Snow Clearing Complete Over North Cascades Highway, Emergency Repairs Still Required

The North Cascades Highway is getting closer to reopening for the season, but might see its gates pull back later than usual in 2026.

The 37-mile stretch of State Route 20 (SR-20), which includes Rainy and Washington Passes, closes annually during the winter months from the Ross Dam Trailhead to Silver Star due to heavy snow and elevated avalanche risks.

On Tuesday, crews with the Washington State Department of Transportation (DOT) finished their efforts to clear the snow from the highway's seasonal closure zone, which included 13 inches of fresh snow over Rainy Pass and seven inches of new snow on Washington Pass.

Although the deepest snow is now gone from roadway, the North Cascades is still at least several weeks away from reopening.

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DOT officials say the road surface is still in rough shape, with plenty of compact snow and ice in places, and there are a wealth of seasonal repairs and maintenance that need to be finished.

All of the drainages within the closure zone have yet to be cleared, which will make for especially muddy conditions should there be any land- or snowslides over the next few weeks.

Crews have already begun the process of clearing the drainages and will also soon start making any necessary repairs to guardrails, signage, and other critical infrastructure.

The DOT is also asking recreationists to avoid the Ross Dam trailhead due to rockslides and washouts which have damaged the roadway in several places nearby and increased the potential for hazards to cyclists, snowmobilers, and snowshoers.

Those who do venture into the closure zone for recreational purposes are also being advised to check the latest avalanche conditions before heading into the backcountry and avoid the area entirely during the DOT's reopening operations, Mondays through Thursdays from 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Meanwhile, the North Cascades Highway also remains closed to all vehicle traffic and it appears this year's efforts to reopen the road will require more time than in typical seasons due to the extent of the damages it incurred over the winter months.

DOT officials have not given any estimates for the full reopening of SR-20 at this time.