YAKIMA, Wash. - The Washington state Department of Transportation has closed two highways in the Cascade Mountains for the season due to heavy snow and avalanche risk. Officials first announced Saturday that they would temporarily close State Route 410 over Chinook Pass and State Route 123 over Cayuse Pass. They reviewed that decision on Sunday and decided to keep them closed for the rest of the season. Chinook Pass has received more than 3 feet of snow since Friday. The North Cascades Highway on State Route 20 remains closed, at least temporarily. All three roads typically close during the winter due to heavy snow.
Chinook Pass is closed from the gates of Morse Creek (five miles east of the summit) and at Crystal Mountain Boulevard (eight miles northwest of the summit). Access to the Crystal Mountain Ski Resort from SR 410 remains open.
SR 123 is closed within Mount Rainier National Park from the 4,675-foot Cayuse Pass summit at the junction of SR 410 and SR 123 to Steven's Canyon Road.
