The Washington State Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced the seasonal closure of the North Cascades Highway.

DOT officials said in a news release this week that the 37-mile stretch of State Route 20 (SR-20) between the Ross Dam Trailhead (milepost 134) and Silver Star (milepost 171) will shut down at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 4.

The lengthy stretch of highway closes annually due to heavy snowfall and avalanche risks during the colder months.

The DOT says that, depending on conditions, the closure points are typically moved to lower elevations of the roadway later in the season, including the west-side gate to Newhalem at milepost 120 and the east side to Early Winters at milepost 178 - resulting in a 58-mile stretch of SR-20 being closed for the season.

"Our crews try to ke

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