With 15 inches of new snow and wet weather in the forecast, State Route 20 North Cascades Highway is officially closed for the season between Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) and Silver Star gate (milepost 171) as of Monday, Nov. 18.
The route was closed temporarily on Friday, Nov. 15 ahead of forecasted snowfall. Conditions were reassessed on Monday morning. The road will remain closed for winter for the safety of crews and the traveling public due to avalanche risk.
The weather can change quickly on the SR 20 North Cascades Highway. These pictures were taken within two days of each other in October.
The road will reopen in spring after crews clear the snow and make needed repairs. Historical opening and closing dates are available on the mountain pass closure and opening dates page.
Road closure information is posted on the real-time travel map and the mountain pass page. Information about how crews evaluate for the seasonal closure of SR 20 North Cascades is available on the WSDOT blog.