Author Snow clearing has begun  (Read 1849 times)

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  • Offline the bartender   ca

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    Offline the bartender

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    Snow clearing has begun
    on: March 28, 2022, 06:12:55 pm
    March 28, 2022, 06:12:55 pm
    I've been watching the WSDOT page daily for them to announce that the snow clearing has begun.

  • Offline herveyw   us

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    Offline herveyw

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    Re: Snow clearing has begun
    Reply #1 on: March 29, 2022, 07:31:49 am
    March 29, 2022, 07:31:49 am
    *Originally Posted by the bartender [+]
    I've been watching the WSDOT page daily for them to announce that the snow clearing has begun.

    It's usually May, a few of us (bikes and cars) try to go over on opening day while there is still snow by the roadside. I'm in the UK until late April, fingers crossed they aren't early this year :-)

  • Offline the bartender   ca

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    Offline the bartender

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    Re: Snow clearing has begun
    Reply #2 on: March 29, 2022, 08:53:12 pm
    March 29, 2022, 08:53:12 pm
    *Originally Posted by herveyw [+]
    It's usually May, a few of us (bikes and cars) try to go over on opening day while there is still snow by the roadside. I'm in the UK until late April, fingers crossed they aren't early this year :-)

    Its usually first week of April they announce, and then a couple of weeks to clear. :)
    I have some good pics of riding it on my Tuono when i deadended at a 4 foot snow wall across the road.



    Last Edit: March 29, 2022, 08:54:38 pm by the bartender

  • Offline herveyw   us

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    Re: Snow clearing has begun
    Reply #3 on: March 30, 2022, 05:51:18 am
    March 30, 2022, 05:51:18 am
    *Originally Posted by the bartender [+]
    Its usually first week of April they announce, and then a couple of weeks to clear. :)
    I have some good pics of riding it on my Tuono when i deadended at a 4 foot snow wall across the road.

    WSDOT site is down, but I just got email to say clearing has begun. Damn, it might open before I get back.

    A couple of photos from the overlook at Washington Pass, in case you're wondering what The Bartender and I are rabbiting on about:



    Last Edit: March 30, 2022, 06:36:01 am by herveyw

  • Offline Mab1067   gb

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    Re: Snow clearing has begun
    Reply #4 on: March 30, 2022, 07:40:04 pm
    March 30, 2022, 07:40:04 pm
    wow, looks like an amazing road to have on your doorstep.

  • Offline herveyw   us

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    Offline herveyw

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    Re: Snow clearing has begun
    Reply #5 on: March 31, 2022, 07:12:07 am
    March 31, 2022, 07:12:07 am
    *Originally Posted by Mab1067 [+]
    wow, looks like an amazing road to have on your doorstep.

    Quite probably the best road in Washington state. It takes about an hour from where I am to hit the real start, around Arlington, then past Oso, the site of a terrible landslide a few years ago in which quite a number of people were killed, and on to Marblemount, the last petrol station until Winthrop around 70miles later on the other side of the Cascade mountains. The west side is all fast twisties through the trees and climbs steadily up to Rainy Pass and then Washington pass over 5000ft up. Then it drops rapidly down into eastern Washington, where the landscape and vegetation completely change: usually there is a big temperature difference, with the east side much, much hotter. This section ends in Winthrop, which is rather like a small "cowboy town". From there, it is either back the way you came, or south along the Columbia River and on to Leavenworth, a town that almost died but reinvented itself as a mock Bavarian town, complete with OktoberFest. Then on to Stevens Pass on US2 (ski area), alongside a raging river when the snow is melting, and back into the wooded landscape of western Washington. Micro-brew beer at a stop close to home. The full loop is around 440miles and takes about 8 hours of riding time, plus stops for lunch and afternoon Bratwurst in Leavenworth. Spectacular scenery almost the whole ride: go once when SR20 opens in the spring, and again in the autumn just before it closes. Sadly, the road also sees quite a few motorcycle deaths, it is far too easy to overcook things (no police anywhere), going either off the edge or into oncoming traffic  :003:

  • Offline the bartender   ca

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    Offline the bartender

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    Re: Snow clearing has begun
    Reply #6 on: March 31, 2022, 05:17:51 pm
    March 31, 2022, 05:17:51 pm
    For those of you who want to see how big of a task it is to clear this highway.

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/albums/72177720297687450

  • Offline the bartender   ca

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    Re: Snow clearing has begun
    Reply #7 on: May 11, 2022, 05:50:10 pm
    May 11, 2022, 05:50:10 pm
    *Originally Posted by herveyw [+]
    WSDOT site is down, but I just got email to say clearing has begun. Damn, it might open before I get back.

    A couple of photos from the overlook at Washington Pass, in case you're wondering what The Bartender and I are rabbiting on about:





    Road is clear, and they're working on repairs. Its expected to open this week. :)

    edit, it opened yesterday, May 10th. yay.
    Last Edit: May 11, 2022, 06:19:35 pm by the bartender

  • Offline Corbel   ca

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    Re: Snow clearing has begun
    Reply #8 on: May 12, 2022, 04:17:49 pm
    May 12, 2022, 04:17:49 pm
    *Originally Posted by herveyw [+]
    Quite probably the best road in Washington state. It takes about an hour from where I am to hit the real start, around Arlington, then past Oso, the site of a terrible landslide a few years ago in which quite a number of people were killed, and on to Marblemount, the last petrol station until Winthrop around 70miles later on the other side of the Cascade mountains. The west side is all fast twisties through the trees and climbs steadily up to Rainy Pass and then Washington pass over 5000ft up. Then it drops rapidly down into eastern Washington, where the landscape and vegetation completely change: usually there is a big temperature difference, with the east side much, much hotter. This section ends in Winthrop, which is rather like a small "cowboy town". From there, it is either back the way you came, or south along the Columbia River and on to Leavenworth, a town that almost died but reinvented itself as a mock Bavarian town, complete with OktoberFest. Then on to Stevens Pass on US2 (ski area), alongside a raging river when the snow is melting, and back into the wooded landscape of western Washington. Micro-brew beer at a stop close to home. The full loop is around 440miles and takes about 8 hours of riding time, plus stops for lunch and afternoon Bratwurst in Leavenworth. Spectacular scenery almost the whole ride: go once when SR20 opens in the spring, and again in the autumn just before it closes. Sadly, the road also sees quite a few motorcycle deaths, it is far too easy to overcook things (no police anywhere), going either off the edge or into oncoming traffic  :003:

    Can't argue that, but my favorite is NFD-25 down the east side of Mt St Helens, between Randle and Northwoods. Alot less traffic.

  • Offline MyzTied   us

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    Offline MyzTied

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    Re: Snow clearing has begun
    Reply #9 on: May 19, 2022, 03:28:49 pm
    May 19, 2022, 03:28:49 pm
    *Originally Posted by the bartender [+]
    For those of you who want to see how big of a task it is to clear this highway.

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/albums/72177720297687450
    Looks just like the task of clearing Trail Ridge road in Colorado....... :002: