No hitch hiking at Stevens Pass

I don't see anywhere in the WSDOT article that says you can't pick up AT Tunnel Creek hairpin or AT Yodelin. Those two locales seem to be safe and smart bets for exiting the terrain outside the ski resort boundary.

Actually, not true on the more-critical Tunnel Creek side!

From the posted article www.wsdot.wa.gov/News/2013/12/16US2NoHitchHiking.htm :

From Tunnel Creek on the west side of Stevens Pass to Yodelin on the east side (mileposts 60.15 to 66.24), both hitchhikers and those who stop to offer them rides now risk $124 citations.

I decided to look up the official State Route Mileposts near each end of that zone from the WSDOT Washington State Highway Log :
[tt]
60.00  MP MARKER  60
60.15  (Jersey Barrier Median Begins)
60.32  BEG BRIDGE TUNNEL CREEK
60.36  END BRIDGE TUNNEL CREEK
60.44 
60.45  INTRSECTN  FS RD #6095
60.46  (Jersey Barrier Median Ends)
.
.
.
65.96  MP MARKER  66
66.14  BEG SU LN  TWO WAY TURN
66.19  END SU LN  TWO WAY TURN
66.24  INTRSECTN  YODELIN PL
[/tt]

So AT Yodelin (in that parking lot) is clearly OK, but AT Tunnel Creek hairpin (including the intersection with FR 6095) is definitely not OK, and 0.3 miles inside their enforcement zone, which extends SW of the Tunnel Creek bridge to where the jersey barrier median ends.

It does seem that plowing a large pullout at the intersection with FR 6095 (where there is plenty of extra width and room, see Google map ) would be a better solution to the issue than the threat of tickets, at least on the Tunnel Creek side. Additional cost of that plowing relative to that incurred in plowing the highway itself would be minuscule, not even detectable if done in the normal course of highway plowing operations. I don't ski down to the Tunnel Creek side, and can't remember what the spot looks like from previous winter trips to Stevens, is it actually left unplowed?

The section stating; " nor to prevent a person from signaling or requesting transportation from a passenger carrier for the purpose of becoming a passenger thereon for hire" invites a taxi service or perhaps "Cash Cab" to start making some trips up and down the hiway. Or did I mis-interpret?

It probably depends on the definition of "passenger carrier." Does it require a special license? How hard is it to get such a license and what are the rules?

I haven't skied Tunnel Creek very much, but if you want to look on the bright side, this will certainly cut down on traffic for those willing to skin back up.

So, I was watching the Times Tunnel Creek avalanche documentary and a still caught my eye. At the bc gate on top of Cowboy Ridge there was a WSDOT sign that said hitchhiking or walking was illegal on US 2 between mileposts 57(Scenic) and 67(Yodelin). It's below the READ THIS sign and behind the CLOSED sign.

This video was made in 2012 right? So apparently it is already illegal to hitchhike or walk that stretch of highway. Kind of a crappy pic you can see it better in the companion video documentary. But this pic was taken the day of or shortly after the avalanche. So how long has this sign been at the bc gate atop Cowboy Ridge?

The "Walking / Hitchhiking are illegal on US 2 Stevens Pass" sign has been in that exact position for as long as I've been riding at Stevens, which puts it back to at least 2006.

The only reason this made the news is that WSDOT sent out their annual reminder about the restriction (which is only in effect from Nov 1 - April 15).

That's kinda what I was thinking.

The "Walking / Hitchhiking are illegal on US 2 Stevens Pass" sign has been in that exact position for as long as I've been riding at Stevens, which puts it back to at least 2006.

The only reason this made the news is that WSDOT sent out their annual reminder about the restriction (which is only in effect from Nov 1 - April 15).

I'm guessing the "fine drivers" part is new. Plus the enforcement. FWIW the victims of the Tunnel Creek slide had a ride lined up and the hike was open.