SR 20 is fawked

[ivan]

Closed indefinitely due to 8 impressive mud/rock slides near Swamp Creek that have completely buried the road.

[mountainmatt]

http://www.king5.com/news/local/Slide-closes-SR20-219181581.html

[Eric K]

Closed indefinitely due to 8 impressive mud/rock slides near Swamp Creek that have completely buried the road.

 

What does that mean? They don't know when it will reopen, or DOT is giving up and letting the north cascades return to their pre highway wildness.

 

Eric

[dberdinka]

Fortunately this isn't the federally run forest service. And your state government is still functional enough to actually meet some of the minimum requirements a citizenry might have of it, like fixing roads. Give it a couple days....

[ivan]

It means they don't know how long it will take to fix it yet, cuz it just happened. Either that, or SR 20 promises to be JUST LIKE GREECE AND DETROIT!!!!!

[jeb013]

I don't know this area at all so maybe someone can answer this for me. I was planning to head into Mazama this weekend and while there head over to Liberty Bell, is it time to make new plans or can I access these areas?

 

Thanks in advance,

Jeb

[ivan]

MP 147 to 157. Wa pass remains accessible from the E.

[genepires]

In the photo, they were already started cleaning it off. Would not be suprising if they get it cleared off by the weekend.

It is not like that monster rock fall near newhalem some years back. that was MAJOR.

Edited August 12, 2013 by genepires

[dberdinka]

Copied from nwhikers.net

 

 

Message from WSDOT 2pm Monday

(check out some of the photos in the flickr link - that's a lot of mud)

 

The North Cascades Highway closed Saturday night (officially) at 9:30 p.m. (even though, it was probably closed an hour or so earlier - it just took that long for news of 2 mud slides to get from the drivers to the WSP to us from that area that has no cell phone coverage). The slides happened a few miles west of Rainy Pass. Yes, there were a couple vehicles trapped between the slides, but no one got hurt and both parties got out safely, (sorry, I don't have the details yet about the VW or the pickup and camper they were driving.)

 

Anyway, by mid day on Sunday, instead of two slides, We were dealing with 8 of them. The largest (at the time was a quarter mile long and 25 feet deep- could be bigger, now.) It's going to take days, if not longer to reopen. We know that we're going to have to have help in the form of private contractors with the larger equipment and the people it's going to take to get this job done.

 

Despite the difficulties in communication (even a satellite phone doesn't work in a lightning storm up there), and the distances involved, The maintenance supervisor (Don Becker who also oversees the spring reopenings) took some pictures that we now have posted on FlickR:

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/sets/72157635037166187/with/9496492120/

 

Until the hillsides stabilize and our environmental, geotechnical and maintenance experts can put together a clean up plan (They're working to do that right now), don't plan on using the North Cascades to get between the Skagit and Methow Valleys.

 

I guess if there's any good news, it's that we put in those extra closure gates two years ago, so from the east side, you can drive all the way to Rainy Pass, accessing any of the campgrounds, trailheads, etc. before encountering a barricade across the roadway.

 

Pass this along to whomever you'd like, so any help you can provide to get the word to folks who planned to use SR 20 is appreciated.

 

Thanks!"

[Bronco]

Cascade River Road also closed:

 

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Heavy-rains-strand-hikers-near-Cascade-Pass-trailhead-219311441.html

[Sol]

East-siders time to dominate the pass!

 

[JasonG]

Surprised I didn't see you guys mention the carnage on the Cascade River Road. That was some T-storm!

[climbingsolo]

my team mates and I were pinned down on Shuksan during that thunderstorm. hair raising to say the least.

[JasonG]

Sounds like a good story for a TR!

[olyclimber]

2nd that lets hear it!

[bedellympian]

I was planning a trip up to do WA pass and Boston Basin climbs (from Bend). Probably come up the East side. Whats the easiest way from Mazama to Boston if 20 is closed? Steven's Pass?

 

Should I just go to the Stuart Range and skip Boston? What's the take from North Cascades vets?

[RaisedByPikas]

Its a long way around from mazama to marblemount going via stevens pass. Google normally has it at 1.5 hours via 20 but its 5.5 hours if WA pass is closed.

[Rad]

Road to Cascade Pass (goes past BB trailhead) Basin was washed out as well. Not sure where updates on this are.

 

Check WSDOT website for updates on the 20: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/passes/northcascades/

 

 

 

[climbingsolo]

trip report is up

[bedellympian]

Yowsers! Guess I need a backup

 

Anyone know of a good Alpine route on the E side of 20? Mt. Goode NE Buttress via PCT from rainy pass? Something further South?

 

 

 

 

[Rad]

You can climb at WA pass as the road isn't closed until Rainy Pass. Lots of great alpine rock routes there.

[bedellympian]

I'm already climbing at WA pass. I was going to finish the trip with some stuff in Boston Basin so I need an alternative to that. By alpine I mean something that isn't roadside.

[pcg]

...and don't panic when you see the signs on the east side saying (incorrectly) that Hwy 20 is closed 15 miles west of Winthrop. It is indeed open to MP 157, just west of Washington Pass and Blue Lake trailhead.

[JBo6]

Same from the West side. There are a few signs saying closed at Ross Lake Trailhead which is not true, it's closed at MP 147.

[Rad]

Hwy 20 to open at 10am Monday August 19th Edited August 19, 2013 by Rad