Hello fellow North Cascades enthusiasts!
I inserted the latest update 5/6/22 here and at the end.
Hello fellow North Cascades enthusiasts!
Week six of the 2022 spring clearing brought us to that magic moment when the west side and east side crews met west of the Rainy Pass summit. The last few miles were some of the slowest going, with snow depths over 6 feet, making it necessary to use an excavator to knock down the snow from above before the blower could clear the roadway.
The crews also performed necessary pavement and guardrail repair, as well as another round of avalanche control. At the moment the pavement is clear and we are very close to opening.
But with up to 16 inches of snow forecast for the weekend, Mother Nature has decided once again to have the final say in the reopening schedule. Spring snow can often turn to rain, which could trigger wash outs and rockslides. If the weather remains cold, that could mean more avalanche control will be necessary before the road can be reopened to traffic.
For those adventurous cyclists: the pavement is clear and this would be the chance to ride without sharing the road with vehicle traffic. Be prepared for cold weather conditions, consult the Northwest Avalanche Center for current backcountry avalanche conditions, and know there is very little is any cell service through Rainy and Washington Passes.
Once our crew has had an opportunity early next week to clean up after weekend, they’ll set a reopening time and I’ll be sure to share that information as soon as I have it. Stay tuned for the final update of the 2022 spring clearing.
We’ll be sure to share more on Flickr, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Safe travels and have a great weekend-
Lauren Loebsack, Communications 509-860-0000 (mobile)
North Central Region-Wenatchee
Hyperlinks in this message:
Don't miss the pics on the flickr link below.
The eastside crew cut a single path to the summit of Washington Pass to wrap up the fourth week of 2022 spring clearing. Snow depths of nearly eight feet on the highway at the top of the pass means the sno cat and loader need to knock down and move snow to about 6 feet for the blower to clear a path on the roadway.
On the west side, crews reached milepost 153. That leaves about 10 miles between the two crews, but there is more than clearing the road ahead before the highway can be reopened to traffic. The entire road width and shoulders must be cleared and any pavement and guardrail damage must be repaired. We know many of you are eagerly waiting for your first trip over the North Cross this year, but we’re still too far out to say when we will reopen for sure.
The road remains closed at the Ross Dam Trailhead at milepost 134 on the west side and Silver Star gate at milepost 171 on the east. If you plan to recreate behind the closure points, we strongly recommend that you consult the Northwest Avalanche Center for current backcountry avalanche conditions.
We’ll keep sharing updates to the 2022 spring clearing on Flickr, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Safe travels and have a great weekend-
Lauren Loebsack, Communications 509-860-0000 (mobile)
North Central Region-Wenatchee
Hyperlinks in this message:
I inserted the latest update 5/6/22 here and at the end.
Hello fellow North Cascades enthusiasts!
Week six of the 2022 spring clearing brought us to that magic moment when the west side and east side crews met west of the Rainy Pass summit. The last few miles were some of the slowest going, with snow depths over 6 feet, making it necessary to use an excavator to knock down the snow from above before the blower could clear the roadway.
The crews also performed necessary pavement and guardrail repair, as well as another round of avalanche control. At the moment the pavement is clear and we are very close to opening.
But with up to 16 inches of snow forecast for the weekend, Mother Nature has decided once again to have the final say in the reopening schedule. Spring snow can often turn to rain, which could trigger wash outs and rockslides. If the weather remains cold, that could mean more avalanche control will be necessary before the road can be reopened to traffic.
For those adventurous cyclists: the pavement is clear and this would be the chance to ride without sharing the road with vehicle traffic. Be prepared for cold weather conditions, consult the Northwest Avalanche Center for current backcountry avalanche conditions, and know there is very little is any cell service through Rainy and Washington Passes.
Once our crew has had an opportunity early next week to clean up after weekend, they’ll set a reopening time and I’ll be sure to share that information as soon as I have it. Stay tuned for the final update of the 2022 spring clearing.
We’ll be sure to share more on Flickr, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Safe travels and have a great weekend-
Lauren Loebsack, Communications 509-860-0000 (mobile)
North Central Region-Wenatchee
Hyperlinks in this message:
- Northwest Avalanche Center: nwac.us/
- Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/albums/72177720297687450
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/WSDOT
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/wsdot/
- Twitter: twitter.com/WSDOT_East
Don't miss the pics on the flickr link below.
The eastside crew cut a single path to the summit of Washington Pass to wrap up the fourth week of 2022 spring clearing. Snow depths of nearly eight feet on the highway at the top of the pass means the sno cat and loader need to knock down and move snow to about 6 feet for the blower to clear a path on the roadway.
On the west side, crews reached milepost 153. That leaves about 10 miles between the two crews, but there is more than clearing the road ahead before the highway can be reopened to traffic. The entire road width and shoulders must be cleared and any pavement and guardrail damage must be repaired. We know many of you are eagerly waiting for your first trip over the North Cross this year, but we’re still too far out to say when we will reopen for sure.
The road remains closed at the Ross Dam Trailhead at milepost 134 on the west side and Silver Star gate at milepost 171 on the east. If you plan to recreate behind the closure points, we strongly recommend that you consult the Northwest Avalanche Center for current backcountry avalanche conditions.
We’ll keep sharing updates to the 2022 spring clearing on Flickr, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Safe travels and have a great weekend-
Lauren Loebsack, Communications 509-860-0000 (mobile)
North Central Region-Wenatchee
Hyperlinks in this message:
- Northwest Avalanche Center: nwac.us/
- Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/albums/72177720297687450
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/WSDOT
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/wsdot/
- Twitter: twitter.com/WSDOT_East
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