Salem, Oregon – The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) is recommending travelers everywhere to avoid the mountain passes in southern Oregon as winter grips the Pacific Northwest. The advisory extends the whole weekend, noting dangerous weather that is currently creating hazardous roadways, particularly close to the High Cascades.
The most impacted places are the portions around Diamond Lake and Crater Lake, particularly on OR 230 north of Union Creek and OR 138 from Diamond Lake Junction to U.S. 97. Intermittent white-out conditions on certain routes have caused vehicles to lose traction causing inevitable road bottlenecks. For drivers who use these passes, ODOT thus expects considerable delays and potentially unsafe conditions.
Reports from the ground have detailed how the ongoing heavy snowfall and high winds are combining to create treacherous driving conditions. The bad weather is predicted to last during Saturday and into Sunday, therefore increasing the risks and difficulties for everyone using the roads. ODOT is highly recommending to avoid traveling in these impacted locations until the weather improves given these circumstances.
The remote character of these mountainous regions, where services are absent and mobile phone reception is at best inconsistent, adds to the risk. This can leave stranded visitors without the means to call for assistance or access emergency services, making a risky situation potentially dire.
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ODOT suggests anyone who must travel to be up-to-date on road conditions by visiting their website, TripCheck.com, which offers real-time changes on road statuses and closures. The lesson is obvious this weekend: safety comes first; stay away from mountain passes in southwest Oregon.
