Date:  Thursday, March 13, 2008

Contact: Jeff Adamson, North Central Region Communications Manager, Wenatchee,
(509) 667-2815, (509) 669-8778 Cell. E-mail: adamsoj@wsdot.wa.gov
WSDOT Area 3 Maintenance Superintendent Dean Hills, Okanogan (509) 826-7364

WENATCHEE – On Wednesday, March 12, WSDOT Avalanche Control and Maintenance officials traveled 20 miles from the east closure point at Early Winters, west of Mazama, to Rainy Pass on snowmobiles and a snow cat to assess the conditions and determine when the annual spring reopening effort could start. The work is scheduled to begin Monday, March 24, and should be finished by May 1, barring illness, weather delays or equipment breakdowns.

On Wednesday, officials found overcast skies, 30-degree temperatures and no precipitation, though 4 to 6 inches of new snow had fallen the day before. More snow is expected next week.

“We expect to be able to free up the personnel and equipment we need for the reopening from Stevens Pass and other facilities, after these weather systems move through the Cascades,” Okanogan Maintenance Superintendent Dean Hills said.

Avalanche Control Technician Mike Stanford said that while there was a large amount of snow, “the avalanches were smaller than last year, and the slides didn’t appear to have the volume of rocks and trees encountered the last couple years. The snow pack is relatively stable, with two distinct layers from December and February. Slides could affect the reopening work, depending on whether we get cool and clear or warm and wet weather this spring.”

The snow depths over the pavement ranged from 4 feet to more than 9 feet from Early Winters to Washington and Rainy Passes. Below the avalanche chutes in the Cutthroat Ridge zone, snow slides were as deep as 20 feet. Through the Liberty Bell Mountain zone, the slides were 40 to 50 feet deep over the roadway. Contrary to the norm, there was more snow at Rainy Pass and to the west than at Washington Pass and to the east. Heavy snows caused avalanches that twice forced the west closure point to be moved to Newhalem, 13 miles west of the usual Diablo closure point.

The deep snow seemed to be a draw for outdoor enthusiasts, Standford said after the Wednesday assessment. “We encountered snowmobilers and back country skiers – more than I can ever recall seeing on past assessments,” he said. 

The highway was closed for the season December 4. Last spring, the highway reopened April 26.

View pictures from the assessment and get more information about the North Cascades Pass.

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