As winter begins to loosen its grip and early signs of spring appear across the region, the annual clearing of the North Cascades Highway (State Route 20) is set to begin on Monday, March 23, 2026.

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has officially kicked off preparations to reopen this critical seasonal route, which connects communities across the North Cascades.

Below is their message:

Hello fellow North Cascades enthusiasts,

The days get longer and warmer. In the valleys and lowlands, crocus, scilla, and other early blooming perennials start to peek out of the earth in gardens, and robin and killdeer song begins to fill the air.

On the eastern edge of State Route 20 Washington Pass, the assessment team sets out from Early Winters to review conditions and plan for spring clearing of the North Cascades Highway. From a workstation in Wenatchee, this communicator sends the 2026 clearing work notice, with the usual request:please move your snowmobiles from the Early Winters gate before Monday (March 23), when our crews plan to start the 2026 spring clearing work.

Assessment Day 2026

This year’s assessment day occurred February 25, when members of the maintenance and avalanche teams rode snowmobiles up through Washington and Rainy passes to check snow depths, avalanche debris piles, and spot any other issues they may have to deal with during the clearing process.

The team reported lower than average snow depths on the roadway this year:

• Cutthroat: 33.5 inches

• Washington Pass Summit: 56 inches

• Bridge Creek: 79 inches

• Rainy Pass Summit 73 inches

At Cutthroat Ridge there are half a dozen avalanche debris piles that reached the road and all three Liberty Bell slides covered the roadway. This means the clearing crew will need to bring in a dozer to clear the slides ahead of the blowers.

There was also ditch line scour and plugged culverts observed on the west side of Washington Pass and on Rainy Pass.

An active work zone

Work begins at 6 a.m. on Monday, March 23. To get this work done safely and efficiently, the area behind the closure points must be treated as an active work zone Monday through Thursday, from 6 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Please do not go behind the closure points at any time during working hours. Our team works hard to maintain a safe operation, and we need everyone to respect that effort. No hike or bike ride is worth the risk.

Any changes to the work schedule will be shared on thereal time travel map.

Keep in mind that the road is otherwise closed and unmaintained between milepost 130 and 178, and there is no cell service on the passes. For those that choose to visit the back country on the weekends, be sure to check in on conditions with theNorthwest Avalanche Center.

A look ahead

State Route 20 closes for other reasons than just winter weather. In the last few years this route has closed due to mudslide, wildfire, and collisions. There will also be repairs coming to certain sections of the route damaged in the December 2025 atmospheric flood event, including permanent repairs to sections east of Early Winters, as well as any seasonal maintenance necessary. With a narrow window of weather to complete all the work, travelers should expect to encounter work zones on their trip over the North Cross this year.

A rockslide has closed the road at milepost 130 as of March 17. An emergency contract is in development to clear the road at that location. Additionally, a washout has been identified between mileposts 142-143. The plan is to also fix this washout under an emergency contract once the rockslide at milepost 130 has been cleared and the site is accessible by our crews and contractors. More will be shared when the project schedule is confirmed. We understand the importance of the route to the communities on both sides of the North Cascades Highway and will keep you updated.

We will continue to provide clearing updates until the spring opening. In the meantime, we are sharing pictures and video on Flickr so you can follow along with the work happening in one of the prettiest work zones in the world.

Stay safe and enjoy the arrival of spring in the Cascades!