U.S. Forest Service On-Site Coordinator Joe Gibbens has announced that the closure of all public and private access to Monte Cristo has been pushed back a year. Thus the existing county road to the townsite as well as trails off it to Gothic Basin, Glacier Basin, and Silver Lake will be open as normal through 2014. Reasons for delay included the wet spring delaying the resumption of construction on the new access road from Mowich to the bottom of Hap’s Hill, state Department of Ecology approval procedures running into summer, and the need to incorporate cultural resources information into the work plan. During this work season contractors intend to finish the three new bridges on the access route plus other smaller road tasks. This new portion will remain closed to the public through 2014. In addition, sampling wells will be dug at the hazardous materials depository site below town, and sampling will be conducted at the Mystery and Justice mines for possible drainage water treatment. Project benefits from the delay are lower contractor costs and having to place temporary culverts across Glacier Creek a single time rather than twice.