Landslide closes Robert Service Way and surrounding trails in Whitehorse

Traffic in Whitehorse will be difficult for anyone looking to get in and out of the city for the Easter long week after a landslide on the escarpment early Saturday morning forced a section of Robert Service Way to be closed until further notice.

Reports of a landslide came shortly after 1 a.m., city officials said in a statement on Saturday. The landslide crossed the road north of the pile wall in downtown Whitehorse, according to the statement.  

The landslide left one section of the traffic lane — the one closer to the escarpment —  completely covered with mud, rocks and trees. The walking path along the river didn't get impacted. 

"City crews are currently on site and there are no reports of injuries as a result," the statement read. 

The statement said As a result, Robert Service Way has been closed from the softball diamonds to the traffic circle on 4th Avenue, according to the statement. Portions of the Millennium Trail, the Upper Escarpment Trail and trails along the lower escarpment have also been closed. 

The landslide came less than a year after a similar incident happened on April 30, 2022.

At the time, officials had explained that the area around the slide was unstable due to ice underneath the mud that melted due to the warmer temperatures. The 2022 landslide saw the road shut down for several weeks. 

No information, however, was shared on Saturday about how the two landslides compare. Some experts recently warned that this was the time to start paying attention to the area and make plans for the spring to avoid another incident. 

Nobody from the City of Whitehorse was available to talk on Saturday, but the city told CBC News it will provide updates as more details come through.