Pass conditions: the pass is open
February 22
Crews snuck up the pass on snowmobiles and snowcats to figure out how soon we could start plowing the pass. There was so much snow over the highway in places that crews decided that they would have to come back in March for a second assessment. Read more details in the news release.
March 13
Crews took a second trip up the pass on snowmobiles. This time they determined that we could start plowing snow off the highway on Monday, March 20. Crews expect the pass to be open within four to five weeks after work starts, which means the pass will open in late April.
On their second trip up the pass, crews found even deeper snow levels over the highway than they did the first time. Many of the avalanche chutes have still not released their snow loads. If they do not release on their own, crews will force them to release with dynamite. The snow depth at the east closure gate was more than five feet; further west it was about seven feet; and at the top of Washington Pass it was more than seven feet deep. The deepest accumulation was beneath Liberty Bell where snow was more than 45 feet deep over the highway.
Read more details in the news release
March 20
There is good news for the cross country skiers and snowmobilers who have been asking whether they can drive to the Silver Star (creek) closure gate. The crew was successful in clearing the six miles from Early Winters to the gate (MP 171 to MP 177) for its full width. They've cleared a staging/parking area and private vehicle traffic will be allowed as far as the gate.
The snow at Early Winters was about 14-inches deep at the center line and 4-feet at the shoulders, while at Silver Star gate the snow was about 5-1/2 feet deep.
March 30
Crews resumed full strength this week after a second blower was brought in to replace a blower that broke last week. Working west, crews cleared from Lone Fir Campground toward Cutthroat Ridge, where the avalanche zones begin. Six- to eight-foot deep snow that has been compacting all winter presented its challenges to the crews and equipment, but both pushed forward steadily undaunted.
By Wednesday evening, crews had cleared the highway, shoulder to shoulder, to Cutthroat Avalanche Chute #1 (mile post 166). The avalanche team will be on site Monday (April 3) to determine if it’s safe for crews to clear snow from below the avalanche chute.
April 7
Crews are diligently working to open the North Cascades Highway before the end of April. Crews working from the west side have cleared the highway of snow up to mile post 155. Crews working from the east side have cleared the highway up to Liberty Bell.
The avalanche chutes at Cutthroat Ridge remain active. While crews were working near Liberty Bell snow avalanches came down at Cutthroat Ridge covering the highway in places with two feet of snow and six feet of snow. Fortunately no crews were in the area at the time.
April 18
It's still winter in the North Cascades and the two maintenance crews trying to reopen the highway began the week cleaning up four or more inches of new snow on the sections they'd already cleared.
The avalanche control team has been busy checking the stability of the snow still in the chutes to assure it is safe to work.
April 19
Good weather has both helped and hindered the clearing effort this week. Warmer weather and no precipitation after new snow over the weekend has sped up the progress, but the warmth also increases avalanche danger and slows progress below the chutes. The chutes are also dumping more snow onto sections of the highway that were previously clear.
Crews working from both sides of the pass expect to meet on Monday, April 24. Right now, the eastside crew has the road cleared, shoulder to shoulder, to Washington Pass. They've got a single cut to about Blue Lake at MP 161. The crew on the west side has a cut through to about Bridge Creek at MP 158. The remaining snow covering the last three miles is about nine feet deep and is very heavy after compacting all winter, coupled with the melting brought about with warmer temperatures.
The tentative reopening date and time is now noon on Monday, May 1st. Unexpected snow, stubborn avalanche chutes and equipment breakdowns could all affect that, but Don Becker, our WSDOT Supervisor in Twisp, is optimistic we can make that date. At the same time, he says the chances that the opening could happen any earlier very unlikely.
April 24
On Thursday afternoon (April 20), crews working from boths sides of the pass finally reached one another. Thanks to the snow blowers, crews now have one lane cut through nine feet of snow between Rainy Pass and Blue Lake.
Eleven crewmembers, four snow blowers, one caterpillar, one road grader, and one loader will spend this week widening the single lane out to two lanes
We suspended work Thursday afernoon after things started to heat up (literally). The avalanche danger shot through the roof after crews met up because temperatures were rising. As a result, two of the Liberty Bell's Avalanche Chutes (#'s 2 and 3) emptied themselves and dumped snow over the road. Conditions were not safe. Our avalanche control team will use explosives this week to try and help empty the dangerous avalanche chutes.
There were no new slides over the weekend, but Twisp Maintenance Supervisor Don Becker says the forecast says there could be temperatures as high as 80 degrees late in the week. "That should help some of the chutes to release. We can't open the highway until they do."
The tentative reopening target is still noon on Monday, May 1st. "I know this is the opening weekend of fishing season and folks would love to see a Friday reopening, but if it's not safe, we can't open it," said Becker.
April 26
At the earliest, we plan to open the pass at noon on Monday, May 1st. The avalanche danger on the pass is extremely high. Opening at noon gives us a few hours on Monday to do avalanche control and snow clean up. We are not optimistic that the snow sitting in the avalanche chutes will release this week due to the unusual layering of the snow from this winter. Instead of lots of layers of snow, most of the avalanche chutes only have two layers, and with six to 16 feet of snow in the chutes, it takes a lot of heat and explosives to release all that snow.
On top of the avalanche danger, two of our snow blowers are having mechanical problems and are not running. It's going to be a stretch to open the pass on Monday. We may not be able to open it until Tuesday or Wednesday.
We realize how important it is to have the pass open. We're working as quickly as possible to get it open. Before we open it, we want to ensure that every one will have a safe trip
across the pass.
April 28 - Avalanche Danger High
The pass is still closed. We're planning to open the pass on Monday, May 1st at noon, provided the avalanche danger subsides. We have two lanes cleared of snow all the way across the pass, but the avalanche danger remains so high that we can't open the pass. Avalanche chutes under Liberty Bell and Cutthroat Ridge refuse to empty themselves. We fired explosives into the sides of the mountain on Thursday, April 27, but it did little to loosen the snowpack. Hopefully the predicted warmer weather this weekend will loosen the chutes and bring down the snow, allowing us to open the Pass on Monday. Keep your fingers crossed.
May 1 - pass open at noon
Crews opened the pass at noon. Read more details in the news release.