WSDOT: Winter is coming. Are you ready?

Road to Artist Point
photo courtesy WSDOT

In case you needed a reminder that winter is just around the corner, the final portion of State Route 542 to Artist Point and the gates to State Routes 410 and 123 inside Mount Rainier National Park including Chinook and Cayuse passes were closed for the season this week.

With increasing chances for more snow and ice in the not-too-distant forecast, WSDOT urges all travelers to start preparing themselves and their vehicles for winter weather. 

To help make the winter travel a bit easier, WSDOT suggests:

• Checking current travel conditions and downloading the WSDOT mobile app.
• Following WSDOT's regional and pass accounts on Twitter, the agency's Facebook site and online travel alerts.
• Signing up for email and/or text updates about road conditions.
• Printing and carrying the WSDOT Winter Driving Guide (PDF 2.33MB).
• Getting vehicles ready and planning extra time to cross all mountain passes.
• Carrying chains and knowing current traction and chain requirements for mountain passes, which are also available on highway-advisory signs, highway-advisory radio and by calling 511.
• Presetting your radio to 530 AM and 1610 AM for WSDOT's traffic-information stations.