A major rockslide has been threatening Skagway’s busiest cruise ship dock in recent years. Numerous industry experts were in town recently to present options for long-term mitigation. None of the choices were easy or cheap.
A rockslide above Railroad Dock in 2022 prompted a study by the geological firm Shannon & Wilson. That report stated the firm’s opinion that “the slide mass will eventually fail and the consequences of such failure will be catastrophic in nature with significant risks to life and property.”
Since then, the municipality has been doing routine scaling work, which is basically removing loose rock. Crews installed additional fencing and netting and instruments to measure ground movement. During tourist season, they send someone up the mountain each morning to take photographs. But these are all short-term solutions.
“Nobody wants the big failure to happen and then not be ready for it,” said Kyle Brennan, project manager for Shannon & Wilson.
Brennan said the mountain needs long-term mitigation.
“We’re able to keep track of what’s happening up there. And right now, we have safe operation of the facility at the bottom,” he said. “But it’s time to move forward and take care of this larger hazard with these unstable rock masses at the top of the slope.”
Shannon & Wilson presented four options. Option one concedes that the rock is too difficult to move and will therefore remain in place. The dock and everything below would be moved to a safer distance. Option two is excavating the unstable rock and sending it down the slope, to be collected and hauled away. Option three leaves the rock mass in place and attempts to stabilize it. Brennan says this would be a “case study.” Option four would excavate the rock mass and move it up the slope, leaving it on the mountain.
The team strongly prefers option two.
“We’re looking at modifications to the dock,” Brennan said. “But for the most part, it’s just simply excavation and removal and letting gravity move the rock for part of it, and then picking it up and putting it somewhere else. This seems to be like our lowest risk option right now.”
The municipality was awarded a nearly $20 million grant for the project from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. But a majority of that money has evaporated under President Donald Trump’s administration, leaving only the funds for the design part of the project.
However the municipality chooses to move forward, and however they manage to pay for the project, Brennan said removing the rock won't be easy.
“It’s a tender site,” he said. “The last thing I want to do is stand up here in front of you guys in a couple years and try to explain why everything went sideways.”
Skagway resident Lynne Davison was one of many listening to the presentation.
“And so I hear you talking about these alternatives and when the decision is made,” she said. “But how and who? How is that decision going to be made?”
Brennan said the firm would not choose a plan independently.
“The city will be involved with that decision. And ultimately will likely be the ones to make that decision based on our input and based on all of your input,” he said.
Brennan said there would be at least two more public meetings before the construction phase. If funding is procured, that could start in 2026 and would take place between tourist seasons.
Project options can be found at Skagway.org.