North Cascades Highway To Close For Winter Season On Thursday

The Washington State Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced the seasonal closure of the North Cascades Highway.

DOT officials said in a news release this week that the 37-mile stretch of State Route 20 (SR-20) between the Ross Dam Trailhead (milepost 134) and Silver Star (milepost 171) will shut down at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 4.

The lengthy stretch of highway closes annually due to heavy snowfall and avalanche risks during the colder months.

The DOT says that, depending on conditions, the closure points are typically moved to lower elevations of the roadway later in the season, including the west-side gate to Newhalem at milepost 120 and the east side to Early Winters at milepost 178 - resulting in a 58-mile stretch of SR-20 being closed for the season.

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"Our crews try to keep North Cascades Highway open for as along as possible," says DOT spokesperson, Lauren Loebsack. "Our avalanche team keeps an eye on the slide paths, current snow loads and forecasts to evaluate where that tipping point is for safety. They watch for the conditions that can mean a snow slide is likely and what’s likely to happen in the coming days. Over the past week, they have been focused on the Liberty Bell slide paths reaching a tipping point. This combined with a lot of moisture forecast starting Friday night sealed the deal for the team."

Loebsack adds that even though the seasonal closure does impact available routes for travelers, it also assists with the DOT's efforts to maintain other major roads which remain open during the winter.

"While the North Cascades Highway is closed for safety, starting tomorrow, the closure also frees up crews and equipment to deal with snow and ice in lower elevations."

Both Rainy and Washington Passes, which have received several inches of snow over the past month, are a part of the closure zone.

Recreationists will still be able to access areas beyond the closure points but are being reminded not to park in the roadway near the closure gates, since the DOT still uses those spaces as turnaround points for their maintenance vehicles.

The announcement of this year's permanent winter closure follows a temporary closure which ran from Nov. 13-17 due to snowy conditions.

Thursday's closure of the North Cascades Highway will mark its latest since 2019's Dec. 11 closure date, and comes over two weeks after last year's closing date of Nov. 18.

The road will reopen next spring.