Cross-state travel in Washington 'almost completely impossible' as snow closes all Cascade passes
Snoqualmie Pass (I-90), Stevens Pass (US-2), White Pass (US-12) and Blewett Pass (US-97) all shut down on Thursday morning due to heavy snow and extreme conditions.
Cross-state travel in Washington 'almost completely impossible' due to snow
Snoqualmie Pass (I-90), Stevens Pass (US-2), White Pass (US-12) and Blewett Pass (US-97) all shut down on Thursday morning due to heavy snow and extreme conditions.
HYAK, Wash. -- Getting across the Cascades in Washington this week has progressed from difficult to nearly impossible as heavy snows and dangerous conditions have forced the closure of all primary east-west pass routes; a closure that may last into the weekend.
Snoqualmie Pass (I-90), Stevens Pass (US-2), White Pass (US-12) and Blewett Pass (US-97) all shut down on Thursday morning due to heavy snow and extreme conditions, making it too dangerous for crews to be in the mountain pass areas to clear snow.
Washington State DOT: Extreme weather in mountain passes too dangerous
Washington State Department of Transportation tweet that extreme weather has created conditions so hazardous they are forced to keep crews away from mountain pass areas.
"The hazardous conditions include snow slides, trees falling, near-zero visibility," Washington State Department of Transportation officials said. In addition, avalanche danger was already high and expected to become even more dangerous as snow changes to rain and freezing rain over the next day or so.
In addition, a fail-safe backup that travels near sea level but requires a several-hour detour into Oregon through the Columbia River Gorge along I-84 was also closed for several hours Thursday due to mudslides. Westbound lanes reopened late Thursday afternoon but eastbound remained closed.
"This means cross-state travel is almost completely impossible," WSDOT officials said.
GPS Navigation software like Google or Apple Maps showed some routes through remote forest roads, but the Washington State Patrol strongly warned those roads are extremely hazardous, not plowed, and with little-to-no cell service and dim prospects for rescue if you get stuck.
MORE: Washington police urge caution against using Google, Apple Map detours onto remote forest roads
A plane ticket may be the only viable option to get across the mountains.
What's worse, the passes are expected to remain closed until at least Friday, and likely into Saturday, severing critical shipping and travel routes for days.
WSDOT crews say even once the weather conditions improve, there will be a lot of work left including avalanche control, plowing roads and clearing fallen trees, clearing overhead freeway signs from snow and ice, and clearing drainage basins.
But crews stand ready to head back into the passes once conditions are safe to do so.
Most snow in 20 years along I-90/Snoqualmie Pass
Thursday marks the 5th consecutive day with heavy snows at Snoqualmie Pass along I-90. Each of the past four days have recorded at least a foot of snow at the pass.
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Image 1 of 23A driver clears snow from a car in Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, U.S., on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. Snoqualmie Pass had the highest snowfall in 20 years as of Jan. 3, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Photographer: David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty Images ( )
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Image 2 of 23Workers clear snow with heavy machinery in Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, U.S., on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. Snoqualmie Pass had the highest snowfall in 20 years as of Jan. 3, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Photographer: David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty Images ( )
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Image 3 of 23Snow obscures a stop sign in Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, U.S., on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. Snoqualmie Pass had the highest snowfall in 20 years as of Jan. 3, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Photographer: David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty Images ( )
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Image 4 of 23Snow piled on top of on a sign for Interstate 90 near Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, U.S., on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. Snoqualmie Pass had the highest snowfall in 20 years as of Jan. 3, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Photographer: David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty Images ( )
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Image 5 of 23A driver digs out a car buried in snow in Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, U.S., on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. Snoqualmie Pass had the highest snowfall in 20 years as of Jan. 3, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Photographer: David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty Images ( )
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Image 6 of 23A resident shovels snow in front of a home in Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, U.S., on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. Snoqualmie Pass had the highest snowfall in 20 years as of Jan. 3, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Photographer: David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty Images ( )
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Image 7 of 23Interstate 90 after a snow storm near Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, U.S., on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. Snoqualmie Pass had the highest snowfall in 20 years as of Jan. 3, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Photographer: David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty Images ( )
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Image 8 of 23Snow covered trees near Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, U.S., on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. Snoqualmie Pass had the highest snowfall in 20 years as of Jan. 3, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Photographer: David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty Images ( )
