Road closure doesn't stop Yukoner from getting in-laws to airport

It was a day of waiting for many people inWhitehorse on Thursday the Alaska Highway, the main artery through the territory, was closed for several hours after a tanker truck rolled over.

Dozens of vehicles many of them campers and RVssat parked in a line from about 7 a.m. until the road partially re-opened just before 3 p.m.

Terrance McCallum, however, couldn't wait it out. His visiting in-laws were due to fly out of Whitehorse, and he wanted to get them to the airport.

The trouble was, they were still at his house, a half hour drive from the airportandon the wrong side of the closure. There was no road detour.

"At first they panickedthey didn't know what to do,"McCallumsaid.

Solution? The territory's oldhighwaythe Yukon River.

"I said, 'why don't we just put my boat in the water?'

"It took us probably about fiveminutes to get to the boat launch, and another fiveminutes to get the boat in the water, and away we went."

They motored upriver for about 40 minutes to get into downtown Whitehorse, whereMcCallum'swife was waiting to drive the relatives to the airport.

"They made their flight,"McCallumsaid. "It was quite the adventure."

McCallumsaid he saw another boater heading up riverto get his wife to a hospital appointment on time.

Large pool on road

Photos taken at the sceneon Thursday morning appear to show a large pool of fuel, spilled over the roadway and down the shoulder. It's not known how much spilled.

Several emergency vehicles were at the spot all day. By 3:30 p.m., though, traffic was moving again on the Alaska Highway and the North Klondike Highway. RCMP warned drivers that there may still be delays.

John Gibson of Port Aransas, TX, was hoping to make it to Dawson City by Thursday evening in his RV. He said in the morning that17 other motor coaches were behind him, and they all haddinner plans together in Dawson.

"It's a little bit of inconvenience, but we'll just be late getting in tonight," he said.