Landslide - USA

GLIDE CODE: LS-20060822-7283-USA
Date & Time: 2006.08.22 - 10:59:26
Area: USA Alaska, Crow Pass, ( MAP)

Description:

A significant landslide carrying boulders the size of SUVs blocked Crow Creek Road Monday afternoon and trapped about 30 people at Crow Pass trail head near Girdwood, according to a Forest Service spokeswoman. No one was hurt when the mud and rocks slid around 2 p.m., but the road leading to the trail head is closed and will take a long time to clear, Chugach National Forest spokeswoman Rebecca Talbott said. The hikers and berry pickers stuck at the trail head could walk to their cars, but the slide blocked the road below and they were unable to drive around it. Talbott said she couldn’t estimate how long it would take to clear the road. Girdwood Volunteer Fire Chief Bill Chadwick was with the hikers at the trail head, and Forest Service and fire officials were trying to determine how to get the people out Monday afternoon, Talbott said. Chadwick said in a cell phone call that the slide was too dangerous to walk over. Boulders and other debris were still falling ! and the slide was unstable, he said. Heavy rains over the past week contributed to the slide, he said. Officials were considering calling for a helicopter to evacuate the people, but first they were working with private property owners below the slide to see if they could cut some brush and create a new trail on which people could walk out, Talbott said. All the homes on Crow Creek Road were below the slide, so those residents can get out.