WA 20 in the winter

[Ben Beckerich]

Howdy

 

Looking for some road beta for ye ol' North Cascades Highway during the closed months. What's the highway like around Jan/Feb skiing in from Diablo? Where exactly does it close on the west end, and what's parking like there? Skinning in 20 miles or so, what's the road going to look like? Does it stay pretty flat and road-like, or does it just pile up with snow and avy debris and blend into the slope (is it 20 miles of uncomfortable side-hilling)?

 

Thanks

[JasonG]

The sleds keep it pretty well worked in for some ways (Rainy Pass?) on the west side. You park at the Ross lake TH gate, most years, though I have had to park down at Colonial Creek CG. Plenty of parking off the road at either spot usually.

 

It is much, much better to skin in from the east side if you are heading to WA pass.

[Ben Beckerich]

Only going about 20 miles in from Ross Lake, so an east side approach is out. Sleds, eh? So it's probably a pretty hopping route, even in the winter, then? Lots of BCers, climbers, tourists... for some reason, I pictured it bleak and lonesome. Guess I didn't give it much thought.

 

Well that's cool... should be skin tracks and breadcrumbs and snow bunnies to enjoy

[wayne]

It is the most avvy prone hiway in America.

[Alex]

Coming from Diablo it's only going to be lonesome during the week, maybe. It's very well frequented by snowmobiles et al during the winter. Washington Pass tends to be buzzing with them all winter.

[Ben Beckerich]

Well crap... maybe I can coax one to give me a tow in.

[chef_raekwon]

If you come in from the East I would bet you could get a tow pretty easily. Almost all of the skiers around here use sleds for access. This is the hairpin on a weekday late last season: http://d.pr/i/6SjH

 

 

[Ben Beckerich]

What's the overall grade like in either direction, from rainy or wa passes? How rideable is it overall? I'll be on a split, so it won't be quite as simple as just locking heels for the steeps...

[Pete_H]

I would suggest you consult a topo map or Google Earth to get an idea of the terrain.

[Alex]

The approach from the west is very long, undulating except for the last climb from Rainy Pass to Wa Pass.

 

The approach from the east is pretty much uphill from town (Mazama) but over a fair number of avalanche debris fields that usually cover the road in a number of places all the way to Wa Pass, so YMMV with regards to how many time you have to hike

 

But, bottom line: these are roads. Their grades are not very steep compared to real ski terrain.