UPDATE: The Idaho Transportation Department has cleared the roadway between Idaho City and Lowman on State Highway 21 following an avalanche that made the road inaccessible on Jan. 11.
(Original Story)
State Highway 21 will remain closed between Grandjean Junction and Banner Summit through the weekend following an avalanche that occurred Thursday evening, according to the Idaho Transportation Department.
Depending on weather conditions, ITD's avalanche team plans to drop explosives on Sunday within the 11 miles of avalanche paths along SH-21.
"These explosives will test the snowpack behavior," according to an ITD press release. "Once the team determines it to be stable, the Lowman maintenance team will begin cleanup."
The avalanche happened at approximately 9 p.m. on Thursday. Four vehicles including one from the Custer County Sheriff's Office were traveling through the avalanche-prone section at the time.
A truck was pushed by the snow, but there were no injuries and no vehicles were buried. Everyone at the scene was able to get into the deputy's vehicle and drive out of the area safely. A separate car, traveling in the opposite direction, tried to drive over the debris field and got stuck. ITD used a loader to get their vehicle out and back on the road in the opposite direction.
