Highway 20 reopened through North Cascades after mudslide

Before (left) and after (right) photos of the mudslide and cleanup on State Route 20 following an Aug. 11 mudslide. (Washington State Department of Transportation)

State Route 20 is open again through the North Cascades after a mudslide earlier this month spread an estimated 7,000 tons of debris across the roadway.

The Washington State Department of Transportation said the road reopened around noon on Thursday. A 35 mph speed advisory is in place between mileposts 150 and 154, in the vicinity of the Easy Pass trailhead where the slide took place.

Motorists should remain alert for fire response vehicles when traveling through the area since the roughly 2,100-acre Easy Fire is still burning nearby.

The slide occurred on Aug. 11 after heavy rain and forced the Department of Transportation to clear up to 10 feet of material from the road in some places.

Highway 20 closes east and west of Washington Pass seasonally in the winter, most years in November or December.