According to a press release from Mitch Shaw, senior communication manager with the Utah Department of Transportation, a section of S.R. 39 — known as the Monte Cristo Highway — will close in the coming days due to the impending winter season.

“The Monte Cristo Highway, also known as State Route 39, will close at noon on Wednesday, Nov. 27 between milepost 37, just east of Huntsville near Ant Flat Road, and milepost 56 near Woodruff in Rich County,” the release said.

The release adds that there are alternative routes that people can use.

“During the closure, motorists who would use the Monte Cristo Highway to pass the Monte Cristo summit should use either U.S. Highway 89 through Logan Canyon, or a combination of Utah S.R. 16, Wyoming S.R. 89, Interstate 80 and Interstate 84 to access communities east and west of the highway,” the release said.

Monte Cristo isn’t the only highway that will see this sort of closure in the region.

“Northern Utah’s other alpine highway, The Big Mountain Highway, or S.R. 65, closed for the season on Nov. 14,” the release said. “That closure is in effect between milepost 3, north of the Emigration Canyon turn-off in eastern Salt Lake County, and milepost 13, which is about 2 miles south of the East Canyon State Park in Morgan County. Motorists who normally use the Big Mountain Highway should use I-84 and S.R. 66 from Morgan, or S.R. 65 from I-84 at Henefer to access the East Canyon recreation area.”

The press release cited safety and cost as factors in the annual closure of these stretches of road.

“Due to their high elevations, these two routes can be hit with extreme snowfall in a matter of hours,” the release said. “When UDOT closes the two highways, they will remain out of service until at least spring. Winter maintenance on the roads is expensive and because of the chances of a swift, incoming heavy snowstorm, motorist safety is a concern during the winter months.”

The roadways will reopen fully in May if conditions permit, but could remain closed longer.