Yukon’s South Klondike Highway, located south of Carcross, has been partially reopened to traffic on Thursday afternoon, with a caution that closure could occur unexpectedly. The highway had been shut down for almost 48 hours due to rock slides that occurred on Tuesday, causing debris to block the road between Carcross and the British Columbia border.
Officials from the Yukon highway department announced that the highway would be accessible from 1:30 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, with single-lane alternating traffic and reduced speed limits. Commuters were advised to anticipate delays as maintenance crews continue their operations in the vicinity.
Bailey Moreton, from the Department of Highways and Public Works, explained that a temporary detour has been arranged around the landslide area to facilitate the flow of traffic. The highway is scheduled to fully reopen the following day from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., but will close again during overnight hours.
Moreton emphasized the possibility of sudden closures due to slope instability issues or adverse weather conditions, urging drivers to monitor 511Yukon for real-time updates. Theron Finley, a surficial geologist from the Yukon Geological Survey, visited the slide site with a colleague to investigate the incident using drones to analyze the starting point of the slide high up on the slope.
Noting the localized nature of the slides, Finley attributed them to heavy rainfall in the area. He observed multiple slides on a nearby peak, with two debris flows reaching the highway. The section of the highway near the slide area is identified as particularly prone to such incidents due to the steep terrain along the roadside.
Finley stressed the importance of documenting and understanding these occurrences to collaborate with other government sectors in mitigating geological risks.