Highway closure among latest on record Heavy snow forecast for higher elevations this week prompted the closure of North Cascades Highway at 6 a.m. on Wednesday (Dec. 11), but local ski areas are still waiting for enough snow to kick off their seasons. As of Tuesday (Dec. 10), Methow Trails reported no open cross-country ski […]
Highway 20
Fatal accident on Highway 20
Missing Maple Falls man dies in crash near Washington Pass A 24-year-old Maple Falls man who had been missing for six days was found dead on July 2 off North Cascades Highway, 3 miles west of Washington Pass. A Washington State Patrol trooper saw something amiss at a bend in the highway and discovered a […]
Loup Loup repair complete; bridge work begins in lower valley
Both lanes of Highway 20 east of Loup Loup summit opened to traffic Tuesday (June 18), as crews were wrapping up emergency repairs prompted by a May 1 landslide. The highway had been reduced to a single lane for the past seven weeks — except for eight days when the road was closed completely. Those traveling between […]
Gates open for North Cascades Highway traffic on Friday at 10 a.m.
Good news for people traveling from western Washington to Winthrop for the ’49er Days celebration — the North Cascades Highway is expected to open at 10 a.m. on Friday (May 11).
“We worked hard to get it open for ’49ers,” said Don Becker, maintenance supervisor for …
Highway 20 snow-clearance work will start in valley on April 9
Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) crews began clearing the North Cascades Scenic Highway of snow from the west side this week, and will start working from the east side — in the Methow Valley — on April 9. The dates were selected after WSDOT staff assessed conditions on the snowed-in road last week, the […]
North Cascades Highway re-opened (again) this week
For the second time this fall, the North Cascades Highway has reopened after a temporary closure.
“I’m getting tired of opening and closing and opening and closing,” joked Don Becker, maintenance supervisor for Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) in Twisp. Becker and his …
Forecasted winter weather brings temporary closure of SR 20 North Cascades Highway
From WSDOT: DIABLO – For the second time during this snowy fall, State Route 20/North Cascades Highway will temporarily close for the safety of crews and travelers due to forecasted overnight and weekend snow, along with an increased risk of avalanches. Washington State Department of Transportation maintenance crews will close the gates at milepost 134 […]
North Cascades Highway reopens this week
The North Cascades Highway had one of its earliest temporary closures on Sunday (Oct. 22) after an early season snowstorm sent several slides across the highway. Crews were clearing the slides Tuesday (Oct. 24) and expected the road to reopen Wednesday morning (Oct. 25). The largest of six slides was below Liberty Bell Mountain, where […]
Carlton Complex Fire recovery continues three years later
Efforts focused on rebuilding, better communications, preparedness By Marcy Stamper and Ann McCreary Methow Valley residents may have felt an uneasy sense of déjà vu this week as temperatures heated up and smoke drifted into the valley from British Columbia wildfires. Three years ago on July 14, a lightning storm sparked four separate fires — three in […]
Loup Loup Pass re-opened
After being closed for three months to repair damage from mudslides and erosion, Highway 20 over Loup Loup Pass partially opened on Monday (July 10), with one lane of traffic through the two most-damaged locations for a few hours in the morning and evening.
The partial opening allowed commuters between …
