Date:
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Contact:
WSDOT NC Region Communications Manager Jeff Adamson (509) 667-2815 E-Mail: adamsoj@wsdot.wa.gov
WENATCHEE - Reopening of SR 20, The North Cascades Highway, will likely get underway in late March. WSDOT North Central Region Avalanche Control technicians evaluated the snow conditions from the eastern closure gate to the west side of Rainy Pass on snowmobiles and a sno cat on Wednesday, February 22nd.
They found some of the avalanche chutes had not yet released their snow loads. That must happen before it’s safe to begin clearing the highway below them. Snow depth averaged six to eight feet deep over the highway lanes from Silver Star gate all the way to Rainy Pass. From Rainy Pass to the west closure gate, snow averaged three to four feet deep. The deepest accumulation was just east of Washington Pass beneath the Liberty Bell Number Three avalanche chute where 45-feet of snow cover the highway. Depths of 20-feet were encountered under several of the chutes at Liberty Bell Mountain and further east below Cutthroat Ridge.
While it was a clear and sunny day in the Methow Valley, the crew encountered cold, snowy and windy conditions once they passed beyond the east gate at Silver Star.
SR 20 has been closed since November 7th. Last spring, the highway reopened on March 10th, the earliest ever, after two weeks of work to remove thick layers of ice. The two previous years, the reopening came in mid April, following about a month of work to remove accumulated snow. Four or five weeks is the expectation for this spring, as well, despite somewhat more snow than an average year.
The Avalanche team will return to the area to reassess the snow conditions in early March and confirm a start date for the reopening.
Visit the North Cascades Web page: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Traffic/Passes/NorthCascades/
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