Cayuse, Chinook Passes Close For The Winter Thursday

[Niehart]

MOUNT RAINIER, WA — Ahead of more potential mountain snow, two of the roads that run through Mount Rainier National Park will close for the winter Thursday morning. WSDOT crews close the gates at Cayuse Pass (SR 123) and Chinook Pass (SR 410) annually, typically in mid-November, for safety reasons. According to WSDOT, avalanche dangers, poor road conditions and a lack of nearby emergency services make both roads too hazardous to drive on.

State Route 410 will close between Crystal Mountain Boulevard and Morse Creek. State Route 123 will be closed from Crystal Mountain Boulevard and the entrance to Stevens Canyon Road.

Skiers can still access Crystal Mountain from Enumclaw on State Route 410. White Pass can be reached from U.S. 12.

According to WSDOT, maintenance crews clear more than 30 miles of snow between the two passes before they can reopen in the Spring. The work can take up to six weeks to complete. Both roads usually reopen around Memorial Day weekend, but the timeline depends on how much snow has accumulated.

 

[allrider]

Interesting that these 2 closed but the north cascades SR 20 is still open?  Doesn't 20 usually close first?

 

[escapefjrtist]

If the weather forecast (ha-ha) is right, looks like this next week will put the finishing touches on North Cascades. Snow at my shack too...that's always a fun filled adventure! 

~G

 

[Fontanaman]

If the weather forecast (ha-ha) is right, looks like this next week will put the finishing touches on North Cascades. Snow at my shack too...that's always a fun filled adventure! 

~G

Snow at yer shack eh --G.  When you get it remember this.  Looks like I will get to try out my snow thrower. 

I used to give you a hard time about the Puget Sound convergence zone.  Then I moved to Spokane.   

 

[Niehart]

When I whine about the rain my Alaskan daughter says, "If you don't have to shovel it, don't bitch about it". 

 

[dcarver]

Snow. Ski Creston,

 

[escapefjrtist]

^^^^ Better you than me Fontanaman and I agree with Niehart...no shoveling, no complaining!

If snow visits the foothills after Tuesday next week, I'm good. No passes to go over and I don't need to leave the house!

~G

 

[Bugnatr]

^^^^ Better you than me Fontanaman and I agree with Niehart...no shoveling, no complaining!

If snow visits the foothills after Tuesday next week, I'm good. No passes to go over and I don't need to leave the house!

~G

Shoot, we have snow in our forecast neat week.