Hatcher Pass Road remains closed

The Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation has issued an emergency closure of the East Hatcher Pass Management Area in the Mat-Su Region.

The closure, effective immediately, pertains only to the East Hatcher Pass Management Unit that is managed in cooperation with the Division of Mining, Land and Water. Recent snow events have made the East Hatcher Pass Area dangerous for recreationists and two avalanches have crossed multiple sections of the road leading to the pass.

Hatcher Pass Road has been closed at mile 11 since Tuesday morning.

“The decision to issue a Director’s Order for an emergency closure after the recent weather events in this area is to reinforce to the public that this is a dangerous area to be in right now,” Stuart Leidner, Superintendent of the Mat-Su Region of DPOR, said in a press release. “We are concerned for the safety of anyone who enters the East Hatcher Pass Management Unit in its current condition, including emergency personnel involved in any potential search and rescue operations.”

The Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities is not able to clear the road at this time so the area will be closed until the DOT&PF is able to remove the snow, according to the Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation. The current expectation is that it will be at least two weeks before the road is cleared and re-opened, parks and outdoor recreation officials said. A large berm was erected at Milepost 11 to discourage transportation of any kind beyond that point.