North Cascades Highway Open

Wed., May 5, 1999

From Staff

Washington 20, the North Cascades Highway, is to reopen today, about two weeks later than usual after its annual winter shutdown.

Crews removed snow drifts as deep as 12 feet from the highway and cleared avalanche chutes - some of which were over 85 feet deep and 1,200 feet wide.

Department of Transportation snowplow crews working from Twisp and Mount Vernon met at the summit last week, then widened the highway as they headed back.

The highway, the state’s northernmost road crossing the Cascades, is closed each winter because of avalanche hazards. The highway winds through North Cascades National Park and crosses two pass summits: Rainy Pass at 4,855 feet and Washington Pass at 5,477 feet.

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