Cascade River Road and North Cascades Hwy Open

Cascade River Road to Cascade Pass trailhead opens with temporary fix

The Cascade River Road is now open to all vehicles to its end at Cascade Pass trailhead. The road had temporarily been closed at the Eldorado trailhead, three and a half miles below the Cascade Pass Trailhead.In the early evening of August 11, a huge thunderstorm over the Cascade River Basin released a torrential downpour causing a wash-out of the Cascade River Road at Boston Creek and stranding 65 hikers at the trailhead.

North Cascades National Park rangers and employees teamed up to supply the stranded people with water, food, and needed medication. A temporary fix was completed by 4:00 p.m. on August 12, and the stranded hikers were able to drive out. (Read a first-hand account of the experience from our news partner, The Seattle Times.)

Although the current repair of the wash out is still temporary, it has been made sufficiently stable and has been reviewed and approved by National Park Service staff. Employees of North Cascades National Park are currently assessing permanent design alternatives.

The National Park encourages all visitors to remote areas are encouraged to carry the ten essentials, and to check weather and road reports, as mountain roads are subject to flooding during periods of extreme weather.

The trail to Cascade Pass and Sahale Arm is considered the most popular hiking trail in North Cascades National Park.

North Cascades Highway (Hwy 20) opened Monday

The North Cascades Highway, the major east-woute route through North Cascades National Park was also cleared and opened this week. Washington State Department of Transportation crews had been working hard to clear debris from a series of at least eight mudslides between mileposts 150 and 155, also the result of the thunderstorms.