McKenzie Pass closed until late July

Drivers are chafing at the bit to take the McKenzie Highway up and over the mountain pass, but they'll have to wait at least another week.

Highway crews won't have the scenic route cleared and open until the end of July, according to Oregon Department of Transportation spokesperson Laurie Gould.

"Their target date is July 29," Gould said. "We were hoping to get it open earlier. They've actually plowed a path all the way through, but it's only as wide as a snowplow."

With very heavy snow this past winter, crews confronted 16-foot drifts that had to be gnawed through by a plow, three feet at a time. A cool spring delayed melt-off, further complicating the effort.

After the snow is cleared, crews still have to remove rocks and downed trees from the roadway.

The July 29 opening date will smash the previous rec- ord late opening of July 18, set in 1964.

That is not good news to visitors who are eager to get to the magnificent views from Dee Wright Observatory and for bicyclists who love the challenges of riding the winding, scenic roadway.

The Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce gets repeated inquiries about the status of the highway, according to manager Mardyth Peterson.

"It's the most-asked question right now," she said.

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

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