The Boardwalk to Nowhere

THAT EARTHQUAKEBACK IN MARCH THATSHOOK MUCH OFIDAHO.THE QUAKE DID NOTDO A GREAT DEAL OFDAMAGE TO MANMADE STRUCTURES,BUT IT MOVED ANENTIRE BEACHUNDERWATER.STEVE LIEBENTHALTAKES US TO THEBOARDWALKLEADING TONOWHERE INTONIGHT'S IDAHOBACK ROADS.THE PEOPLE IN THISBOAT ARE FISHINGWHERE BEACHANGLERS STOODONE YEAR AGO.

BUTTHE BEACH THATWAS A POPULARPLACE FOR ANGLERS,SWIMMERS ANDSUNBATHERS ISGONE.

LIQUIFIED, INSCIENTIFIC TERMS.AND NOW, THEBOARDWALK THATLED TO A NEWLY-BUILT TRAIL SYSTEMLITERALLY LEADS TONOWHWERE."THIS HAS ONLYBEEN HERE ABOUT AYEAR.

BECAUSETHEY DIDN'T WANTPEOPLE TOSUBMERGE THEIRCARS GOINGTHROUGH THEFJORD.

SO THEYMADE A SAFEPASSAGE AND IT WASONLY AVAILABLE FORWHAT, ONESEASON?"RESEARCHERSBELIEVE THISHAPPENED INMARCH, WHEN ASIX-POINT-FIVEMAGNITUDEEARTHQUAKE SHOOKTHE REGION, IT'SEPICENTER JUSTSIXTEEN MILES FROMTHIS SPOT.

THEY SAYWHEN THE QUAKEHIT, THE SAND ONTHE BEACH WENTTHROUGH APROCESS CALLEDLIQUFICATION.

ITBASICALLY BEHAVEDLIKE A LIQUID, ANDDID WHAT LIQUIDDOES, MOVE DOWN,IN THIS CASE, UNDERTHE SURFACE OFSTANLEY LAKE.THOSE SAMERESEARCHERS ARESTUDYING THESAWTOOTH FAULT,NAMED FOR THEMOUNTAINSTHROUGH WHICH ITRUNS.

IT WASN'TKNOWN TO EXISTUNTIL ABOUT TENYEARS AGO, ANDNOW IT IS MOVING.SINCE THE MARCHQUAKE, THERE HAVEBEEN MORE THANTWO HUNDREDSIGNIFICANTAFTERSHOCKS.

THERECENT ACTIVITYHAS SCIENTISTSBUSY, POTENTIALLYREVISING THEIRFIRST ESTIMATES OFTHE LENGTH OF THESAWTOOTH FAULT.

INTHE MEANTIMEVISITORS TO STANLEYLAKE ARE AMAZED ATTHE CHANGE IN THELANDSCAPE."YOU WOULDN'TRECOGNIZE THEAREA HARDLYWHATSOEVER.BECAUSE THE SANDUSED TO EXTENDOUT INTO THE LAKE,A HUNDRED FEET ORSOMETHING LIKETHAT.

AND THIS WASALL GORGEOUSBEACH THROUGHHERE."STEVELIEBENTHAL...IDAHONEWS 6.ADLIBS...