Winter weather annually closes cross-state travel from the Plateau area, forcing drivers to avoid state Route 410 when heading east of the Cascade Mountains.

Both Chinook and Cayuse passes were officially closed last week by the state Department of Transportation. The closures became permanent Thursday, Nov. 7, following a temporary closure Nov. 4.

The closures generally occur during the last half of November and remain until approximately Memorial Day. This year’s decision was earlier than usual.

A year ago, the two passes closed Nov. 23 and, in 2015, closure came on Nov. 16. The last time the passes closed this early was 1995, when they closed Nov. 7.

According to the DOT website, the passes were deemed off-limits last week “due to avalanche danger, poor road conditions and additional snowfall in the forecast.”

Chinook Pass, with an elevation of 5,430 feet, is closed between Crystal Mountain Boulevard, about 12 miles northwest of the summit, and Morse Creek, five miles east of the summit. Cayuse Pass, at 4,675 feet, is also closed within the boundaries of Mount Rainier National Park between Crystal Mountain Boulevard and the Stevens Canyon Road entrance.

The passes are buttoned up for now and will remain closed to traffic until WSDOT maintenance crews assess the area next spring. The target date for reopening is always Memorial Day weekend, although that depends on the amount of snow accululation, as well as spring weather conditions.

Drivers can stay abreast of pass conditions by visiting the Department of Transportation website, www.wsdot.com. There is a “Mountain Passes” link under the “Travel” heading.