MAZAMA – The North Cascades Highway will remain closed until at least this afternoon while workers move an estimated 120 dump truck loads of dirt from the roadway.
State crews are pushing to have the road open by this weekend for travelers at the height of tourist season, state Department of Transportation spokesman Jeff Adamson.
A storm Monday evening dumped an inch of rain and hail, saturating the mountain slopes next to the highway and causing four major mud slides.
About 40 motorists and 25 firefighters were trapped for about six hours between the slides Monday night until Transportation Department crews cleared a single lane so motorists could travel east to the Methow Valley. Mud and debris in the largest slide measured 750 feet long and 51/2 feet deep at the centerline, Adamson said.
A crew of 20 were working with an excavator, a front-end loader and five dump trucks to remove the mud, dirt and debris near Rainy Pass, Swamp Creek and Granite Creek.
On the east side coming from Mazama, the road opened on Tuesday to Rainy Pass so hikers and campers could get in and out of the popular recreation area.
On the west side from Marblemount, the road is open to Diablo Lake.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
