Dan_Miller Posted May 20, 2011 Author Posted May 20, 2011 Today's (05/20) update from Jeff Adamson and Dustin Terpening with WSDOT: Hi all, From the west side, we begin with Dustin’s update: Wow, what a whirlwind week! It started with a bang and ended with excellent progress. Things weren’t looking so hot Monday morning when we found that monster snow slide at Ruby Mountain completely blocking the highway. But the good news is that we absolutely pounded that slide. We punched a hole through by Monday evening and had it all cleared by Tuesday afternoon. Because we made such quick work of the slide, Louie was actually able to run the snow blower all day Tuesday. We ended up only losing one day of snow blowing due to the slide. The east and west teams finally reached each other at noon on Wednesday between Rainy and Washington passes. We had a single cut through the snow all the way across the North Cascades Highway. The work then began widening and clearing fog line to fog line. It’s also going to take a couple days to put all the guardrail and concrete barrier back in place in the Ruby slide zones. And we’ve also got about two more days of ditching left. Things are wrapping up nicely. In case you’re tired of all the pictures of snow, then we may have something you’ll like instead. Rod Hayes, maintenance supervisor, was lucky enough to snap a few photos of a momma bear and her two cubs leisurely crossing the highway near the west gate on Wednesday. When I went up to the pass last week, I saw a bear too, but that one was too quick and I wasn’t able to get a picture. That was the first bear I’ve seen along the highway. Pretty cool stuff. Here on the east side, We sent the D-8 caterpillar home this week when we got through the Liberty Bell avalanche zone and on to Washington Pass. From there, the progress was amazing and by yesterday afternoon, the highway was clear from gate to gate. (Yes, there are still some more safety pull outs that have to be cleared as well as some de-icing and sanding to get the surface ready for you to actually drive on.) Today, while the good weather is still with us, we’re renting a helicopter and taking the howitzer up to do what we hope will be a final round of avalanche control. There is still a lot of snow in LB2 and 3 that has to come down before anyone can drive under them. With generally warmer temperatures forecast until Sunday, we’re hoping the combination of the control effort and another two days of spring will deliver stable conditions when it cools down again Monday so we can clean up what comes down and open the highway. The gates could swing open any time from Tuesday to as late as Thursday, depending on how much snow ends up on the road. (Just the two Liberty Bell chutes could dump as much as LB 1 did last week, which was another 70+ feet.) I’m drafting a news release with a hole for the reopening date. It’s possible that the avalanche and maintenance folks will be able to make a firm prediction for the reopening by the end of today. If so – I’ll send out the update we’ve all been waiting for! Jeff 509-667-2815 Dustin 360-757-5997 Quote
obwan Posted May 20, 2011 Posted May 20, 2011 This is awesome news - I was over in Mazama last week during the heavy rains/snow, and slides and it looked pretty grim, like maybe the end of June. The Motels and tourist/retail will now be able to count on Memorial weekend (maybe? - You guys are busting your butt). Hopefully the weather simmers down so you can complete your good work, and not having to keep doing it over and over. Dan - Thanks for the update! Quote
Dan_Miller Posted May 21, 2011 Author Posted May 21, 2011 It's getting close! Today's update (05/20) from WSDOT's Jeff Adamson: Hi again, We expect to provide a firm reopening day and time on Monday. The avalanche control brought down significant amounts of snow at three locations. 200' wide by 15' deep at LB2, 200x30 at LB3 and 250x10 at the Annex (beginning of Spiral Gulch). Cutthroat Ridge chutes are lower elevation and the warmer temps between now and Monday (when it's cooling down again) will continue to bring down snow there as well. Monday, we'll confirm how long it will take to clear what comes down, finish the ditching, guardrail/barrier repairs, finish the emergency pull outs and the final deicing/sanding so the gates can open. There is finally light at the end of the tunnel! (If you're planning a bike ride this weekend with your skis or snowshoes on your back - keep in mind that the avalanche danger is higher when it's warm, so check with the NWAC, NPS or USFS for back country conditions.) Jeff Adamson adamsoj@wsdot.wa.gov 509.667.2815 PS- I understand the avalanche crew mounted a video camera on a tripod (that got buried in one of the slides) but if/when they dig it out - we might have some interesting footage to post on YouTube! Quote
