Unearthing the road that leads to the popular Artist Point at the end of Mount Baker Highway is a rite of summer passage for crews at the Washington State Department of Transportation.
The snowblowers successfully accomplished this feat July 30 and now Artist Point is open for visitors.
Artist Point is at the end of Highway 542 and provides incredible 360-degree views of Mount Shuksan and Mount Baker. There is also access to a variety of trails, according to the WSDOT website at www.wsdot.wa.gov.
It was no small task clearing the snow. When plow crews reached the top, the roof of the restroom peeked through the snow, which was just under 20 feet deep there, the website said.
In 2008 and 2009, the road opened in mid-July, the website said.
The road to Artist Point is 2.7 miles long and more than 5,000 feet above sea level. Artist Point remains open until the first heavy snowfall of the year, which generally hits about late September or early October.
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