Mudslides, rockslides shut down North Cascades highway
SR 20 Rainy Pass wikipedia file photo
NEWHALEM - Several rockslides and mudslides have closed State Route 20, also known as the North Cascades highway, from mile post 147 to 157, Rainy Pass. The slides were first reported Saturday night around 9:30 p.m. Jeff Adamson with the Washington State Department of Transportation confirmed. The slides blocked both directions of the highway, and trapped several vehicles. Fortunately, none of the vehicles were hit by debris and no one was hurt, Adamson said.
WSDOT crews are working on clearing the slides, but they will have to bring in more resources to do the job. The highway may remain closed until sometime Monday, August 12th. Adamson said that the slides may have been triggered by runoff from the recent rain storms that have hit the region over the weekend. The slides can't be fully removed if the hillsides aren't stable and the runoff has stopped, Adamson said.