McKenzie Pass opens

Oregon State Highway 242 over the McKenzie Pass opened to traffic on Friday, May 27, just in time for Memorial Day weekend travelers.

According to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), snow gates were open at noon allowing motorists to travel the scenic 39 miles between Sisters and McKenzie Bridge.

A low winter snow pack and the use of new plowing equipment made the early opening possible this year.

A late May opening has been possible only five times since 1973 according to ODOT records. Late June is more typical and the pass did not open until July 29 in 1999. The pass closed for the winter last October 21, the earliest since 1996.

The longest closure was 256 days during the winter of 1998 and 1999. The shortest closure was 96 days during the winter of 1933 and 1934,

In late April, ODOT crews were plowing snowdrifts of 11 to 13 feet to open the road. “We are about a month ahead of schedule,” David Neyes reported at that time.