Seward Hwy reopens following Christmas Eve avalanche

The Seward Highway has been reopened in both directions after an avalanche shut down all lanes of traffic at the Sterling Highway Sunday morning, Alaska State Troopers reported in a traffic alert.

AST reports that there were no injuries and no vehicles were trapped in the avalanche, which had cut off all traffic north of the “Y,” preventing access to Soldotna and Seward for hours.

Reports indicate that the avalanche was three feet deep and hundreds of feet wide on the roadway.

Earlier in the day, AST posted a transit alert for Kenai Peninsula and Anchorage as an avalanche has blocked all lanes of travel on the Seward Highway between mile 36 and 40 near the Sterling Highway Y. The highway will be closed until avalanche debris can be cleared from the roadway.

Meanwhile, a separate avalanche also impacted travel to the north on the Richardson Highway as avalanche debris on the roadway on had closed all lanes in all directions from mile marker 182 to mile marker 200. A quick check on Monday showed all road conditions in the area were fair.

The Chugach National Forest Avalanche Center has also issued an avalanche warning for Girdwood, Portage, Turnagain Pass, Moose Pass, and Seward until 6:00 pm Sunday evening. The backcountry avalanche danger is HIGH as very dangerous avalanche conditions exist, as heavy snowfall and strong winds will create widespread areas of unstable snow. Both human triggered and natural large avalanches are likely. Debris from avalanches above may run into valley bottoms.

Avalanche conditions will remain very dangerous immediately after the snow finishes. Travel in avalanche terrain is NOT recommended. Backcountry travelers should stay off of and out from underneath slopes steeper than 30 degrees. Avalanches may run long distances. Outside of the backcountry, roof avalanches are likely, pay attention to children, people and pets under roofs shedding snow. Similar avalanche danger may exist outside the coverage area of this or any avalanche center. For more information visit www.cnfaic.org.

For more information about road conditions, please check www.511.alaska.gov for the latest information.