Chinook/Cayuse Pass 2011

Snow removal work is getting started on Cayuse and Chinook. West side crews are near Cayuse, though the avalanche conditions this week will clearly move them back. Big Bertha ran big on March 16. I expect some very active avalanche conditions this spring as we continue with snow removal and avalanche control.

I'll try to post updates on weekly basis, info is available at:

www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/passes/cayuse/

www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/passes/chinook/

Please keep in mind that both avalanche control and snow clearing is underway Mon-Fri. Depending on the conditions snow removal can cause avalanches that reach the valley bottom. Avalanche control includes explosives and some extensive ski cutting. Here's a map of the affected areas.

Cheers,

Stimbuck.

Thanks for the head's up, Stimbuck.
We'll watch for your updates.

Snow removal is underway from the Morse Cr. gate. We've already encountered some larger avalanches across the highway- lots of debris.

www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/sets/72157626281797001/

The westside guys are working on SR 123 south of Cayuse and reports are the snow is deep.

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Thanks John -- stickied. Good to meet you last night.

Thanks for the continuing updates, looks like it will be a while. We will pass on the information that you provide and post some pictures.

Quick update from 410/123- slow going. As one might imagine there is quite a bit of snow and it seems like each week we get more. Wednesday (5/4) was our first good warm day and the avalanches awoke. Lots of natural and human triggered avalanches. One of our buried shots produced a 6-8' crown and the slide snapped some trees along the way. Snow from ~5500' down is getting really soft, pretty scary actually. Don't want to get stuck in that mess if anything starts to move.

Cheers,

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