WSDOT poised to begin work on annual clearing of snow from North Cascades Highway
With the worst of winter most likely in the rearview mirror, the annual clearing of the North Cascades Highway — State Route 20 — will soon be underway.
The clearing will begin March 17 at Silver Star Gate, near milepost 171, clearing the path west through the Cutthroat and Liberty Bell avalanche chutes. Meanwhile crews on the west side will be repairing the road along with other maintenance requirements, according to a Reddit post from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).
While the work usually takes 4-6 weeks, according to the post, this can change for a number of reasons. Last August, a wildfire in the area closed the road for several days, and after it was cleared it was covered by a mudslide for several more.
Between March 17 and whenever work is completed, the entire area between Silver Star Gate and Ross Lake will be an active work zone Monday through Friday.
The recreation area between the two points will still be available during the weekends, but there is a continued risk of avalanche danger and limited cell service in the mountain passes, according to WSDOT. People can check the Northwest Avalanche Center for updates.
In the post, WSDOT made a point of letting people know to move their snowmobiles that may be parked at Silver Star Gate before work begins Monday.
Changes and updates to the work schedule will be shared on WSDOT’s real time travel map.
This story was originally published March 13, 2025 at 10:27 AM.
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