Update on Highway 20 Snow Removal

Recreationalists are urged to check latest avalanche conditions before striking out

information and photos released by WSDOT

Hello fellow North Cascades enthusiasts: Snow levels on the roadway increased as the east side crew moved west past Varden Creek this week, with a snow depth of 42 inches on the road at Silver Star (milepost 171), 46 inches of snow at Lone Fir (milepost 168), and 50 inches of snow on the road at Cutthroat Creek (milepost 167).

The crew is still battling through layers of ice in the snowpack, as well as an icy, compact base on the roadway itself. The good news is this is exactly what the blowers are built for, and the lead blower started clearing the full width of the CR1 avalanche path at milepost 166.2 as of Thursday. The westside crew has reached their farthest clearing point at milepost 148, and unless there is spring snow, those crews will redirect to other work in the area while the eastside crew breaks through the Cutthroat and Liberty Bell avalanche pathways.

Since some of you have asked, per the crew supervisor, “Currently for equipment we have 2 blowers, 1 loader, 1 grader and a snowplow to help scrape the floor. More equipment to come in the very near future.”