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 […]
Pass/Highway Reports
2014 North Cascades Pass opening
On schedule – actually, a few minutes ahead of schedule – the Silver Star gate on Highway 20 west of Mazama swung open just before noon Thursday (May 8) and westbound motorists began driving over Washington Pass. Meanwhile, valley-bound traffic headed over from the west side, led by a contingent of motorcyclists. A few hardy bicyclists also pedaled up to the pass to celebrate the seasonal opening of the North Cascades Highway.
North Cascades Highway set to open this week
By Don Nelson In time for the ’49er Days celebration in Winthrop this weekend, the North Cascades Highway was scheduled to be open for traffic starting at noon on Thursday (May 8), according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). The Silver Star gate on Highway 20 (milepost 171) will swing open Thursday and, […]
Trailer access eased on Harts Pass Road
Trailer restrictions on Harts Pass Road have been changed for the spring season to allow trailers of up to 20 feet in length, regardless of the number of axles, according to the U.S. Forest Service. In the past, the Forest Service allowed only single-axle trailers, but recently changed the restriction to trailers equal to or […]
Bashing through the snow
By Ann McCreary
Down on the valley floor the hills are green, balsamroot sunflowers are blooming, birds are singing. It’s spring. But a few miles away in the North Cascades Mountains, it’s still a world of snow. Lots of snow.
For the past 18 years …
Traffic delays of up to 20 minutes likely in Loup Loup Pass area
Motorists taking Highway 20 to Okanogan can expect delays of up to 20 minutes Tuesdays through Thursdays in the Loup Loup Pass area as crews work on a chip seal project between mileposts 209 and 227, the Washington State Department of Transportation said. The work is part of a $15.5 million project to resurface 238 […]
Prescribed burn planned west of Winthrop
The U.S. Forest Service plans to do a prescribed burn on 20 acres near Edelweiss on Thursday (April 17), conditions permitting. The burn will be on the Lucky 2 Timber Sale unit, about 10 miles west of Winthrop and about one-fourth of a mile from Edelweiss. The Forest Service said that other burn units in […]
WSDOT makes progress on clearing Highway 20
Avalanche supervisor Mike Stanford said the snow is soft and the clearing is going quickly, according to the press release. At the Washington Pass summit, the snowpack had melted from 10 feet down to a little over 7 feet, WSDOT said. Clearing on Monday progressed to milepost 168 near Lone Fir Campground, WSDOT said.
North Cascades Highway clearing has started west of Winthrop
As scheduled, crews from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) began clearing deep snow off of Highway 20 on Monday (March 31) in hopes of opening the North Cascades Highway in four to six weeks. Crews from the Methow Valley side began clearing work at the Early Winters Information Center (milepost 178), where the winter closure […]
WSDOT: move cars at Early Winters
The Washington State Department of Transportation wants outdoor recreationists to know: once WSDOT begins clearing snow from the North Cascades Highway on Monday (March 31), any vehicles parked in the Early Winters right-of-way (where the highway is closed) will be removed so they don’t interfere with the road-clearing work. “This morning there are about a […]
