new kind of objective hazard...the car approach.

[genepires]

couple people killed by falling trees between stevens and l'worth. Sad day.

 

U.S. HWY 2 CLOSED FROM STEVENS PASS TO LEAVENWORTH

December 23, 2012

 

WSDOT web cam shot of summitt of Stevens Pass. CLICK TO ENLARGE(STEVENS PASS, WA) --U.S. Highway 2 from Stevens Pass (milepost 64) at the summit to milepost 99 at the west end of Leavenworth is closed due to the potential for snow-laden trees to fall onto the roadway, according to the Washington State Dep’t of Transportation (WSDOT).

 

The highway was closed in both directions at 6:25 p.m. Saturday due to fallen trees on the roadway from heavy rains that have loosened the soil and snow on tree limbs that pose a threat to more trees falling without warning.

 

In fact two residents of Bothell, Washington were killed Friday afternoon in a freak accident near Stevens Pass when a tree fell on their 1999 Chevrolet Suburban.

 

The state patrol says the accident happened about 1:20 p.m. in Chelan County, eastbound on Highway 2 some 21 miles west of Leavenworth.

 

Killed in the accident were the driver, identified as 58-year-old Timothy Desmond and a passenger Cheryl Janine Reed, 56, both of Bothell.

 

Four other passengers were injured and transported to a hospital in Wenatchee. They were identified as Jeremy M. Owen, 22, of Bothell, 24-year old Jamie O. Mayer of Seattle, Steven T. Mayer, 24, of Seattle and Jessica J. Owen, 27, of Bothell.

 

A report by KOMO-TV Seattle described Tim and Cheryl Owen of Bothell as a mother and father who were killed in that accident in front of their adult children.

 

They had all been on a family outing together. Tim was described as a Bothell soccer coach and Lynnwood businessman and his wife Cheryl as a manager at Amazon.com in Seattle.

 

Officials say conditions on Highway 2 will be evaluated Sunday morning to determine a reopening strategy.

 

Motorists will be able to access the Stevens Pass Ski Area from the west, but through-traffic is advised to use I-90 Snoqualmie Pass and US 97 Blewett Pass.

 

Less than 2” of snow fell through the closure zone on Saturday. The next front is forecast to bring as much as 3” to 4” of snow late Sunday morning through the evening. The Chronicle will have updates as details become available.

 

[Newman55]

There were a couple of tragic and unlikely accidents on the pass just before the holidays.

 

We have two family cabins in the lake Wenatchee area and I was up there this last weekend. I've never seen so many trees down in that area in the 17 years I've been around. Most of the downed timber in relatively flat forest area had snapped off between 20-30 feet up the trunk.

 

Those trees that stood near rivers or on terrain steeper than 15 degrees seemed to have mostly uprooted. I was told that the huge amounts of precip loaded the trees before soil temps had dropped sufficiently to freeze the root systems solid, resulting in uprooting.

 

I'm curious about why so many trees on flat terrain snapped.

 

 

[G-spotter]

Heavy wet snow load on canopy plus a little bit of wind makes huge loads on the trunk.

[Choada_Boy]

Cliff Mass recently discussed this on his weather blog:

 

Why are so many trees falling?

[Whatcomboy]

Amazing to see all the trees that fell on Mt. Baker hiway 3 to 4 mile section before the DOT shop.

[Newman55]

Thanks for posting that article Choada.

[JosephH]

As opposed to the always deadly car belay...