Slides close highway west of Sisters

Multiple snowslides closed Highway 20 west of Sisters for more than 30 hours last Thursday and Friday. After reopening shortly after 1 p.m. on Friday, the same stretch of highway was again shut down on Saturday afternoon.

In both instances the highway reopened on a "conditional" opening basis. All vehicles were required to roll using chains, even those with studs and/or four-wheel-drive.

Thursday's pre-dawn slides blanketed an approximate three-quarters of a mile stretch of highway between mile points 78 and 80, near Hogg Rock in the area of the Santiam Pass and the Highway 20/126 junction. The avalanches ranged in depth from approximately five to 15 feet across the highway, ODOT public information officer Joe Harwood told The Nugget.

"The portion of the highway closest to the slope had the deepest snow, and as it went across the highway, it wasn't quite so deep," he said.

The closure stopped westbound traffic at Camp Sherman and eastbound traffic at Detroit, bringing business at Hoodoo Mountain Resort and at The Lodge at Suttle Lake to a standstill (see related story, page 1).

Early Friday morning ODOT called in a team of avalanche control experts from Mt. Bachelor's Ski Patrol to assess the danger of additional slides. After detonating approximately 10 small charges, the team found the snowpack to be stable, ODOT spokesman Adam Torgerson said.

"So we felt it was safe to open the road again," he said.

On Thursday, heavy snow and high winds made snow removal very difficult for ODOT crews who used snow blowers and snow plows to remove the debris from the slides. As soon a lane was cleared, the area quickly became snowed over again, Torgerson said.

No vehicles reportedly were hit by Thursday's slides, although one truck was trapped but not buried between slides, and a couple of other semis were also blocked, ODOT reported. During Saturday's closure, ODOT's real time Web cam at Tripcheck.com showed a long line of vehicles halted in blizzard-like conditions.

Last week's slides are in the same area where eight slides occurred in a 24-hour period about three weeks ago amidst an angry winter storm that hammered Central Oregon with snow and wind. Although cars and trucks were blocked in those slides, no injuries resulted.

With predictions for more heavy snow and the possibility of additional avalanches, ODOT reminds all motorists to travel with enough supplies in their car to last for a significant period of time in case of an accident or additional highway closures.

"Food, water, blankets and any medications that are needed over the next day or so are a must," Torgerson said.

Starting off with a full tank of gas is also essential.

"Believe it or not, one of the things we do the most out here is to help folks out who get stuck with no gas. We'll put a gallon of gas in or so to get them to the next station," Torgerson said.

Folks venturing out to travel over Highway 20 and all mountain passes should not be in a hurry. The requirement to chain up is always a possibility.

"Be prepared to go slow in any case," Torgerson said, cautioning all motorists that if chaining up is necessary to pull off of the highway in the posted areas designated for chaining up.

Before setting out on winter travel, ODOT advises motorists to check its Web site http://www.tripcheck.com for regularly updated information about statewide road conditions. Live, real time Web cam images of highway conditions at various checkpoints throughout the state may also be accessed.