Warmer weather will help move the process along
information released, WSDOT file photo
Happy spring 2023, North Cascades enthusiasts! Monday, March 27 is the first day of spring clearing for SR 20 North Cascades Highway. Crews will begin at Early Winters (milepost 178) and head west through 30+ miles of road crossed by dozens of avalanche pathways. A west side crew has already been hard at work, clearing and cleaning up from the west side closure point at Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134).
When the team met on site March 1 to assess reopening, there was 100 inches of snow at the summit of Washington Pass. This week that level had dropped to 82 inches, and with a good portion of the route facing south and south-east, crews expect Mother Nature to help the clearing effort with continued melt off in the several weeks that it will take to reach the summit of Washington Pass.
While the highway has been closed, the forest surrounding it remains open to a surprising array of wildlife. When asked, some of you wrote back that you are curious about what sorts of critters call the North Cascades forest “home”. I reached out to my colleagues Amber and Carrie at the Methow Valley ranger district for the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest to see if they could help us find out. I loved to learn the North Cascades is habitat for the Cascade red fox, the fisher, wolf, lynx, river otter, weasel, pine marten, wolverine, mountain goat, ptarmigan, and snowshoe hare. I am particularly a fan of the fisher, and learned that the reintroduction work for the species has been going on since 2018 and that there is currently wolverine research happening as well. Carrie shared a video called “Finding Gulo” that follows the Cascades Wolverine Project. It was a fun watch and a wonderful reminder that we share this beautiful forest with other amazing and resilient creatures.
With our crews working to clear the road during the week, we ask that you stay out of the area and save any recreational activities to the weekend. This will ensure our crews have the room to work and can safely clear the road. And please, if you do plan to head out for some back country fun, check on avalanche conditions with the Northwest Avalanche Center.
As always, we will continue to share updates to the 2023 spring clearing on Flickr, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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WSDOT keeps people, businesses and the economy moving by operating and improving the state’s transportation systems. To learn more about what we’re doing, go to wsdot.wa.gov/news for pictures, videos, news and blogs. Real time traffic information is available at wsdot.com/traffic or by dialing 511.
