View Chinook Pass map
Snow blower operator works to get the pass open for the holiday weekend
Kodiak snow blower clears avalanche debris May 13
An early May storm dropped 21 inches of snow in 7 days
It takes a large dozer to clear large avalanches
Dozer breaks up underlying snow, feeds it to the blower
Kodiak snow blower clears Chinook Pass
View 2008 photos on flickr
For historic pass closure dates visit:
wsdot.wa.gov/winter/passdates
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Chinook Pass closed
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Updated Nov. 9, 2009
WSDOT crews closed Chinook Pass for the season from Morse Creek, five miles east of the summit, and at Crystal Mountain Boulevard, eight miles west of the summit, on Nov. 8, 2009 due to heavy snow and unavoidable avalanche danger.
The current SR 410 emergency access route on Nile Loop Road is open to drivers and detours around the closed four-mile section on SR 410 between mileposts 104 and 108, which was destroyed by a massive landslide on Oct. 11, 2009. WSDOT could close the roadway for the safety of drivers at anytime if landslide activity or an increase in river flows id detected. View photos of the slide.
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WSDOT closes Chinook and Cayuse Passes for the season due to avalanche risk and heavy snow
WSDOT closed Chinook and Cayuse Passes on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009 for the season after reviewing a snowy forecast and assessing the avalanche risk.
Due to heavy snow accumulation on the roadway, WSDOT crews temporarily closed Chinook Pass just after 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7. WSDOT avalanche forecasters assessed the stability of the hillside this morning, Sunday, Nov. 8 and determined the avalanche risk is too great to allow traffic to safely cross Chinook Pass. Since Friday, Nov. 6 Chinook Pass has received more than three feet of snow and more snow is forecasted to fall on the slopes above the pass.
Chinook Pass is closed from the gates of Morse Creek (five miles east of the summit) and at Crystal Mountain Boulevard (eight miles northwest of the summit). Access to the Crystal Mountain Ski Resort from SR 410 remains open.
Additionally, WSDOT and Mount Rainier National Park staff agreed to close SR 123 (Cayuse Pass) for the season. SR 123 is closed within Mount Rainier National Park from the 4,675-foot Cayuse Pass summit at the junction of SR 410 and SR 123 to Steven’s Canyon Road.
For information on these and other mountain passes call 511 or visit: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/passes/.