HISTORICAL NEWS SEARCH - Government of British Columbia

connection and emergency communication system was set up between the Fire Hall in Martin Valley and the Townsite
Office. The Harbour Boom Crew set up ferry service to Martin Valley until January 20.
At Bella Bella, a fleet of seiners had been alerted and was standing by to come to assistance if required. The
Department of Highways sent in heavy-duty equipment from Bella Bella and from Andy Widsten's Marine Services,
for use during the excavating. The school reopened on January 18, after a two-day closure. While Martin Valley was
without power and phone communication, transportation was maintained by boat. The road to Martin Valley reopened
on January 19 and on January 20 telephone communication with Martin Valley was restored. The Credit Union
building and the John Buchanan Printing and Photographic Shop were completely destroyed. All the records of the
Credit Union, kept in fire proof file cabinets, were salvaged complete. By January 21, all residents had moved back to
their homes.
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*1) The older residents of Ocean Falls could not remember avalanches reaching the townsite before. The only large
avalanches in memory were two of mixed snow and mud that crossed the Martin Valley road on December 2, 1957.
(Stethem and Schaerer 1980).
February 12-18, 1965
Event type: Fatal avalanche.
Precipitation: Kitimat Townsite (98.0 mm/1 day), February 12, 1965; Stewart (152.4 mm/7 days), February 12-18,
1965; Aiyansh (83.6 mm/2 days), February 16-17, 1965; Falls River (155.7 mm/3 days), February 16-18, 1965;
Kitimat (249.9 mm/3 days), February 16-18, 1965; Kitimat Townsite (114.5 mm/3 days), February 16-18, 1965; Prince
Rupert M. Circ (143.0 mm/3 days), February 16-18, 1965; Tasu Sound (137.2 mm/2 days), February 17-18, 1965;
Prince Rupert A (54.6 mm/1 day), February 18, 1965.
Source: Victoria Daily Times, February 18, 19 and 22, 1965; Northern Sentinel, February 18 and 25, 1965; Prince
Rupert Daily News, February 18, 19, 22, 23, 24 and 25, 1965; The Province, February 22, 1965; Stethem and Schaerer
1979 (pp. 21-25); B.C. Ministry of Mines and Petroleum Resources 1966 (pp. 366-374); Skermer 1976 (pp. 5-8).
On February 18 at 10:16 a.m., an avalanche from the Leduc Glacier hit the camp of the Granduc Mining Co.,
30 km northwest of Stewart near the Alaska border. *1) A similar slide occurred three years previously. The Granduc
disaster was the largest of its kind to have occurred in Canada since the Rogers Pass disaster of 1910 (Stethem and
Schaerer 1979).
The slide was triggered by the weight of the snow that had built up on the mountainside. It destroyed the
southern portion of the camp and the buildings surrounding the portal. Between the camp and the portal all buildings,
including a large powerhouse, a large workshop, and new and old dry buildings, were demolished. A total of 12
buildings were demolished. The property damage at Granduc was in excess of $1 million (Skermer 1976).
For several days before the accident, a sub-arctic storm raged and an estimated 4.3 m of snow fell at the
Granduc Mine. On February 13-14, a blizzard struck the camp, dropping more snow on the 12-18 ft. (3.6-4.8 m) that
covered the area. According to Paul J. Zuest, president of Sentinel Construction Co., about the end of January the snow
had started and it never stopped. “It just piled up. Then when it started to rain recently, the weight built up until it let
go.” On February 15, the freezing level suddenly started to rise, hitting the 7,000-ft. (2,100 m) level on February 17.
On the day of the slide, it was at 6,000 ft. (1,800 m). On February 17 and 18, temperatures in the Smithers area, 100
mi. (160 km) southeast rose to an unusual high of 53 o F (11.7 o C). Between February 16-18, Prince Rupert, 100 mi.
south, recorded 4 in. (100 mm) of rain.
The search for survivors was greatly hampered by the mass of wreckage in the snow. Poor visibility, snow,
fog, and wind also interfered with the rescue operations. One man was found half frozen but alive after being buried
under snow for three days. During the operations, helicopter bombing at Granduc Mountain was carried out, probably
the first time this control method was used. *2) Sixty-eight men were caught in the avalanche. The last body was
recovered on June 18, leaving 26 dead and 20 injured. Some 110 men escaped unharmed and were airlifted to
Vancouver.
Overnight February 18-19, two small snowslides on the CNR line near Red Pass Junction east of Prince
George delayed trains.
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*1) The previous summer the camp had been moved to this location. It was considered a safer site than the old one
further up the glacier, 3 mi. (4.8 km) away. (Victoria Daily Times, February 19, 1965.
*2) Avalanche control was not applied here before the disaster, but a large-scale program was later introduced for the
protection of the camps and access road (Stethem and Schaerer 1980).
Spring 1965
Event type: Spring runoff?
Precipitation: Not applicable.
Source: The Citizen, October 27, 1965.
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