Here's something rare -- measurable snow fell in the Route 66 desert town of Kingman, Ariz., on Wednesday. According to the Kingman Daily Miner, about 3 inches of snow fell just south of the city before nightfall on Wednesday. Areas such as Peach Springs, a Route 66 settlement north of the city, saw between 1.5 … Continue reading Snow in the desert
Category: Weather
Flooding strikes St. Louis area
Reports out of St. Louis are grim: three people dead and widespread damage from up to six inches of rain caused by the remnants of Hurricane Ike. Flooding affected one Route 66 alignment in the St. Louis region, Manchester Road. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: The heavy rains flooded large sections of Brentwood on … Continue reading Flooding strikes St. Louis area
Tribe offering aid to flood victims
Hualapai Tourism, the owners of Grand Canyon West and the Skywalk, is raising funds for the neighboring Havasupai tribe that was devastated by recent flooding in the Grand Canyon, reports Elizabeth Mitchell for About.com. Starting Labor Day weekend on Saturday, August 30, The Hualapai Tribe will donate 10% of proceeds gathered by Hualapai Tourism for … Continue reading Tribe offering aid to flood victims
Supai attractions damaged by flood
No one was injured or killed in the flooding in the Grand Canyon earlier this week. But there's little doubt the damage caused will hurt tourism in the small canyon floor village of Supai, Ariz. Reports the Arizona Republic: The trails leading to the village are not passable. The bridges crossing Havasu Creek are washed … Continue reading Supai attractions damaged by flood
Floods hit Grand Canyon
It wasn't a good weekend to hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Several hundred people had to be evacuated Sunday after a dam burst because of torrential rains. No injuries have been reported, but authorities still will be looking Monday for about 20 unaccounted-for people who might be in harm's way. A number … Continue reading Floods hit Grand Canyon
Threatening weather dampens bridge birthday party
Attendance at Trailnet's annual birthday party for St. Louis' Old Chain of Rocks Bridge (it turned 79) a week ago Sunday was down from the usual because of the threat of stormy weather, reported the Granite City (Ill.) Press-Record. It also rained during part of the events that morning, and flooding from a swollen Mississippi … Continue reading Threatening weather dampens bridge birthday party
Tornadoes kill six in Picher
NOTE: Many updates below. Tornadoes killed at least 16 people Saturday evening in southwestern Missouri and northeastern Oklahoma, including six in Picher, a former mining town just off Route 66. The Joplin Globe reports: John Sparkman, of Picher, Okla., characterized the damage done by a tornado in the Northeast Oklahoma community this evening as "complete … Continue reading Tornadoes kill six in Picher
Flooding closes part of Route 66 in Missouri
Route 66 enthusiast and radio announcer Joe Sonderman in St. Louis reports that parts of Route 66 through central Missouri are closed because of flooding after torrential rains, and waters aren't going to recede for at least another day or so. It seems the best resource to check on current conditions is this interactive map … Continue reading Flooding closes part of Route 66 in Missouri
Route 66 rescue
A woman apparently fell into the rain-swollen Vermilion River in Pontiac, Ill., on Tuesday and was swept downstream for three-quarters of a mile by the current. She was rescued by police and firefighters near the Route 66 bridge in town, and capturing it all on videotape was Mayor Scott McCoy, reports WEEK-TV. "I just so … Continue reading Route 66 rescue
Technical difficulties
Don't worry ... we're still alive. Entries to Route 66 News will be spotty for the next week or so because of the historic ice storm that has crippled half of Oklahoma. At one point more than 600,000 customers were without electricity, and more than 75 homes caught fire on Monday alone because of all … Continue reading Technical difficulties