Where are the "big" mountain passes in the Northwest?

Right after BC. Bone chilling I tell you.

 

Mountain work requires a special kind of ... crazy pardon the expression. I have it. and Love it. The north west does not have anything that will bother me too much other than having to see snow removal machines larger than my 18 wheeler and long snow sheds defending against avalanches.

One mountain is like any other mountain with two big thoughts. First anyone can run them safely when they do it right and second, idiots and fools will find to their regret that they may have been better off waiting in a safe haven until a winter storm has passed and given the snow fighters a chance to work the pass before crossing. Freight schedules sometimes conflict with that. But they are just that, Schedules that can be make new appointments to be flexible during winter storms. Lives are not replaceable up there.

I must state that there is a huge divide between the western mountain man and the eastern one. The eastern ones generally do not have the heavy chain laws and other facts of life that the westerners deal with during winter. And sometimes the eastern mountains will kill you just the same for failing to chain up or use best practicies running hills.

At some point in my life Im going to have to choose a mountain and live on it. Being down here in the miss valley where it's flat is making me not too happy.

 

^^^^^ ######!!! Where's that multi thank button?

 

Seems like the NE gets more snow then the NW. But living on the western side. I don't exactly call the east ( mountains ). I call them hills. None of which have a peak elevation that comes anywhere close to the elevation of the west. Not that i found anyways. I think the highest peak i could find was 2650 feet. But, i didn't travel EVERY road out in the NE. The average around these parts is 6,000 to 9,000 with some hitting the 10,000 foot range. The colorado SW portion averages 12,000 to 14,000. And i don't remember the name, but colorado actually has one long climb that will make you overheat in the middle of january. My gps measured it at 14,500 at the top.

If all one ran was the 5 corridor. I wouldn't think snow be that much of a deal. Being as it don't get that cold and it's too close to the ocean. Lot more rain then snow. I only saw snow one time and that was teh pass on the oregon/california state line. It wasn't much but the moisture content as one mentioned. Was pretty wet. ALMOST had to throw chains.

 

IF it snows on 5 I'd say park it. Those folks can't drive in snow. Snowy, the US record for snowfall is mt.baker,wa. Something like 1200 inches. Being a skier with a degree in Meteorology I know these things. However the weather is screwy and patterns are different recently. Lets not talk about global warming. Mk.

 

Snow is made from water?

 

Really? Snow FIGHTERS? Are they going to have a state charity and start calling us for money all the time, too?

Around here they are called road crews. They mow the grass in the summer........

 

I think he's talking about avalanche control having fun with explosives.

 

Wolf Creek ski area, on Wolf Creek Pass in So. West. Colorado routinely gets 400 inches of snow in the winter, EVERY winter.

 

That's why us locals call it the nw cement in winter.