Giant Avalanches Attack Town aka Our Winter is Screwed (Anchorage: buy, movies)

[tigre79]

The pipeline is buried all through that section, and I don't think any of the pipeline or powerline access roads were affected, except just by the road closure itself. This highway is important because of the terminal and refinery mostly, more than for the town itself, but I think the state would try to move just as quickly if it were the Seward or Sterling.

[starlite9]

Keystone Canyon when I lived in Valdez for three years always got avalanches dropping into it. Sometimes water would back up a bit, but it would blow out at some point, make a small flash flood and be done.

The fact that this time may have more snow isn't such a bad thing, it will get enough water behind it at some point it will blow out the snow and flash flood the rest of the canyon and then road crews can get about removing the snow, unless of course the roadway itself is washed out... Then do what we did a lot of the time, take the Ferry to Whitter and drive to Anchorage from there and have a great trip!

The National news is making this the end of the world for Valdez, but it will only last for a bit and be gone... Just like it had done over centuries past.

In Yakatat some years ago, the Glacier crossed the inlet and trapped the water on the land locked side, there were seals and other critters "Trapped" away from the Ocean, so some "Do gooders", decided to go catch the seals and take them back over to the ocean side and release them.... What they did do is find out the seals can bite really hard, and when they wanted to, they went accross the land to the ocean when they wanted to.... at some point enough freshwater melt blew out the ice and the world was back to normal.

Valdez is just getting a lot of free news feed and the tourist will come to see where this great disaster was at.... Sell T-shirts, "I survived the Valdez ice dam" and make a million bucks....

Or with both hands in the air, pivot in circle on one foot screaming the sky is falling, which in this case it is, it is called snowfall, about 30+ feet a year is normal, more in Thompson pass.

[starlite9]

Originally Posted by TKO

That's great to hear!

I would guess that having the pipeline next to the road ensure it's rebuilt asap no matter what happens. Not sure it is that close to the road along the closed section though.

The pipeline is buried under concrete and gravel from well before Thompson Pass, though Keystone Canyon and comes back up above ground about ten miles south of the road blockage. This isn't even going to be an issue at all.

[Rance]

I like the new "damalanche" title they gave that thing.

[cjg5]

Originally Posted by Rance

Crazy Valdezians!

Location: Valdez-Richardson Highway
Case number: AK1400618
Type: Disorderly Conduct/Obstruction of Hwy

Text: On 1-24-14, the Department of Transportation closed the Richardson Highway from MP 12-64 due to multiple avalanches crossing the road. On 1-25-14, DOT began avalanche control from MP 12-39 using explosives. On the afternoon of 1-25-14, the Valdez Troopers received a call from DOT advising there are two pedestrians that have walked across the 39 mile avalanche and said they were walking to Valdez. They were informed from DOT, and the Troopers, the road was impassible and they were to turn around. DOT was forced to shut down the avalanche work till the two people were in a safe location. After refusing to listen to the direction from DOT and Troopers, both parties were transported to Valdez via helicopter and subsequently arrested. DOT was unable to complete the necessary avalanche work till the next day due to the delay. Troopers identified Donney Carlson 20 YOA and Kristina Clark 22 YOA of Valdez. Both were transported to the Valdez jail and charged with Obstruction of Highway and Disorderly Conduct.

Originally Posted by tigre79

Wow, what a couple of maroons.

Or very smart. Despite the arrest, they made it to their destination via helicopter rather than having to walk all the rest of the way.

[warptman]

Yeah, you can't fix stupid...

http://www.alaskadispatch.com/articl...z-save-her-cat

[tigre79]

Originally Posted by Rance

I like the new "damalanche" title they gave that thing.

Hey Rance, here's something a friend came up with





Here's an ADN story that has just about every photo and video I've seen of this so far: http://www.adn.com/2014/01/29/329728...avalanche.html


This is the best video, though:

[tigre79]

Starlite,

Everyone I've talked to has said that they've never seen anything close to this. Yeah of course Snowslide slides. Usually in late April or Early May, not January. And it sometimes reaches the road, but this went all the way to the canyon wall on the other side 40 feet deep, and had enough material to almost completely block the river. This is, as far as I'm aware, completely unprecedented. Yes, some of the national news reports have been silly and misinformed, but this is definitely not anything close to a normal event.

The fact that this time may have more snow isn't such a bad thing, it will get enough water behind it at some point it will blow out the snow and flash flood the rest of the canyon and then road crews can get about removing the snow,

That scenario is considered extremely unlikely at this point, but I have to wonder why you'd think that a violent flash flood and the ensuing damage to the road, riverbanks, fish spawning habitat, and even potentially homes would not be "such a bad thing."

We have a lot of reasons to want the road open. It's not as if we only leave town to go to Costco in Los Anchorage. People out here primarily recreate, hunt, fish, cut firewood and so on at Thompson Pass or in the Copper Basin. We have friends up there who are much further away right now. And some people's jobs rely on that highway being open. Not only truckers, but the folks out at 19 Mile who need the road open to get to work or get their kids to school. Yes of course, lots of Alaskans don't have a road at all, but they also don't have their lives built around having a road. We're getting by fine for the most part, and most people's lives haven't been impacted much, but let this stretch out for a few months and it would get a lot harder.

As far as free publicity goes, this may well wreck this year's heli-ski season and create bad press for us in that industry for many years to come. Winter tourists are increasingly important here, and I doubt enough summer tourists would come here just because of this to make up for that loss. This is not an economic win for this town. Two years ago when we got nearly record snowfall and very little avalanche activity was the good kind of free press. In this situation, it was not snow but rain that caused this problem. Two weeks of rain in January. It was an issue of abnormal weather for this area, and an especially bad thing for a place like this.

[Rance]

Originally Posted by tigre79

Hey Rance, here's something a friend came up with

Very cool! Looks like a movie poster! Might make a good movie! Damalanche blocks the road, builds a lake, half the town refuses to evacuate, dam breaks, surge is headed for town, but at the last minute the hero of the movie drops out of a helicopter on ski's, races down a steep slope starting an avalanche that diverts the raging torrent of water to the other side of the bay and saves the town, whilst sacrificing himself of course. Oh and the hatchery too. But narrowly misses the Alyeska Pipeline terminal. The end. Roll credits...

Makes 30 days of night look like a "B" movie!

[tigre79]

I like it, Rance! But you took out the hatchery? Where am I supposed to work?!


Here's the latest and greatest:



Water's pretty much in the river channel now, which I guess means off the road. That's what's left! Our DOT buddy who's been up there all week said they should have it open on Sunday. I think I'll go out there Monday at lunchtime to see the carnage!