Snow returns to passes; drivers urged to be prepared

Published 1:30 am Thursday, November 17, 2016

STEVENS PASS — The Truong family was among the early birds visiting Stevens Pass Ski Resort on Thursday.

They are visiting from Vietnam, and had never seen snow before. The ski resort has not officially opened, so the family took a camera and hiked around the base of the mountain.

A snowstorm earlier in the week hit Stevens Pass harder than other areas, meteorologist Jay Albrecht said. About 10 inches of snow fell.

The National Weather Service issued a La Niña advisory that will be in effect through March. This means Washington can expect colder than average temperatures, and a snowier winter in the mountains.

But the La Niña winter is still in the beginning stages. A couple of inches of snow has melted since Tuesday’s storm, as temperatures hovered slightly above freezing. Around Thanksgiving is when the snow pack typically begins to build, Albrecht said.

“There’s snow on the side of the road and it’s quite cold, so at night it’s freezing pretty hard. You want to drive up over the pass with both yourself and your vehicle prepared,” said Jeff Adamson, a state Department of Transportation spokesman.

An additional two inches of snow is forecast for Friday and Saturday on Stevens Pass. Other mountain passes could see much more.

The North Cascade Highway closes Friday at 9 a.m. after a forecast that includes snow and risk of avalanches. Crews will re-assess the highway’s conditions Monday.

Stevens Pass could be busier because drivers are looking for alternate routes. Adamson advised drivers to anticipate the slower journey.

“All of the mountain passes get busier on holidays because someone is going to Grandma’s house,” Adamson said.

The Washington State Patrol is urging drivers to slow down and increase following distance when driving in winter conditions.

Four-wheel drive does not help a car stop quickly, said Sgt. Mark Francis with the Washington State Patrol. He has seen four-wheel-drive vehicles fly down snowy highways and crash.

“It just means under those conditions, you can get going faster,” Francis said.

He suggested installing studded tires or packing chains before heading up to the mountains. In the case of a closure or delay, pack extra clothing, blankets, food and water. Francis also said to check the weather on the pass before jumping in the car.

The state deploys two snowplows to keep Stevens Pass clear in the wintertime. For big storms, it calls in extra crews from Wenatchee, Leavenworth and other areas.

The ski resort expects to be open within the next couple of weeks, depending on snowfall. It is waiting for another foot of snow, spokesman Ryan Devane said.

For the time being, resort personnel are gearing up for the ski season and crossing their fingers.

Walt Questad, 74, of Edmonds, swung by Stevens Pass on Thursday on his way back from Lake Wenatchee.

“The snow looked all right, so I figured I’d get my old skis and give it shot,” he said. “I hope the rocks are covered up.”

Herald photographer Ian Terry contributed to this story.

Caitlin Tompkins: 425-339-3192; ctompkins@heraldnet.com.