Snow Slide Closes SR20 East of Newhalem

Newhalem, WA  – A snow slide has closed SR20 in Both Directions near milepost 123, East of Newhalem according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).

WSDOT says the slide happened sometime Thursday Night or Friday morning, completely blocking a 150 foot section of the highway in nearly 35 feet of snow, rocks, and trees.

 

WSDOT_North Traffic posted on Twitter that DOT Crews have been unable to start removing the snow and trees due to safety reasons as the slide was still unstable and was  continuing to move making it unsafe for cleanup crews on Friday. They plan to reassess the slide on Monday and if it has stopped moving, crews plan to start the removal process.

Fifty Three Students, Teachers and Chaperones from Jackson High School in Mill Creek are stuck behind the slide at the North Cascades Institute Environmental Learning Center in Diablo for the weekend,  along with around a dozen  Learning Center Staff.