Muskoka reacts to major snowfall, hundreds stuck on Highway 11

From road closures, power outages, weather declarations and nonstop shoveling, Muskoka residents were faced with nearly a metre of persistent snowfall on Saturday.

According to Environment Canada, observed snowfall amounts as of 9 a.m. on Saturday included 45 centimetres in Gravenhurst, 40 centimetres in Washago, 25 centimetres in Orillia and unofficially 89 centimetres in Bracebridge.Near-whiteout conditions near Orillia Ont., on Sat., Nov. 30, 2024 (CTV News/David Sullivan)The heavy snow continued into Saturday afternoon, leading to OPP closing Highway 11 in both directions between Doe Lake Road and Washago.

Multiple motorists informed CTV News via phone and email that many were stranded on the highway for several hours without food or water.  OPP Central Region stated via social media that towing companies have been in the area since 12:30 p.m. and were initially unable to clear trucks blocking the road.

The Bracebridge fire chief confirmed to CTV News that there were a couple hundred stranded vehicles ‘at minimum.’ Fire crews helped bring motorists to Gravenhurst Town Hall via side-by-side transports for access to generators amid power outages.Traffic on Highway 11 on Sat., Nov 30, 2024 (CTV News/David Sullivan)Lakeland Power and Elexicon Energy – the respective suppliers of electricity for Bracebridge and Gravenhurst – and Hydro One all indicated via their outage maps that tens of thousands of customers are without power. The District Municipality of Muskoka declared a ‘Significant Weather Event’ in response to the persistent snowfall.

According to Environment Canada, Bracebridge and Gravenhurst are still under a snow squall warning, expected to last through Sunday morning. The national weather agency states that 50 centimetres of snow could fall by Sunday afternoon, with peak rates of five-to-ten centimetres per hour.

Areas in the region that are also under snow squall warnings according to Environment Canada include:

• Barrie
• Blue Mountains
• Collingwood
• Coldwater
• Grey County
• Haliburton
• Huntsville
• Midland
• Orillia
• Owen Sound
• Parry Sound 
• Port Severn

In a Saturday evening update, OPP Central Region stated via social media that most passenger vehicles that were stuck on Highway 11 have been cleared, and that there were less than 20 that still needed to be cleared. Abandoned vehicles were towed to a Canadian Tire parking lot in Gravenhurst.

Police added that the northbound and southbound lanes of Highway 11 remained closed between Highway 169 and Highway 118. The area is expected to remain closed throughout the evening as emergency services continue their efforts.