Dan_Miller Posted May 24, 2011 Author Posted May 24, 2011 Today's (05/23/11) update from WSDOT's Jeff Adamson: Wednesday at Noon Hi all, Here's the announcement you've been waiting for: Washington State Department of Transportation - NEWS North Central Region – P.O. Box 98, Wenatchee, WA. 98807-0098, -- 509-667-3000 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 23, 2011 Contacts: Jeff Adamson, WSDOT Communications, 509-667-2815 (Wenatchee) Dustin Terpening, WSDOT Communications, 360-757-5997 (Burlington) SR 20 North Cascades Highway reopens Wednesday at noon WENATCHEE – Wednesday’s noon reopening of the North Cascades Highway marks the second latest since the highway opened 39 years ago. The latest ever was June 14, 1974, and the next latest, surpassed by this year, was in 1976 when it reopened on May 21. WSDOT maintenance crews will open the east and west winter closure gates on SR 20 to traffic at noon on Wednesday, May 25. The clearing effort took more than six weeks, compared to just three-and-a-half weeks last spring. Nine feet of snowfall in March and a record seven-and-a-half feet in April on the western slopes of the Cascades kept avalanche control technicians and snow clearing equipment on Stevens Pass until the avalanche threat eased and allowed the team to move up to the North Cascades. There, they found SR 20 buried in snow as deep as 75 feet. “The crews are really pleased that the highway will be open for Memorial Day,” said Don Becker, WSDOT Twisp Maintenance Supervisor. The noon reopening allows crews time to "sweep" the entire 37 mile winter closure zone for sand, rocks and debris between milepost 134, seven miles east of Diablo Dam on the west side of Rainy Pass 4,855 feet above sea level and nine miles west of Mazama at Milepost 171 below Washington Pass, elevation 5,477 feet. "It provides the margin we need so the first drivers over the passes make their trip safely," said Becker. "We had to rent a helicopter and do active avalanche control in the Liberty Bell Mountain and Cutthroat Ridge zones on Friday to bring down snow from those chutes. We couldn't open the highway and allow traffic below potentially unstable avalanche zones." It took Monday and will take all day Tuesday for crews to finish removing the huge piles of snow that slid down to the pavement. In the Liberty Bell Mt. zone on Monday, crews cleared about half the 650 feet of roadway that was covered with snow from 10 to 30 feet deep. When the gates swing open, drivers should find the road conditions bare and dry or bare and wet across the entire route. The forecasts for the next few days calls for high temperatures in the 60’s with a 30 to 50% chance of rain and a freezing level of 5,000 to 6,000 feet. The highway closed for the winter Dec. 1. It typically opens between the last week in March and the first week in May. The earliest opening ever was March 10, 2005. One drought year, four years after the highway first opened in 1976, it remained open all winter. Visit the North Cascades web page: www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/passes/northcascades and the North Cascades Flickr - photo site: www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/sets/72157623371473447/ Quote
Le Piston Posted May 25, 2011 Posted May 25, 2011 Thanks for the update Dan...yeehah! I appreciate you taking the time to keep us informed. Thank you! Quote
Dan_Miller Posted May 25, 2011 Author Posted May 25, 2011 Another Hwy 20 Opening Season essentially at a close, but not without posting the obligatory It's Open update from the Folks at WSDOT. Our thanks to Jeff and Dustin for their timely and informative updates. (All I do is simply post them here, slave to the computer on weekdays that I am. I can hardly wait for next spring's Hwy Opening Saga.) Everyone enjoy this great access to the Alpine that is now ours for a few months anyway. Be mindful of the snow and weather conditions especially given today's Special Avalanche Advisory. I hope to make it on to the Birthday Tour at some point early to mid next week. Unfortunately, family commintments make it likely impossible for me to make it to June 4/5 CC.com's Ski-In. I've little doubt all attendees will thoroughly enjoy Ski-In 2011! Hi all, Here's the official word! WSDOT Alert DATE/TIME: May 25, 2011, 12:05 p.m DESCRIPTION: SR20, the North Cascades Highway, has been opened. LOCATION: SR 20 from milepost 171 to milepost 148 North Cascades Highway START: May 25, 2011, 12:05 p.m. Est. END: Unknown OTHER: CONTACT: NCTMC (509) 667-2802 There are some new photos on flicR from Monday and I'll send out a final e mail when I get the pictures from today. Hooray! Jeff & Dustin Quote
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