On February 18, 1965, a massive avalanche struck the remote Granduc copper mine camp, north of Stewart, BC. Twenty-six of the 150 workers on site were killed, mostly members of Labourers' International Union Local 168. The slide destroyed bunkhouses, the cookhouse, and other facilities with devastating force, even rebounding off the valley floor.

The camp was fog-bound and isolated; an SOS was picked up by a ship in the Aleutian Islands, bringing in American Air Force helicopters. Survivors dug with makeshift tools, used sticks to probe for buried workers. One man was found alive after 79 hours buried under the snow, surviving in an air pocket.

A government investigation cleared the company of negligence; the mine eventually reopened and operated until 1984.

This episode features memories from survivors Vince Ready and Art Vibert, as well as music from Stompin' Tom Connors.

Host: Rod Mickleburgh

Research and writing: Patricia Wejr

Technician: John Mabbott

Voice of Art Vibert: John Mabbott

Theme song: "Hold the Fort” (traditional) - Arranged & performed by Tom Hawken & his band, 1992.

Episode music: "How the Mountain Came Down" (1973) music and lyrics by Stompin' Tom Connors.

Episode Image: Ray Allan, Vancouver Sun.

Sources:

Mickleburgh, Rod and Carmela Allevato. (2024). Interview with Vince Ready [Audio Recording]. BC Labour Heritage Centre https://www.labourheritagecentre.ca/collection/vince-ready-interview-labour-arbitrator-mediator/

Disasters of the Century Season 7 Granduc Avalanche [Video Recording]. Copyright of Partners in Motion INC. https://youtu.be/7jZQxsL2C04?si=9AgWLsj18OylJLRL

RBCM@Home: Stewart Museum (2020) [Video Recording]. Royal BC Museum. https://youtu.be/iEXrCBrxzcY?si=mfFYWASxUybd5z0h

Vibert, Art. A Granduc Story. A personal travel diary to Granduc Mines. https://stewartbc.com/page99.html

Lundberg, Murray. Death Came Silently: the Granduc Mine Disaster
Stewart, BC. https://explorenorth.com/library/yafeatures/granduc.html

Cobb, Michael. (1965 February 22). Weary Eyes Tell Story of Death. The Vancouver Sun.

Porter, Bob. (1965 February 22) Man Frozen White in Granduc Ordeal. The Vancouver Sun.

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