The road to Artist Point, a popular outdoor spot at the very end of the Mount Baker Highway, will fully open for the first time since 2010 on Tuesday, July 24, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.
The road was buried under 20 to 30 feet of snow when crews began clearing the highway in June. Transportation officials said the snow was so deep they had to use bulldozers to cut the depth down to allow snowblowers to make it through.
“It was a tough job, for sure,” said Theo Donk, WSDOT’s maintenance supervisor, in a press release. “We were working along steep hillsides and in rough weather conditions most of the time. The crew did great though, and we’re getting the road open before August despite how much snow there was.”
Artist Point is a hot location for hikers, as well as a boon for retailers and other businesses who cater to outdoor enthusiasts.
The road to Artist Point is 2.7 miles long and 5,000 feet above sea level. It is usually buried under snow and closed from October through June with the reopening of the road dependent on weather conditions.
