BOISE COUNTY, Idaho — State Highway 21 was closed in both directions from Grandjean to Banner Summit Wednesday morning due to avalanches, the Idaho Transportation Department reported. ITD removed the closure notice from the Idaho 511 site at about 11:30 a.m., and has confirmed that the highway is open again.
The closure was on the 12-mile stretch of Highway 21 known as "Avalanche Alley," as about 90% of avalanches that affect highway travel in Idaho happen there.
"According to our teams, we had five minor slides on the roadway, but all have been cleared," an ITD communications staff member said Wednesday afternoon.
The closure cut off the main route between Lowman and Stanley.
As warmer weather leads to snowmelt, natural and human-triggered wet snow avalanches are possible where sunshine or heat melt frozen surface crusts, the Sawtooth Avalanche Center warns.
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