Another proposal for a new mining road through wilderness is gathering public attention, particularly because of its all-season character.

Several parties sought and received an extension to the period reserved for public comments to the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board (YESAB).

Among those seeking the extension was a trapper in the area, the Yukon government's Department of Environment and the Yukon Conservation Society.

Tintina Mines Ltd. is seeking approval for 44 kilometres of new, single-lane road up the existing "Amoco Trail".

It's proposing to add on to the existing 17 kilometres of road running west off the South Canol Road, along the Sidney Creek drainage.

The publicly-traded company headquartered in Toronto wants to do the work in the next 12 months to provide year-round access to its Red Mountain quartz claims, which are in the advanced exploration stage.

Lewis Rifkind, the conservation society's mining observer, said the organization is definitely opposed to an all-season road.

More research into the proposal is needed to flush out what the society's position might be on winter-road access only, but there is no question about its full-out opposition to the existing proposal, he said.

The route outlined by Tintina in its project proposal to YESAB runs through sensitive caribou habitat for both the Southern Lakes and Finlayson herds, he said.

Rifkind said the all-season nature of the application makes matters worse.

This is not an application for all-season access to an operating mine, but to exploration claims at a time when the bottom has fallen out on the world price for molyebdenum, he said.

"Even with the best of intentions, it is hard for a company to keep people out off an all-season road," Rifkind said. "Either you staff it 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, or people will use it."

The assessment board announced last week it is extending the public comment period from Feb. 18 to March 11, and is now advertising a public open-house in Teslin next Wednesday afternoon to review the application.

The board can either recommend approval of the project, reject it, or recommend approval with conditions.

Because this application involves the use of Yukon government land, the final decision is ultimately that of the territorial government, which is not bound by any recommendations from the assessment board.

A proposal in late 2007 by a junior company wanting to build a winter road up the Wind River to freight in supplies for exploration camps sparked the highest number of comments from the public in the YESAB's young history.

YESAB's Mayo office approved a five-year permit for a winter road along what was shown to be an historic transportation route, dating back to the 1950s. The Mayo office recommended numerous conditions. Cash Minerals has yet to build its winter road.

Submissions on the Red Mountain road proposal to date include notification from a placer miner wondering how Tintina plans to build bridges across the Iron, Sidney and Twin creeks, when he plans to divert those creeks this summer to mine for gold.

Rifkind said aside from the ecological concerns, the discrepancy between the two industrial interests emphasizes the importance of completing regional land use exercises across the Yukon.

In its brief submission to the board, the Teslin Tlingit Council notes there are unanswered questions, such as how the proposal will affect the seasonal operation of the South Canol Road, which is only open four months a year.

Presumably, the council writes, if Tintina plans to begin work this winter, there are plans to open up the South Canol earlier.

Transport Canada has indicated in its YESAB submission that the application may require the approval under the federal Navigable Waters Protection Act.

An official with the local Tintina Mines office was out of town and not available for comment.