Date:
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Contact:
WSDOT Snoqualmie Pass/Hyak: (509) 577-1905 ext. 7
Summer Derrey, (509)945-4584 (Snoqualmie Pass) until 7 p.m.
Travis Phelps, (509) 577-1905 ext. 7 (Snoqualmie Pass) after 7 p.m.
OLYMPIA – WSDOT continues monitoring avalanche danger in the Cascades.
WSDOT continued clearing roads while a power outage from 5:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. near the Snoqualmie Pass summit limited services available to travelers.
Cars, trucks and semis crossed Snoqualmie Pass since the 4 a.m. opening, with drivers helping themselves, each other and WSDOT by taking it slow and following chain restrictions. As of 2:30 p.m. I-90 Snoqualmie Pass is currently bare and wet with slush in places and there are no tire restrictions. I-90 Sno-parks and interchanges between North Bend and Easton are closed to parking.
Overnight and into next week, WSDOT crews are watching the weather forecast and monitoring avalanche conditions. WSDOT Avalanche control experts say they plan use a helicopter to reach back country areas Sunday. During the helicopter missions, the highway will be closed.
Drivers on mountain pass highways are advised to carry chains and prepare for delays and winter driving conditions as conditions may change at any times. WSDOT crews are closing monitoring weather reports as heavy snow is predicted for Southwest Washington late today. Drivers on I-90 Snoqualmie Pass and US 2 Stevens Pass will continue to see snow
Crews put forth an enormous sustained effort overnight clearing snow off the highway with snow blowers, snowplows and graders following a particularly aggressive avalanche control effort yesterday in which snow was lodged free from 30 avalanche paths using over 365 pounds of explosives. Since the storm began on Jan. 27, WSDOT avalanche control experts, partnering with avalanche specialists from Alpental and Snoqualmie West ski areas, have used a total of 1,500 pounds of explosives to safely cause avalanches.
On Thursday, Jan. 31, Gov. Chris Gregoire declared a State of Emergency in response to the severe winter storm that caused hazardous conditions in a number of counties across Washington and closed I-90 across Snoqualmie Pass. Over six feet of snow fell in six days.
OPEN
I-90 Snoqualmie, US 2 Stevens Pass, US 12 White Pass and US 97 Satus Pass are open for traffic, with drivers advised to carry chains. US 2 Stevens Pass closed temporarily overnight so crews could complete avalanche control. WSDOT does not anticipate avalanche closures on Stevens Pass today.
CLOSED
In the south Spokane area, snow blowers are working on the 12-foot drifts on SR 195 between Pullman and the Idaho State line. SR 272 closed between Colfax and the Town of Palouse.
SR 20 in Skagit County near the Newhalem gate/Gorge Powerhouse (mileposts 121 to 127) closed due to avalanche danger, cutting off Diablo. WSDOT closed highway gate at Newhalem on Tuesday due to a high risk of avalanches within the 13-mile stretch to Diablo. Roughly 80 people remain in Diablo, well stocked with food and supplies, waiting for the weather to improve so crews can clear the highway and open it. Normally the gate is locked east of Diablo for the winter. But conditions warranted closing the lower gate. During a final safety sweep of the area Tuesday before locking the gate, a WSDOT plow truck was struck and stuck by an avalanche. Both the truck and driver were fine, but the truck had to be rescued from the 14-foot deep slide. At daylight Monday we will assess conditions and decide whether or not more avalanche control will be necessary. The earliest the highway will be reopened to Diablo is late Tuesday afternoon. A message hotline (360) 707-5056 has been set up to inform the public about the closure.
Drivers can get the most up-to-date pass conditions at www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/passes and by calling the 511 traveler information line. WSDOT recommends that all drivers prepare for winter driving by properly preparing their vehicles, carrying chains, extra food and water, and reviewing winter driving tips at www.wsdot.wa.gov/winter/.
See WSDOT’s Flickr site for winter photos from I-90 and sites near Spokane at: www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/ Read the Winter Avalanche Story and leave a comment on our blog at: wsdotblog.blogspot.com/.
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