Mount Baker Highway to reopen east of Glacier

Mount Baker Highway — State Route 542 — will reopen following a closure near milepost 35 east of Glacier that began Dec. 12 following recent flooding and slide activity along the highway.

The Washington Department of Transportation said in a news release Saturday that the closure will be lifted at 6 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 21. This will restore temporary, daily access east of Glacier to the Mt. Baker Ski Area and Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

Mt. Baker Ski Area announced last week that it had enough snow to open this weekend but was waiting on the highway to reopen. The ski area is hosting its annual Passholder Day on Sunday and will officially open for the season Monday, according to its website.

Flaggers or temporary traffic signals will alternate eastbound and westbound traffic through a single lane between mileposts 41 and 44, and people should expect delays.

WSDOT said contractors working for the state are assessing potential permanent repairs to SR 542. Engineers have assessed the highway and determined temporary repairs have made SR 542 safe for travel in an alternating configuration until more permanent repairs can be finished in early 2026.

Real-time travel information is available via the WSDOT mobile app, the WSDOT travel map or by signing up for WSDOT’s email updates.

This story was originally published December 20, 2025 at 2:50 PM.