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Show Contact BLM Before Giong Into SE Utah Back Country High water throughout Southern I'tah has caused caus-ed Bureau of Land Management Man-agement officials to caution anyone planning trips into back country areas. Before anyone plans a back-pack, off-road vehicle or other trip off hard surface roads they should contact the BLM district office responsible respon-sible for the area in which they wish to travel, according to Robert D. Xielson, BLM State Director for Utah. For example, Morgan S. Jensen, BLM Knab District Manager reported re-ported that Paria River is running shoulder-deep shoulder-deep through the narrows of that canyon and present conditions likely will persist for a couple of w eeks at least. A permit from BLM to hike through Paria Canyon Can-yon is required and several sev-eral requests this spring have had to be denied because of the hazardous high waters. In other Southern Utah canyons, Mr. Nielson pointed out, water temperature tem-perature is in the 40's and any prolonged wading in these streams --which sometimes is necessary in the narrow canyons --would be un- rnmfnrtahle In Southeastern Utah, Frank C. Shields, BLM Monticello District Manager, reported that some of that district still is very muddy and quicksand areas are a danger. In addition, run off from the high mountains mount-ains in Southeast Utah has not reached its peak and the excessive wet conditions are expected to continue for several weeks. The Monticello area has received more moisture this year since January 1 than usually is received in an entire en-tire year, Mr. Shields said. Mr. Nielson added that many back country dirt roads in Utah which normally are dry and passable by this time of year are still wet, muddy and even snow- covered at higher elevations. ele-vations. The Easter weekend week-end traditionally is the start of the outdoor season sea-son in many parts of Utah so Mr. Nielson advised ad-vised persons going into the outdoors of precautions precau-tions they should take when traveling into the back country this Spring. In addition to getting advance information inform-ation from the appropriate approp-riate BLM district, office, persons deciding to make any trip should be certain they take adequate ad-equate clothing, carry necessar.v tools for emergencies em-ergencies and also notify someone of their planned itinerary. BLM district offices in Utah are in Cedar City, Fillmore, Kanab, Monticello, Price, Richfield, Vernal and at 1750 South Redwood Road, Salt Lake City. |