Idaho mining town landlocked by landslide

[Underburden]

Imagine living in an old mining town with only one road in and out (no through roads)
Now how would you feel when a tremendous land slide blocks the road.
It happened in Elk City Idaho last week. A handfull of locals are using snow machines to ferry mail and medicines using old forest service roads. The two local stores are quickly running out of food.
A Facebook page has been established. To view some scary pics and an onsite video as it happened,
click HERE.
Bob

 

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[goldenIrishman]

Reminds me of when our town was landlocked by storms and flooding some years ago. HUGE boulders down on two of the four ways in and out of town and the other two flooded to the point of being impassable. It was of course caused by El Nino but it was in S.California. At least it got me out of work for a couple of days.

 

[Beans]

Why don't the locals hop on the snow machines and get out instead of living that way.

 

[galenrog]

There are about a half dozen small communities affected by this slide. By its size, I would guess about a week or two to properly clear debris and stabilize the hillside. Similar things happen rather frequently.

 

[Underburden]

That spot will never be 100% safe. It will take a death before they move the road to the opposite side of the river for a short distance.

 

[ebuyc]

I doubt they will build any new bridges

My father worked for the ITD for several decades and bridge maintenance and testing is a huge cost for the state. It would take a lot of press and politics after some terrible tragedy to get the funding approved for a new bridge to an area like Elk City.

Sorry for my pessimism.. it would be nice to straighten out the road some lol



My 2 bits...

 

[NoBudgetMining]

Death alley! Was this above hanging rock?

 

[Goldfleks]

Time to get your sample pan, that's Virgin soil!

 

[Underburden]

NoBudgetMining
The hanging rock is at mile 28. The slide was at mile 39, right where AMRA have their claims.

 

[Underburden]

Goldfleks,
There are many visible quartz veins in that stretch of highway. Mile 14.5 has an exposed ancient river bed 50 feet above the highway that I'd love to crawl up and take a sample.
Bob

 

[Hoser John]

Check with your Highway dept as in most states 100' from the road or bridges-aka "adjacent and subadjacent support" cannot be affected by mining or tickets/fines abound. Use caution. John

 

[Rutnbuck]

Best of luck to all the town folks. I hope they get the road cleared in short order with out incident!! One of my favorite rivers to fish and dredge. I will be headed up there in a few weeks to wet a fly. I decided they best have things in order by the time I get there. Good luck to all involved.

 

[Underburden]

Check with your Highway dept as in most states 100' from the road or bridges-aka "adjacent and subadjacent support" cannot be affected by mining or tickets/fines abound. Use caution. John

John, you mean like this? I believe the claimant works for IDT as he had official "Men Working Ahead" signs posted pre and post this location. Again, this was located just prior to the slide area. I had to laugh when I saw his yellow mining claim sign so close to the white fog line. He worked it most of last summer.

 

[Hitndahed]

Why don't the locals hop on the snow machines and get out instead of living that way.

========================================
Looks like a LANDSLIDE to me.

 

[Rutnbuck]

I sure enjoyed your web page Underburden. Thanks. Now I am torn between my pan and my fly rod. Hope your medical conditions are improving. Best of luck Rut

 

[motohed]

I was just wondering if they cleaned it up yet ? It looks like they should get rid of that boulder also .