Snow, collisions bedevil WA mountain passes

The mayhem of snow and multiple collisions that closed I-90 in both directions just after 4 p.m. Saturday at milepost 106 near Ellensburg was also causing problems later in the day at Stevens Pass.

I-90 eastbound lanes were opened at milepost 34 near North Bend in late afternoon and the westbound lane opened at 9 p.m. 

At least 15 collisions caused the Washington State Department of Transportation to advise detouring to Highway 2 at Stevens Pass for westbound travel — but snow was hammering that pass, too, the agency cautioned.

Not long after that advisory to take Highway 2, crashes on that road led the agency to close it westbound over Stevens Pass, beginning at 5:57 pm.

The westbound lanes on Snoqualmie took longer to clear than first anticipated because there were not enough tow trucks in the area to remove all the collisions, WSDOT said in a tweet.

Stevens Pass remained closed westbound at milepost 66 as of 9:04 pm as crews worked to remove multiple spinouts and collisions. Eastbound lanes were open. Westbound travel resumed at 9:46 pm.