The atmospheric river that dumped loads of rain and snow on the Cascades is causing precarious avalanche conditions along the Pacific Crest Trail, where two hikers have been reported missing reports Q13 Fox.
Related: NOAA Releases 3 Month Winter Weather Outlook | Warm & Wet In The West
The hikers, two men in the 20’s from out-of-state, sent an emergency distress signal on Saturday but unfortunately– recovery efforts have been severely hampered by all the new rain and snow.
As of this morning any rescue attempt had been postponed till Tuesday, when S&R personnel will reevaluate the weather before trying to recover the two distressed thru-hikers.
Stay strong guys!
Avy Closes Hwy
North Cascades Hwy/SR 20 is closed just east of Diablo due to avalanche danger. The pass will remain closed until at least Tuesday.
— WSDOT Traffic (@wsdot_traffic) October 22, 2017
Here's a look at conditions on SR 20 North Cascades Hwy. Closed until at least Tuesday for avalanche concerns. pic.twitter.com/xDm9fSORt7
— Washington State DOT (@wsdot) October 22, 2017
The North Cascades Highway is closed from Diablo to Mazama due to a number of slides covering SR 20. The combined snow and rainfall has created an unstable, upside-down snowpack. Slides could be easily triggered under the weight of a single skier.
The Northwest Avalanche Center is currently not in operation as we are still a ways out from winter. That said, expect their first post coming soon. Until then, make sure to evaluate terrain and snowpack carefully before venturing into avalanche terrain.