Two mudslides and a washout overnight have closed the Alaska Highway at three locations, but highway officials crews were not able to say this morning how long repairs will take.

Highways branch spokeswoman Aisha Montgomery said this morning crews are going flat-out but it's difficult to say how long the highway will remain impassible south of Teslin and north of Haines Junction.

"We just don't know yet,” Montgomery said. "Not today, I would say is a safe bet.”

She said highway travellers are encouraged to phone 511 or go online to 511yukon.ca to check for regular updates on the status of the highway closures.

The Rancheria highway lodge has been completely isolated, with a mudslide two kilometres away on the Watson Lake side, and significant washout three kilometres away on the Teslin side.

While the lodge is running out of eggs, staff still have plenty to feed the stranded travellers. (See story, p. 5.)

The highway north of Haines Junction was closed last night by a mudslide between Haines Junction and Destruction Bay, approximately 45 kilometres this side of Destruction Bay, Montgomery said.

She said there were no incidents involving motorists at any of the three sites.

Rancheria Lodge operator Denis Bouchard said this morning the highway has been washed out around both sides of a two- or three-metre-wide culvert just north of the lodge, and a number of smaller culverts have been plugged with material.

Bouchard said he hasn't been to the mudslide to the south so he's not sure how big it is.

Montgomery said the highway has been closed at the Junction of Highway 37 and the Alaska Highway in Upper Liard, and in Teslin, with the exception of local traffic.

And motorists are being stopped in Destruction Bay and Haines Junction, with the exception of local traffic, she said.

Montgomery said closing the highway in those areas makes it safer and easier for highway crews to move equipment and get to where they need to be.

"The most important thing is we need to make sure the road is cleared safely, and is safe, before we can open it up to the public.”

She said there are highway engineers involved in the assessment of the washout and mudslides.