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Parts of highways closed because of snow

THE OLYMPIAN | • Published November 08, 2009

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Sections of the North Cascades Highway and Highway 410 will be temporarily closed because of heavy snow.

Crews closed Highway 20, North Cascades Highway, at 4 p.m. Saturday, from the Diablo Pass to milepost 170, 14 miles west of Mazama.

Drivers will not be able to access Highway 410’s Chinook Pass at milepost 74.5 (Morse Creek), five miles east of the summit. The pass, which provides access to Mount Rainier National Park from the east, usually closes for the season in November because of avalanche danger. However, crews plan on reopening the pass again before the winter closure. Department of Transportation spokeswoman Meagan McFadden said that crews shut down the roadway at 8 a.m. Saturday to clear 25 inches of snow, adding that avalanche experts will assess the area this morning.

It’s uncertain when the roads will reopen.

Joyce Chen, The News Tribune