Photo credit: Social media, via Denise Caposey
By THE ALASKA STORY
Aug. 11, 2026 – Gov. Mike Dunleavy has reached out to Yukon Premier Currie Dixon to offer Alaska’s assistance in clearing a massive landslide that has shut down the South Klondike Highway, severing the main road connection between the Yukon and Skagway.
The slide occurred Tuesday evening near the Yukon Suspension Bridge in northern British Columbia, about 23 kilometers north of the Canada-U.S. border. Rock and debris completely covered the highway, forcing officials to close the route between kilometers 24 and 106.
At least one tour bus carrying cruise ship passengers was reportedly stranded on the Canadian side of the slide Tuesday evening, unable to return to the passengers’ ship in Skagway. There were no initial reports of injuries.
The Skagway Police Department issued an alert at about 6:50 pm Yukon time saying the highway had been fully blocked.
Yukon Highways and Public Works confirmed the closure shortly afterward, saying crews were assessing the area and mobilizing equipment. A fire department was also dispatched in case additional support was needed.
“The road is expected to be closed overnight,” the department said in its initial update. “We will provide the next update as more information becomes available.”
No estimated reopening time had been announced.
The closure has consequences extending beyond travelers and the busy summer cruise industry. Skagway is an important port and supply point for the Yukon, including for fuel trucks that routinely carry petroleum products north from the community. An extended closure could interrupt those deliveries and other commercial traffic moving between Southeast Alaska and Canada.
Dunleavy’s outreach reflects the close working relationship between Alaska and the Yukon. In May, Dunleavy and Dixon signed a renewed Alaska-Yukon Intergovernmental Relations Accord emphasizing cooperation on cross-border infrastructure, ports, tourism, trade and emergency response.
The two leaders agreed at the time to remain in close contact and establish a Northern Transportation Engineering Initiative intended to improve collaboration on shared transportation concerns. The accord also recognized the importance of coordinating port priorities and supporting cross-border tourism. Read the Yukon government’s announcement here.
The South Klondike Highway is Skagway’s only direct highway connection to Canada. It is heavily traveled during the summer by tour buses, private vehicles, commercial trucks and cruise passengers taking excursions into British Columbia and the Yukon.
A major slide along the route in July 2024 also stranded travelers and required a multi-day closure before limited traffic could resume. The size of Tuesday’s slide and the stability of the mountainside will likely determine how quickly crews can safely reopen the road.
Travelers should monitor Yukon 511, Yukon Highways and Public Works, and alerts from the Skagway Police Department for the latest information.
