North Cascades HWY, Closed for the Season!

[Dan_Miller]

No new official email from WSDOT yet this morning, however their Mountain Pass Report indicates the following:

 

NORTH CASCADE HWY SR20

Elevation: 5477 ft / 1669 m

Temperature: Not Available

Conditions:

Washington Pass is closed for the season at milepost 134 near Diablo to milepost 171 at the Silver Star Gate. Weather:

Not Available

Restrictions EastBound:

Closed for the season

Restrictions WestBound:

Closed for the season

 

My sincerest condolences to all the stranded 'Methowians/Methowites.'

 

We'll see you again in late April when WSDOT plows the Highway for the opening of lowland lakes trout fishing.

 

11:37am from WSDOT:

 

Hi all,

 

The North Cascades Highway is officially closed for the Season. It had unofficially closed itself with the slides last Friday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. (Turns out Friday the 13th really was unlucky this time.)

 

The avalanche crew went up to do the assessment early this morning. They found 20" of new snow at the closure gates since Sunday and 38" at Washington Pass. With the temperature fluxuation we've experienced, there's layering in the avalanche chutes and the forecast calls for more snow. If you were waiting for this so you can head up with your skis or snowmobile, please check the NWAvalancheCenter's back country avalanche advisories - The danger in the backcountry is high, too.

 

We were all hoping that it would keep itself open through Thanksgiving, but I suppose if there's a bright spot - it's that the closure comes far enough before the holiday that no one is going to make plans to use SR 20 to get to grandma's house, this year.

 

This is likely the last e-mail update until the crew goes up for the reopening assessment in late February or early March. Happy winter!

 

Jeff Adamson

 

adamsoj@wsdot.wa.gov

 

509-667-2815