The Reflector
Last week, maintenance crews with the Washington State Department of Transportation closed down State Route 504, also known as Spirit Lake Memorial Highway, for the winter. The road will be closed at milepost 45 near Coldwater Lake until next spring. Each fall, WSDOT coordinates the annual road closure with the United States Forest Service in anticipation of hazardous winter weather.
“We close the upper portion of the highway every year to accomplish two goals,” WSDOT Mount St. Helens Lead Technician Kent Palmer said in a news release. “First, this stretch of highway gets a lot of rain, ice and snow, and may not be safe for travelers. Second, closing ahead of winter weather gives our crews time to clear downed trees and remove debris from ditches and culverts in hopes of minimizing springtime repairs and closures.”
The scenic byway will be closed from the Hummocks Trailhead to the Johnston Ridge Observatory, but Coldwater Lake will still be accessible as weather conditions allow. For more information, visit to wsdot.wa.gov
