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6 24

Helicopter blows heavy snow off treetops to reopen Stevens Pass. Amazing!

Washington highway crews reopened Highway 2 between Skykomish and the Stevens Pass summit today, four days after wintry conditions and high winds forced its closure.

The route reopened shortly after 3:30 p.m. Thursday. It had been intermittently open to local traffic, but no vehicles could move across the mountain pass while Washington Department of Transportation workers dealt with snowfall, high winds and downed power lines.

DOT crews went so far as to use a helicopter Wednesday to blow heavy snow off treetops, to prevent treefalls across the two-lane highway.

The pass closed Sunday due to extreme winter weather, stranding some travelers overnight. Continuing tree-falls and snow slowed efforts to reopen the roadway in subsequent days.

Driving over beautiful Stevens Pass is my favorite way to get to Seattle.

[ncwlife.com]

LiterateHiker 9 Jan 17
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6 comments

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1

Several towns still without power, going on a week now [komonews.com]

1

I remember when I lived in western Washington the Stevens pass was buried in snow, Snoqualmie pass also.

@ml58n2

I always check the WA State Dept. of Transportation Mountain Pass Report. There are 24-hour cameras at the passes.

[wsdot.com]

1

I thought you posted months ago refusing to date or visit museums/events in Seattle ?? Last time I drove to Seattle was during a September snowstorm just before a chains order went into effect....January snow is par for the course ....it is pretty all 12 months of any year there is no forest fire

1

That's a creative solution.......

2

I had heard Highway 2 was closed as well as some of the towns along it. This was the route I took many, many times to work on the Iron Goat Trail. We stayed at a mountaineer lodge at Stevens Pass. It was the increasing snow falls and problems that eventually caused the rail to close in 1929. There are canon along some of the upper reaches of hgwy. 2. To deal with a avalanches. I guess another example of any measure to keep businesses operating. Also heard this has helped increase our low snow pack this year.

3

We've been trying to get accross the passes for 3 weeks now, 1st family visiting then nasty weather.

Hwy 2 is my preference for crossing too. Much prettier and no Seattle traffic, but can add about a half hour to Our trip. Worth it, though.

1of5 Level 8 Jan 17, 2020
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