Stevens Pass Reopened After Nearly Four Day Closure

U.S. 2 through Stevens Pass is back open after being closed for most of four days. 

The highway was back open by about 8pm Tuesday after closing at 4am Saturday - Christmas Eve - because of treacherous driving from snow and ice. 

WSDOT spokesperson Lauren Loebsack says conditions are still not ideal, and is advising people to check their website for mountain pass conditions before traveling. 

"If you do need to travel, understand that those conditions change," said Loebsack. "But before you're headed out the door, take a peek at what the pass report says, and make a consideration about if those are the conditions that you want to be out in." 

WSDOT says U.S. 2 through Stevens Pass is open to a single lane in both directions, with maintenance crews still actively working to clear compact snow and ice in places.

Loebsack said she remembers only one other time under her watch that Stevens Pass was closed for more than four days in a row.  She said the cause at the time was a late winter threat of trees falling onto the roadway. 

Tuesday night after the latest reopening of the highway, WSDOT thanked the public for being patient on social media, while also thanking their road crews for their "incredible work." The posting on Twitter asked drivers to be safe and slow on the roadway.

U.S. 2 at Tumwater Canyon west of Leavenworth was also closed for an extended period starting at 11am Saturday.  

More heavy snow in the Cascade Mountains is forecast for Thursday and Friday.