Why does this happen so often on the left coast?

ktmrfs wrote:

wilber1 wrote:
...if your on or see a FS road. If the sign has the road numbers horizontal, the road should be passenger car passable in good weather. If the sign has the road numbers Vertical, then it is designated as high clearance 4wd passable. that should be clue #1.

And in the case of "high clearance" roads, the top of the sign will in most cases have the connecting passenger passable roadway number labeled horizontally in smaller type on the top.

That is the design level of the road. Unfortunately, budget cuts have forced the FS to defer road maintenance. So the horizontal road numbers may be a road that has not seen a blade or brushing in several years (the profits from timber sales used to finance much of the road and trail maintenance. No more timber sales means no more road/trail funds).

Each region of the Forest Service has a different number scheme for their roads. Region 5 (basically California) uses PLSS Townships for most roads, and PLSS Ranges for trails. Other regions use different. Figure out the local road numbering scheme and you can determine where the road goes and what other roads it connects with. Private timber companies will have their own road numbering system separate from the FS, even on the same road -- can be very confusing to the uninitiated.