North Cascades Highway closed due to avalanche

Both directions of State Route 20/North Cascades Highway east of Newhalem in Whatcom County are closed due to an avalanche that blocked the highway near milepost 122.5 at 10:30am, Sunday, February 25.

The snow slide is estimated to be about 300 feet wide and 25 - 30 feet high. The closure is approximately 11 miles west of the seasonal closure point for the highway.

Washington State Department of Transportation maintenance crews will reassess the slide area on Monday morning, February 26. There is currently no estimate for when the roadway will reopen to travelers. WSDOT is working with the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office and the National Park Service as part of a unified command to handle the situation. There are approximately 55 to 60 people behind the slide area, all of whom have access to food and housing.