Receive current traffic conditions, mountain pass reports, construction updates and more. Breadson John was found safe in Jasper County Missouri after being missing for 8 months. SR20's path across the Cascades follows one of the oldest state roads in Washington, established in 1896 as a wagon route. This privately run shuttle service operates between the Stehekin Landing and Vernon to the Anacortes Ferry Terminal, the modern SR 20 (and SR 20 Spur, west of Sharpes Corner) was designated SR 536, and prior to 1964 as the Anacortes Branch of PSH 1. The avalanche crew determined the snow depth in the avalanche paths is normal to below average and the condition of the snow is soft, which allowed work to begin this week, Loebsack said. General: Road is very rough and steep in places, with deep washboards on switchbacks. Spring clearing The Washington State Department of Transportation will open the North Cascades Highway, linking Eastern and Western Washington, at 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 10. Sept/Oct 2023 sweet spot for when to hike and cam Oct 24, 2022. Larch trees and snow on the hills signal the approach of winter in the North Cascade Mountain range. [19], From 1964 until 1973, SR20 was designated as SR 113 from Discovery Bay to Coupeville. 5,477 feet or 1,669 meters) and nearby Rainy Pass (elev. General: Road is paved to approximately. This road was completed in 1909. State Highway 20 is clear of snow and opened to traffic Tuesday, May 12, the Washington State Department of Transportation said online. SR20 turns northwest at an intersection with SR525, which terminates and is supplanted by SR20. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) announced over social media that the freshly plowed highway would reopen on Wednesday, May 5 with the gates east of Newhalem and west of Mazama opening promptly at 1 p.m. That route was opened in 1896, but much of it was passable only by foot or horseback. [15] Over the next nine years, construction of the road continued along with the signing of the North Cascades National Park bill by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968. Depending on weather conditions, reopening usually takes about 4 to 6 weeks. The highway travels east along the Skagit River, climbing uphill into the Cascade Mountains and passing the towns of Lyman and Concrete, located below Lake Shannon and Baker Lake. Washington's North Cascades Highway will officially reopen to drivers in May, giving broader access to the national park known as the "American Alps" for those looking to make day trips or do some hiking. Amidst fanfare, music provided by the Concrete High School Band, and ribbon cutting, Highway 20 was officially connected from western to eastern Washington via Washington Pass on September 2, 1972. Day Hiking: 98284, Download the official NPS app before your next visit. Later this summer contractor crews working on behalf of WSDOT will use a hot liquid asphalt mix to seal active cracks in all lanes both eastbound and westbound along this stretch of highway. , The North Cascades Scenic Highway (State Route 20) opened for motorized traffic at 10 a.m. on Tuesday (May 10). [3] SR20 originally ran from the Mount Vernon area to Okanogan. Pictures of the clearing effort are available on Flickr, at www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/albums/72177720297687450. 4,875 feet or 1,486 meters) annually receive up to 15 feet (4.6m) of snow throughout the winter, and are prone to avalanches leaving over 20 feet (6.1m) of snow on the road. SR20 continues northeast out of Burlington along a branch of the BNSF Railway and the Skagit River into Sedro-Woolley, where it becomes concurrent with SR9 while bypassing the city's downtown. A 140-mile stretch of the road belongs to a so-called Cascade Loop. Visit the North Cascades Lodge at Stehekin website for a current schedule. "We know traditionally people like to gather at the closure gates to be among the first to drive one of our most scenic highways. Heavy equipment is rented each year for the clearing effort, including D8 and D6 Caterpillar bulldozers. The road runs for 436 mi (702 km) from the Discovery Bay (the Olympic Peninsula) to Newport located near the Idaho state border. The crews ended the week near the Bridge Creek trail head at milepost 159. The two routes travel east through Kettle Falls, intersecting SR25, and follow the Colville River upstream to the city of Colville. SR 20 is one of only five State Routes in Washington that have portions closed in the winter (the others being SR410, SR123, SR504, and SR165). WSDOT asks that people be aware of avalanche danger and to stay alert for road debris near or on the road. Loebsack says re-opening SR-20 will likely not occur until after the first week of May. " (Washington State Department of Transportation). She previously worked at a craft beer e-commerce company and loves exploring Seattle's breweries. This route has been replaced with SR 215. Also, there are plenty of spots for hiking, climbing, and camping. more information on current conditions Washington State Department of Transportation, Explore exhibits on the natural and cultural history of the park complex, View the Picket Range from the Sterling Munro Boardwalk, Enjoy the forests and creeks of Newhalem on a variety of easy trails, Walk along a short, interpretive trail to an overlook, Take in views of a waterfall, gorge, and dam, Enjoy stunning views of the lake and surrounding mountain peaks, Take a peaceful, shaded stroll through a moss-covered forest. WSDOT crews and contractors will be making emergency repairs, performing important maintenance and preservation work and fish passage construction this year, with more work to come in the years ahead. The highway, designated as part of the Cascade Loop and Whidbey Scenic Isle Way state scenic byways, passes the Naval Outlying Landing Field Coupeville and Rhododendron County Park before taking a turn west towards Coupeville and Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve. Funds were also allotted to improve access roads on both sides of the North Cascades and construction on this section of the highway began in 1959. If you plan to be among them, please follow safety guidelines including wearing a mask when among people outside your immediate family and avoiding gathering in large groups," wrote WSDOT in a Facebook post on Tuesday. This section of the highway begins at Twisp (the Methow Valley), ascends to the North Cascades National Park, and follows to Sedro Woolley (the Skagit Valley). 