Date:  Monday, November 09, 2009

Contact:
Mike Westbay, WSDOT Communications (509) 728-4712 (Yakima)
Jamie Holter, WSDOT Communications (206) 440-4698 (Cayuse Pass)

YAKIMA – WSDOT closed Chinook and Cayuse passes for the season Sunday, Nov. 8 after reviewing a snowy forecast and assessing the avalanche risk.

Due to heavy snow accumulation on the roadway, WSDOT crews temporarily closed Chinook Pass just after 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7. WSDOT avalanche forecasters assessed the stability of the hillside on Sunday morning, Nov. 8 and determined the avalanche risk is too great to allow traffic to safely cross Chinook Pass and Cayuse Pass.

Since Friday, Nov. 6, Chinook Pass has received more than three feet of snow. More snow is forecasted which will only increase the avalanche danger.

The SR 410 Chinook Pass closure points are at Morse Creek (five miles east of the summit) and at Crystal Mountain Boulevard (eight miles northwest of the summit). Access to the Crystal Mountain Ski Resort from SR 410 remains open.

Additionally, WSDOT and Mount Rainier National Park staff agreed to close SR 123 (Cayuse Pass) for the season. SR 123 is closed within Mount Rainier National Park from the 4,675-foot Cayuse Pass summit at the junction of SR 410 and SR 123 to Steven Canyon Road.

WSDOT closes each pass for the winter due to high avalanche risk and hazardous driving conditions. Both passes have numerous slide areas that pose significant danger to travelers, WSDOT maintenance crews and park staff.

The combination of avalanche danger, mountainous terrain, lack of cell phone service, inclement weather, and the low number of vehicles, make driving these passes in the winter a potentially hazardous endeavor. If someone had a problem, such as going off the road, it could be many hours, or days, before anyone could find them, which could be fatal in winter conditions.

For information on these and other mountain passes call 511 or visit:
www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/passes/

Helpful tips on winter weather driving can be found at:
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/winter/

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WSDOT keeps people, businesses and the economy moving by operating and improving the state's transportation systems. To learn more about what we're doing, go to www.wsdot.wa.gov/news for pictures, videos, news and blogs. Real time traffic information is available at http://wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/ or by calling 511.

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