There aren’t too many east coast mountain passes that get closed during the winter months. That seems to be something exclusively reserved for high-altitude mountain passes in the Rockies.
Except, of course, Vermont Route 108 that passes through Smuggler’s Notch. The road is a twisting, turning, and steep route that even causes headaches in the summer (semi-trucks are constantly getting stuck on that damn road).
The Notch Road is closed throughout the winter because of the inevitable crashes that would occur with vehicles trying to navigate the snow-covered roads. The road is actually used for snowmobile tours by Smugglers’ Notch Resort, and I highly recommend you check that out if you’re ever in the area. It’s pretty sweet to rip a sled up and down a snow-covered mountain pass in the shadow of Mt. Mansfield.
The road is still open, for now, and Smugglers’ Notch Resort shared a cool clip of a snow squall hitting the road while a truck was traveling through. Doesn’t look like there’s tons of snow on the ground in the clip, but just seeing white accumulation on that road gives me the chills.
Winter is coming and people will be skiing the east before we know it!