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SANTAQUIN — Santaquin Canyon was closed Saturday after a rockslide filled the roadway, blocking 17 motorists for a time.
The canyon will remain closed until the current storm system blows over, allowing crews to clean up the slide, said Sgt. Eldon Packer of the Utah County Sheriff Office. They are expecting to start the cleanup on Tuesday or Wednesday.
The slide occurred just below the Tinney Flat Campground around 2 p.m., Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Spencer Cannon said. No one was injured and only one vehicle sustained some minor damage.
The problem is, it fills back into place. We're figuring out how much material is going to come down and how long it will take to get it out of the way.
–Spencer Cannon
"It did cover the whole road," he said. "It was about 100 yards wide and three feet deep in places. There were a lot of trees and rocks, mud and water with it."
Cannon said the debris was solid enough that officials were able to get all of the vehicles past the obstruction before clearing the roadway.
"The problem is, it fills back into place," he said. "We're figuring out how much material is going to come down and how long it will take to get it out of the way."
The entire canyon was closed as of Saturday evening. Cannon said most of the canyon, including the Tinney Flat Campground and above, was already closed when the slide occurred.
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