Last week, the contractor worked on setting up two staging areas on the east side of the slide—one at the Bear Cave area (Mile 44.8) and one at Mile 44. They also began installing geotechnical monitoring instruments in the slide area and gathered a baseline topographic survey.
This week, material will be hauled from the Tek Pit to the Mile 44 staging area. This will take place at night to minimize traffic on the road. During the daytime, survey work at the slide will continue.
The park road closure for construction remains in place. Blasting activity will occur in mid-August, with an expanded closure area for public safety. Backcountry access around the enlarged closure area may be more challenging during this short-term closure. Anyone planning a backcountry visit in mid-August is encouraged to contact the park backcountry office at (907) 683-9590 for updated information.
One of the geotechnical monitoring instruments.
Photo courtesy of FHWA
Looking up the slide from below.Photo courtesy of FHWA