STEVENS PASS — After a weeklong closure, U.S. 2 at Stevens Pass reopened to traffic Thursday morning.
Heavy snow and avalanche risks led to the closure of the pass Jan. 6. Snow slides created piles up to 35 feet tall, the state Department of Transportation reported over the weekend. And at Tumwater Canyon east of Stevens Pass, the department noted over 200 snow slides.
Crews worked Wednesday and early Thursday to clear the road and remove trees, WSDOT wrote on Twitter just before 10 a.m. Thursday.
WSDOT advised drivers should use traction tires.
“It’s critical that all travelers take it slow and be prepared for winter driving conditions,” the department tweeted. “We don’t want a spin out or crash to cause the pass to close again.”
Avalanche risk remained “considerable” on Thursday, according to the Northwest Avalanche Center.
Meanwhile, Snoqualmie and Blewett passes were open. And White Pass reopened around 3 p.m. Thursday. It had briefly reopened Monday but closed due to rockslides. WSDOT crews found a boulder “roughly the size of a three-quarter ton pickup” about 125 feet above the road.
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