A string of mudslides has blocked the South Klondike Highway south of Carcross, Yukon, disrupting travel between the territory and Skagway, a community in southeast Alaska. The closure spans from kilometre 106 to 24, effectively shutting down the highway route from Carcross into northern British Columbia all the way to the U.S.-Canada border. The Yukon Department of Highways and Public Works made this announcement via a Facebook post on Tuesday evening, indicating the need for assessment work starting Wednesday morning due to multiple mudslides.
Fortunately, no vehicles were caught in the mudslides, according to alerts from the Skagway Police Department. However, at least two cruise ship passenger tour buses are currently stranded as a result of the closure. Reports from the department suggest that it will take some time to clear the mudslides, and there is a possibility that the closure may last for several days. The unstable mountain side poses a challenge for road clearance until a geologist assesses the situation, as mentioned in one of the alerts.
In response to the situation, Skagway police have announced a partial reopening of the highway on Wednesday morning, allowing tours from the international border up to the Yukon-B.C. border. Nonetheless, no traffic will be permitted beyond kilometre 80.