Work To Clear Snow, Reopen North Cascades Hwy Beginning March 23

Work to the reopen the North Cascades Highway will get underway next week.

The 37-mile stretch of State Route 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.

The Washington State Department of Transportation (DOT) says members of its maintenance and avalanche control teams used snowmobiles to travel into the closure zone and perform an assessment of the highway on Feb. 25.

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DOT officials say crews reported lower-than-average snow depths on the roadway this year, including those measured at 56 inches at the summit of Washington Pass and 73 inches at the Rainy Pass summit.

The most recorded snowfall was 79 inches found at Bridge Creek, while only 33.5 inches was found at Cutthroat, where crews also reported at least six avalanche debris piles which had reached the roadway.

Other slides were recorded at the base of the three avalanche chutes in the Liberty Bell area, and workers also noted scouring along numerous ditch lines and plugged culverts at Rainy Pass and on the west side of Washington Pass.

DOT spokesperson Lauren Loebsack says these items will all be part of the agency's spring checklist for crews who will begin their efforts to clear the snow from SR-20 on Monday, March 23.

Snow removal on the North Cascades will occur from 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday until the detail is fully finished, but the DOT is reminding motorists that the road will not reopen to all vehicle traffic until other seasonal repairs and maintenance are completed once the snow is gone.

Loebsack is also reminding the public that the area is considered an active work zone during clearing operations and access to the roadway is strictly limited to DOT employees and partner agencies who are officially part of the effort.

Recreationists who choose to explore the backcountry surrounding the North Cascades Highway are strongly advised to check the latest weather and avalanche conditions and forecasts before venturing out.

There is currently no estimated timeline for the reopening of SR-20 over the North Cascades, but the process traditionally takes between four to eight weeks, meaning the roadway could see its full seasonal reopening by late April at the earliest.