Rockslide forces extended closure of South Lakeshore Road in Chelan

CHELAN - State Route 971/South Lakeshore Road remains closed indefinitely following a significant rockslide that occurred in early March, with officials warning that the closure could extend for several more weeks.

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) confirmed that both lanes of the roadway have been completely covered with rock and debris at milepost 10.7, between Lake Chelan State Park (milepost 9.1) and the intersection of Scenic Ranch Lane (milepost 11.5), west of the junction with US 97A near Chelan.

According to WSDOT officials, the initial rockslide occurred before sunrise on Monday, March 3, with a second slide following late that same evening. The catchment basin designed to contain falling debris has been completely filled.

"Throughout last week, rocks continued to fall, and the slope continued to have active rockfall," WSDOT reported in a statement.

Of particular concern are several large boulders positioned approximately 50-60 feet above the roadway that were exposed by the slide. Officials estimate there is about 1,200-1,400 yards of material from the slide, with some rocks too large to haul away without breaking them down first.

A geotechnical review has been completed, with teams meeting on site last week and again on Wednesday, March 12 to discuss potential solutions. Officials are currently reviewing options based on funding feasibility.

"The team must first consider the safety of reopening the road," WSDOT stated. "During the onsite review, large overhanging rocks were identified still on the slope above the slide. These will need to be removed by scaling. That means having a skilled contractor remove them by hand."

Complicating matters is the arrival of spring, which typically brings increased rockslide activity due to wet and thawing conditions. The season also brings more travelers to the Chelan Valley and Lake Chelan State Park, raising safety concerns.

While officials have considered creating a single-lane passage with automated signals, they expressed concern that "the continued potential for additional large rocks falling from high up the slope and the barriers being unable to contain them... would put anyone traveling through that lane at risk."

A complete repair to reduce the risk of rockfall would be costly. "Repairing the entire section to significantly reduce the risk of rockfall is estimated to cost in the millions of dollars. A project of that scope is not currently funded," WSDOT explained.

Local traffic is being detoured on SR 971 Navarre Coulee Road. Officials emphasized that for safety reasons, travelers should not attempt to go around closure points.

"We recognize that this detour adds miles to commutes and school bus trips," WSDOT acknowledged, while reiterating that "any fix is dependent on contractor and funding availability."