Two of Washington's high-elevation mountain passes near Mt. Rainier officially closed for the season this morning.

On Thursday, the Washington State Department of Transportation (DOT) announced that State Route 410 (SR-410) over Chinook Pass and State Route 123 (SR-123) over Cayuse Pass would close at 10 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 24.

The DOT closes a 17.5-mile stretch of SR-410 between Crystal Mountain Boulevard and Morse Creek, five miles east of the summit, and all 16 miles of SR-123 annually due to persistent heavy snow, increased avalanche risks, and a lack of emergency services.

The decision to close both passes for the winter season was made ahead of an advancing weather system which is expected to bring heavy snowfall to both passes by mid-Friday and through the weekend.

This year's

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