20 north", Washington State House of Representatives, "Substitute House Bill 2618; Chapter 209, Laws of 1994", "HB 2618 199394: Adding ferry water routes to the state highway system", "HB 2618, 199394: Adding ferry water routes to the state highway system", Template:Attached KML/Washington State Route 20, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Washington_State_Route_20&oldid=1126159520, Transportation in Jefferson County, Washington, Transportation in Island County, Washington, Transportation in Skagit County, Washington, Transportation in Whatcom County, Washington, Transportation in Chelan County, Washington, Transportation in Okanogan County, Washington, Transportation in Ferry County, Washington, Transportation in Stevens County, Washington, Transportation in Pend Oreille County, Washington, Washington State Scenic and Recreational Highways, Short description is different from Wikidata, Infobox road instances in Washington (state), Articles with unsourced statements from November 2017, Articles containing potentially dated statements from November 2021, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Articles needing additional references from July 2018, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, East end of US 97 Bus. [23][24][25] The Port TownsendKeystone ferry wasn't technically part of SR20 until 1994 when all of the Washington State Ferries routes were added to the state highway system.[26][27]. Our crews clear the road and shoulder and any pullout needed for our maintenance work, but otherwise, it is still wintry up in the mountains and there are few services or rest stops, WSDOT said. The highway is closed during winter and early spring due to the risk of avalanches. From 1964 to 1973, the route from Colville to Tiger was designated as SR 294, and the route from Tiger to Newport as SR 31. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) announced on Monday that the highway would open after six weeks of snow-clearing efforts, after just missing having the road ready for the Winthrop Most of the repair work has been completed with the exception of a significant wash out in the eastbound lane at milepost 113.7, just west of Sky Creek. Sedro-Woolley Last year, clearing began on April 5 and the route opened on May 5. Traffic in both directions along this stretch of highway is controlled by a temporary traffic signal and has been alternating both directions of travel through the westbound lane, which did not sustain damage. WebCo-ordinates: 48.4754, -121.0751 Open in Google Maps. In a piece of transportation trivia, the highway is also about to hit its half-century birthday next year: it officially opened on Sept. 2, 1972. The North Cascades Highway will open Wednesday at 1 p.m. Traversing Washington and Rainy passes, Highway 20 connects the Skagit Valley with the Methow North Cascades 2023 trip itinerary review Sep 20, 2022. smoke in the area from fires Sep 11, 2022. Also called the North Cascades Highway, the road closes east of Newhalem and west of Winthrop every year in early winter because of avalanche danger. Road is not plowed or maintained in the winter season. Snow this deep requires a Sno-Cat and an excavator to knock it down to 6 feet, which will allow snow blowers to clear the rest. It closed on Nov. 10, 2021. [11] SR20 descends along Sherman Creek towards Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake on the Columbia River, which it crosses on a highway concurrent with US395. Washington State Department of Transportation crews clearing the North As the road passes across the North Cascades National Park, you have a chance to observe untouched alpine flora and watch the wildlife. Within Port Townsend, the highway travels east through suburban areas as Sims Way and towards the historic downtown as Water Street. Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve, Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Washington State Department of Transportation, State Highway Log Planning Report 2016, SR 2 to SR 971, "SR 20 - North Cascades Highway - History", "A milepost guide to the North Cascades Highway", "SOLD: 1 tiny town, to Bothell couple, for $360,000", "International Selkirk Loop: Washington Map", "Mountain pass closure and opening dates", "East meets West in first vehicular crossing of North Cross-State Highway", "Will developers blight North Cascades route? Keeping up with the work Take the most northern route through the Cascade Mountain Range. It opened June 4 in 2020 because of delays as road crews adjusted to restrictions to limit the spread of the new coronavirus pandemic. not anticipated to open in 2022 due to damage. Photo: WSDOT, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Whatcom Sheriffs Office seeks publics help in locating 2 suspected in unrelated assaults, Whatcom schools and other schedule announcements for March 1st, Whatcom County wakes to inches of new snow, UPDATED: Whatcom schools and other closures and opening delays announced for Tuesday, Feb. 28th, Forecasters: More snow expected over Whatcom County lowlands, Whatcom Sheriff's Office seeks public's help in locating 2 suspected in unrelated assaults. If you are planning to walk, bike, or ride this route, it is 11 miles from Stehekin Landing to High Bridge. [21][23] When SR20 was extended west to Discovery Bay from Fredonia in 1974, SR536 was shortened and SR20Spur was created. 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