.J. Strike, but possibly the least-common route. However, the improvements will make it a more desirable route, and will shorten the trip from Mountain Home to the dam.


The Strike Dam Cutoff Road currently is a two-lane unpaved rural route in rolling terrain. The project begins at the intersection of Idaho 67 and extends about one-quarter mile north of the C.J. Strike Dam, from about milepost 100-107.

The paving is designed to provide a safer route, and save on annual maintenance costs

This project is locally sponsored by the Mountain Home Highway District.
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[mudsucker]

This road is the only way I ever went. Do I keep going straight past this blocked road now and end up at the dam?
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[StacyR]

You just drive further down until you get to the Simplot property, which is on the corner of S Hayland Rd. Take a left and drive until the road comes to a T, then take another left and drive about five miles. It turns into E Rim Road, which comes out between the bridge and the north boat launch. It's all marked with detour signs, so you shouldn't get lost.
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[mudsucker]

Thanks. We'll be headed for crappie soon.
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[Bassnbob]

I never thought they would pave Simco Road because the businesses in Mt Home would lose customers but they did. Now they're going to pave Strike Dam Road, all I can say is WOW, this is awesome. [cool]
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[slow-troll]

Thirty years ago I took my first trip to C.J. I went from Boise and took Simplot road and then the Dam road. My boat had enough dirt in it to plant 'taters but I had saved a few cents on gas and managed to pick up some "free" onions along the way. For those of you that can use the new paved route this is one time that tax money went to a good cause. Enjoy...Mike
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[basskikker]

haha, i took strike dam road once when it was dark and snowing and swore i would never drive it again, i thought i wouldn't make it down. does any one know if they are adding guard rails to strike dam road too?
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[StacyR]

Yeah, I only took that road going towards the dam in the dark once, and that was in summer. After that I said never again. Can't imagine what it must have been like in the dark while it was snowing. When I was talking to the ranger, he said he was shocked that they only had one rig that they knew of go over the edge.

It says in the press release that one of the goals is to make the road a safer route, so I'd be surprised if they weren't putting in guard rails.
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[BorntoFish01]

I spoke to some IPC folks when I was out there a week or so ago. Yeah, they're going to pave the road, but they commented that they'll run out of money before they get it completed this go around. I think they said that they'd get some where around 3-4 miles paved from the dam area before the wallet is empty.
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[Wombat911]

Well 3-4 miles is way better than none.
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