North Cascades Highway reopened Monday morning
Nov 17, 2025, 1:13 PM | Updated: 1:17 pm
The North Cascades Highway has reopened. (Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
The North Cascades Highway/State Route 20 (SR 20) reopened Monday morning at 11 a.m., following a four-day closure by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).
WSDOT closed the cross-state highway on Thursday, November 13, between Ross Dam Trailhead (milepost 134) and Silver Star Gate (milepost 171), after heavy snow and rain increased the avalanche danger.
Monday morning, WSDOT inspectors deemed there was no longer any avalanche threat and reopened the highway.
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Seasonal closure on North Cascades Highway approaching
Travelers should be prepared for winter travel conditions and be alert for snowplows.
With snow building on the North Cascades Highway, a seasonal closure could take place in the days or weeks ahead. The earliest seasonal closure on record occurred on October 17, 2003. Last year, this route closed on November 18.
Once SR 20 closes for the season, drivers will have to switch their cross-state travel further south to US 2, Interstate 90 (I-90), or US 12.
This was originally published on November 12, 2025. It has been updated and republished since then.
Contributing: Jason Sutich, MyNorthwest
Nate Connors is a traffic reporter for KIRO Newsradio. Follow him on X. Read more of his stories here. Submit news tips here.
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