Rockslide puts boulder in lane on North Tongass Hwy near mile 5

A boulder landed in the travel lane at mile 5 North Tongass Highway on Tuesday night, forcing two-way traffic to route around the slide.

Law enforcement reported the rockslide at 10:30 p.m. AKDT on July 7. The National Weather Service Juneau automated storm report system relayed the report, placing the slide 28 miles east-southeast of Kasaan. "Bolder reported in lane with two way traffic routed around slide," the NWS Juneau bot iembot_ajk posted to X.

As of the time of the report, Alaska DOT&PF's Southcoast Region and Ketchikan Gateway Borough had not issued public statements on whether the lane had been cleared, whether additional slope instability was present, or whether any structures or utilities were at risk. Drivers should check Alaska 511 before traveling the corridor.

A Road Already Under Repair

North Tongass Highway has seen significant slope failures in recent years. A major landslide on March 20, 2025 covered both lanes near Wolfe Point, cutting off road access to the north end of Revillagigedo Island. The Ketchikan Gateway Borough noted at the time that a two-lane bypass opened March 26, 2025 and "remains open to traffic while stabilization efforts and full roadway repairs progress."

The steep, forested terrain along Revillagigedo Island's road corridor has a documented history of slope failures. Whether Tuesday's slide is isolated or signals additional instability at mile 5 would require assessment by DOT&PF geotechnical staff.