Over 200 people stranded due to Squamish forestry road washout
Posted June 30, 2014 10:48 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
SQUAMISH (NEWS1130) – Some campers in the Squamish area are getting extended camping time, thanks to a washed out road.
The Squamish Valley Forest Service Road was hit by a torrent of mud and water sometime Saturday night or yesterday morning.
Luckily nobody was hurt, but the impassable road comes at an inconvenience for the backcountry campers, says Ryan Wainright, emergency program manager for the district.
“There are about 250 people in a group camp beyond the slide. Squamish Search and Rescue along with the RCMP and the Ministry of Forests went out by helicopter, spoke to the group, and made sure they were safe and had everything they needed,” he explains.
“Yesterday, they cleared a pedestrian access. They’ll be working today to widen that out to make sure that we can get some vehicles through by this afternoon. Then, hopefully, those folks will be on their way home by then,” he adds.
“The folks beyond the slide were given the opportunity to walk out and be bussed back into Squamish. But everyone opted to stay at their camp for another night,” says Wainright.
Mud Creek, which runs along the forest road, is prone to flooding and the area was hit with recent heavy rains.
The road should be restored by this afternoon.
