SKYKOMISH, Wash — Highway 2 reopened between Skykomish and Stevens Pass on Thursday.

The opening is three days ahead of schedule. Gov. Bob Ferguson said Tuesday that state officials were aiming to have a path cleared to Stevens Pass by Sunday.

The Washington State Department of Transportation said good weather allowed crews in Skykomish to finish clearing debris and complete repairs at two washouts near the town.

All lanes opened between Skykomish and Stevens Pass in both directions, but a pilot car will remain in place for a 5-mile stretch east of the summit between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. This comes after a partial reopening of access to the pass from the east side of the mountains. 

An inspector report released Monday showed that a major bridge at milepost 54 is in “very good shape.” It needs some work after being covered by several feet of debris, but the permanent work will take place over the summer, according Secretary of Transportation Julie Meredith.

The reopening from the west side on Thursday is not intended as a through route over the pass, but it will provide access to towns along the highway as well as the Stevens Pass Ski Resort. 

Officials are still encouraging people to use Interstate 90 to travel over the mountains.

The route between mileposts 66 and 71 will remain a single-lane piloted route through the end of January and officials warned that the highway will remain an active construction zone for months.

Highway 2 was closed since Dec. 10 after mud, water and debris damaged the road in multiple locations. In some areas, the road was completely washed out and will have to be rebuilt.


Limited reopening from the east

A limited reopening began Monday to allow skiers and snowboarders to access Stevens Pass from the east side of the mountains.

A pilot car is escorting vehicles to the summit, operating from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and depending on weather conditions.

The route requires anyone with season passes in western Washington to first travel across the mountains to Coles Corner before making their way back west to ski or snowboard.

The pilot car operation is expected to last about a month. After that, the state hopes to open one lane of the road in each direction.

A smaller stretch of Highway 2 between Index and Skykomish reopened on Dec. 11, a day after the initial closure.