Avalanche work brings intermittent closures to Atigun Pass on the Dalton Highway

State highway crews are bringing down avalanches on purpose Friday above Atigun Pass, the 4,800-foot Brooks Range crossing on the Dalton Highway. Drivers should expect intermittent closures and delays from noon to 4 pm.

The work covers Milepost 241 to Milepost 245, the stretch of road around the pass. Crews are bringing down snow from the avalanche starting zones on the slopes above the road, according to an Alaska 511 alert. The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities says it can't predict how long each delay will last, but they typically run about 45 minutes, and longer delays are possible.

The department's crews use military artillery and other methods to trigger avalanches on the Dalton, Seward and Richardson highways. When they fire artillery, the Federal Aviation Administration issues temporary flight restrictions overhead. The alert doesn't say what method crews are using Friday.

Most of the Dalton's traffic is commercial trucks hauling fuel, equipment and supplies to the North Slope oil fields. The highway stays open year-round, but avalanches at Atigun Pass can temporarily close it and leave travelers stranded for days, the department warns.

Where the department uses artillery, rounds occasionally fail to explode, and the department asks anyone who finds one in the mountains not to touch it. Instead, they should mark the spot from a safe distance and report it.

Road conditions are posted at 511.alaska.gov or by calling 511.