The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) says State Route 20 – also known as North Cascades Highway – is back open for now.
It reopened at 11 a.m. on Monday after crews closed it for the weekend.
“Looking at the storm forecast last week, our crews made a decision to close over the weekend and, in the end... not much happened,” WSDOT shared. “We don’t take the decision to close lightly, and the number one factor is always safety. If the rain we got had come as snow, the situation on the road would be a lot different, and the risk to travelers and our crews would have been much higher.”
Each year, the highway closes because of avalanche risks. The closure typically begins in November or December and lasts into the spring.
Last year, it closed on November 18 and didn’t reopen until April 22.
WSDOT reminds drivers that we are on borrowed time with winter weather in the Cascades.
Crews will keep plowing the road, but ask everyone to be prepared for traveling in the mountain passes and for the potential of a short-notice closure.
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