Dempster Highway could be closed 'several days,' Yukon gov't says
Damage from Wednesday's heavy rains worse than initially thought
The Yukon government says the Dempster Highway is in worse shape than initially thought after Wednesday's heavy rains, and it could be days before it's reopened to traffic.
Officials said earlier that there were five washed-out sections of the road between the Tombstone Mountains and the N.W.T. border. They've since confirmed "several more."
"In some cases, the whole road has washed away," said Doris Wurfbaum of the Department of Highways and Public Works.
Crews were initially hoping to have at least one lane reopened sometime on Thursday, but Wurfbaum said it's clear now that won't happen.
"This will likely take several days before repairs can be made, and the road reopened," she said.
"Due to the amount and turbulent nature of the water, this work cannot begin until the water recedes."
16 hours stuck in a minivan
Wednesday's heavy rains caught some drivers unprepared. Kevin Vallely was heading up the highway toward Inuvik, N.W.T., in his minivan on Wednesday when he found himself trapped between washouts.
"I got basically stuck out there. The road washed out in front of me, and behind me, and I was stuck," he said.
"So I spent the night last night — 16 hours in fact — in my vehicle, at a spot waiting for one section of water to drop down so I could escape."
Eventually the water did drop enough for Vallely to retreat to Dawson City.
"It got down to about a foot deep, and I kind of held my breath and just rammed it across it, and I made it."
Now he's still waiting in Dawson, anxious to reach his family in Inuvik, where they completed an epic canoe trip. Vallely had to retrieve the car in Hay River, because it couldn't be delivered on time by barge.
"This adventure never ends," he said.
