Mudslide near Sheep Mountain Lodge coincides with bike race

GLACIER VIEW — The persistent rainfall that has enveloped most of Southcentral so far this summer is believed to be the cause of a Thursday afternoon mudslide near Mile 113 of the Glenn Highway and close to Sheep Mountain Lodge.

Many local residents and racers gathered for last weekend’s Fireweed 400 bicycle race observed the slide firsthand, as the wall of ooze and debris made its way down the mountainside and across an airstrip. Local residents said it had rained in the area for the past three weeks. The lodge is the starting point for the Fireweed 400, a series of bike races highlighted by the 400-mile trip to Valdez and back. That race took place Saturday during, at times, heavy rain.

The slide, estimated to be six-feet deep in some spots, almost claimed a parked plane on the airstrip. A Super Cub owned by Sheep Mountain Lodge proprietor Mark Fleenor was parked as the debris field traversed the runway. He was able to hop in and free the rig just before the moving mud, rocks and trees became too deep.

The plane wasn’t the only thing stuck in the ooze. Neighbor John Alexa, known throughout the region as “The Volvo Doctor,” owns property between the lodge and the airstrip. An estimated 80 vehicles kept for parts were partially buried by the slide. End-loaders and other large construction rigs were called in and were kept busy Friday, moving the cars before the mud set up.

Many Fireweed 400 participants typically use the location for camping prior to the race start. In addition to the “big” race to Valdez and back, the shorter Fireweed 200, 100 and 50 races also began Saturday morning. By the time the flow stopped, it had enveloped one end of the airstrip.

The mud river remained impassable on foot or vehicle throughout the weekend, forcing racers to take a short detour along the Glenn Highway. Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities officials said neither the highway nor traffic was affected by the slide.

The area seems prone to such slides. Approximately seven years ago, a smaller slide was reported in nearly the same location. In February 2013, a large landslide occurred near Mile 94 of the highway. The avalanche of mostly rock debris was described by local residents as looking like part of the mountain letting go. By the time the tumbling ceased, the debris field left a mile-plus long streak of black down the mountainside visible from miles away. That particular slide was believed to have been caused by a deep failure in the underlying bedrock and occurred on state land. No injuries or damage was reported.

National Weather Service forecasters say the persistent wet weather experienced so far this summer is expected to continue this week. After a forecasted brief respite today and Thursday, scattered rain is forecast for the area into at least early next week.

Contact reporter Chris Ford at 352-2270 or chris.ford@frontiersman.com