Chinook and Cayuse passes have closed for the season due to a foot of early season snowfall and more on the way, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.
Chinook Pass, east of Mount Rainier, closed Tuesday, tying 2005 for its earliest closure since the 1930s. Nearby Cayuse Pass also closed Tuesday.
The gates to Highways 410 and 123 inside Mount Rainier National Park are also closed, as is Highway 123 to Stevens Canyon Road, according to WSDOT. The closure includes 12 miles between Crystal Mountain Boulevard and Morse Creek.
Typically the passes close in mid-November due to avalanche risk, limited snow storage and lack of emergency services in those areas, WSDOT said. However, the snow combined with forecasts showing below-average temperatures and more snow led WSDOT to close the passes earlier this year.
Depending on snow melt and road conditions, Chinook and Cayuse passes typically reopen in late May.
