WENATCHEE — The state Transportation Department expects to reopen the North Cascades Highway at noon Wednesday.
This will be the second-latest opening since travelers began using the highway 39 years ago. The latest was June 14, 1974.
The opening is later than usual this year because of the heavy snowpack.
Crews started clearing winter snow from the section of Highway 20 on April 11.
When crews began their work, they found the highway buried in snow as deep as 75 feet.
Last year, the North Cascades Highway opened on April 16. It was closed by snow on Dec. 1.
Here’s a photo essay — done by the Daily Mail newspaper in London, England — of lots and lots and LOTS of snow on the North Cascades Highway last week — http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1387344/Washington-State-Route-20-Highway-buried-75FEET-snow.html