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Image 9 of 23A car covered in snow in Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, U.S., on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. Snoqualmie Pass had the highest snowfall in 20 years as of Jan. 3, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Photographer: David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty Images ( )
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Image 10 of 23Traffic on Interstate 90 after a snow storm near Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, U.S., on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. Snoqualmie Pass had the highest snowfall in 20 years as of Jan. 3, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Photographer: David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty Images ( )
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Image 11 of 23Trucks parked along an entrance to Interstate 90 after a snow storm near Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, U.S., on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. Snoqualmie Pass had the highest snowfall in 20 years as of Jan. 3, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Photographer: David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty Images ( )
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Image 12 of 23A driver installs tire chains along Interstate 90 after a snow storm near Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, U.S., on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. Snoqualmie Pass had the highest snowfall in 20 years as of Jan. 3, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Photographer: David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty Images ( )
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Image 13 of 23Truck drivers install tire chains along Interstate 90 after a snow storm near Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, U.S., on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. Snoqualmie Pass had the highest snowfall in 20 years as of Jan. 3, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Photographer: David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty Images ( )
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Image 14 of 23Traffic on Interstate 90 after a snow storm near Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, U.S., on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. Snoqualmie Pass had the highest snowfall in 20 years as of Jan. 3, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Photographer: David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty Images ( )
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Image 15 of 23Trucks on Interstate 90 after a snow storm near Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, U.S., on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. Snoqualmie Pass had the highest snowfall in 20 years as of Jan. 3, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Photographer: David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty Images ( )
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Image 16 of 23Trucks parked along an entrance to Interstate 90 after a snow storm near Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, U.S., on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. Snoqualmie Pass had the highest snowfall in 20 years as of Jan. 3, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Photographer: David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty Images ( )
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Image 17 of 23A snow plow on Interstate 90 near Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, U.S., on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. Snoqualmie Pass had the highest snowfall in 20 years as of Jan. 3, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Photographer: David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty Images ( )
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Image 18 of 23A truck driver installs tire chains on a Walmart truck along Interstate 90 after a snow storm near Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, U.S., on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. Snoqualmie Pass had the highest snowfall in 20 years as of Jan. 3, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Photographer: David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty Images ( )
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Image 19 of 23Traffic on Interstate 90 after a snow storm near Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, U.S., on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. Snoqualmie Pass had the highest snowfall in 20 years as of Jan. 3, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Photographer: David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty Images ( )
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Image 20 of 23A sign alerts travelers on Interstate 90 that tire chains are required after a snow storm near Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, U.S., on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. Snoqualmie Pass had the highest snowfall in 20 years as of Jan. 3, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Photographer: David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty Images ( )
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Image 21 of 23Trucks enter Interstate 90 after a snow storm near Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, U.S., on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. Snoqualmie Pass had the highest snowfall in 20 years as of Jan. 3, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Photographer: David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty Images ( )
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Image 22 of 23A snow covered Chevron gas station in Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, U.S., on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. Snoqualmie Pass had the highest snowfall in 20 years as of Jan. 3, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Photographer: David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty Images ( )
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Image 23 of 23Snow covers a motorhome in Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, U.S., on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. Snoqualmie Pass had the highest snowfall in 20 years as of Jan. 3, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). Photographer: David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty Images ( )
PHOTOS: Snow piles up at levels not seen in decades at Washington's Snoqualmie Pass
Their seasonal total of 274 inches so far is the most recorded by this date in the past 20 years, the WSDOT said.