seeley lake

A trails project planned in Seeley Lake has raised the concerns of some area residents, and Missoula County this week took steps to assuage their concerns.

Missoula County’s recent support for a new system of trails for mechanized vehicles on federal land near Seeley Lake has drawn criticism from conservation groups and individuals.

Project partners are banking on the trail system's potential to draw visitors to Seeley Lake and help boost the local economy, which took a significant hit when Pyramid Mountain Lumber closed last year.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reports the tremblor hit just before 4:45 a.m. approximately 16 miles northeast of town.

Nearly four months after Pyramid Mountain Lumber announced its plans to end operations and close its gates, Missoula Economic Partnership remains hopeful that a buyer will emerge before the mill is dismantled.

With less than three weeks to find a buyer for a Seeley lumber mill, some Missoula legislators are asking the state land board for some leadership in keeping the mill open.

Hours after Pyramid Mountain Lumber announced its plans to wind down operations on Thursday night, Missoula County and a number of other concerned partners arranged an emergency meeting in hopes of finding a solution.

One of Missoula County's last remaining lumber mills on Thursday evening announced its plans to close, ending a run that began in 1949.

The closure is effective immediately following an inspection by the Montana Department of Transportation, which found the bridge can longer carry traffic “safely or reliably,” the county said.

The Lolo National Forest is proposing a large treatment project north of Seeley Lake, but a new federal process will limit public comment to initial scoping only.