The call has been made: State Route 20, better known as the North Cascades Highway, will be put to its seasonal sleep. Travelers will need to take alternate routes as the Washington State Department of Transportation has announced the impending closure effective 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4, citing safety concerns due to avalanche risk and current snowy conditions.
With the elevation of Rainy Pass hitting 4862 feet and Washington Pass even higher at 5475 feet, closing these key segments – between milepost 134 near Ross Dam trailhead and milepost 171 at Silver Star gate – becomes a necessity as winter tightens its grip on the region. In the season, depending on how the weather decides to unfold, the closure points may shift to the Newhalem gate (milepost 120) and Early Winters gate (milepost 178), which reside at a friendlier altitude for the elements at play, as reported by the Washington State Department of Transportation.
Travelers who frequent this scenic but hazardous stretch need to adjust their navigational strategies come Friday. According to information provided by the Washington State Department of Transportation, the imminent snow showers poised to begin in the North Cascades region dictate that the road no longer remains a safe passage, thus the need for closure.
History marks Oct. 17, 2007, as the earliest date the highway has bid its temporary farewell, while Jan. 3, 1990, remains the latest. As for real-time updates, Washington State Department of Transportation nudges people toward their mobile app, a real-time travel map, or their mountain passes webpage, which lives to serve those looking for the current lows and highs of highway conditions.
