Skagway issues an emergency declaration due to rockslides

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Rockslides this summer are costing Skagway money, and creating a safety hazard for workers and passengers exiting cruise ships.

The small Southeast community issued an emergency declaration after a rockslide hit the White Pass Railroad Dock. In June, a slide hit the same area shutting down the dock to traffic and causing costly damage.

Following the June rockslide, environmental consultants analyzed the area in question and said it’s a significant risk for catastrophic failure. The consultants suggested a controlled excavation to reshape the slope.

“We estimate we’re going to lose about 30 ships, that’s around 100,000 passengers, give or take,” Skagway Mayor Andrew Cremata said on Wednesday. “We’re estimating for the municipality 30% losses for this budget cycle.”

Since the slides damaged the railroad dock where the cruise lines park their ships, passengers are being tendered to a small boat harbor, and the city is doing everything they can to get ships and passengers into Skagway to help alleviate the economic hit they’ve already taken.

“I have one business owner who owns a large restaurant in Skagway, and they were saying they had to lay off 16 People, $75,000 a week in financial losses, just for the restaurant, not including the losses from the seasonal housing,” Cremata said. “So that’s just one business, and I’m hearing from other businesses depending on where they’re at and who your market is, losses can be anywhere from 50% to 5% and 10%.”

The city said it’s continuing to study the mountain and develop a mitigation plan.

Copyright 2022 KTUU. All rights reserved.