It Takes Months to Plow 40 Feet of Snow Off This Northern California Highway Each Spring

Every spring, road crews at Lassen Volcanic National Park face a job that sounds almost impossible: clearing up to 40 feet of snow from a 30-mile highway that crosses avalanche-prone slopes with 2,000-foot drops on either side.

The park highway, a stretch of Highway 89 that connects the north and south entrances, closes every fall when snow buries the road. Crews typically begin plowing in March or April and work for about two months before the entire route is clear. Even after the snow is removed, the road stays closed to vehicles until the final layer of ice melts and crews finish repairs, replace signs and grade shoulders and parking areas.

The operation follows a set order. Crews start from the north end at Manzanita Lake and work south toward Summit Lake, covering about 13 miles. At the same time, another team starts from the south at the Kohm Yah-mah-nee Visitor Center and works north toward Lassen Peak. The final stretch between Lassen Peak and Summit Lake is the last to be cleared.

Delays are part of the process. Fallen trees and boulders get buried in the snowpack and have to be removed as they appear. Rockslides break loose as the snow melts. Spring storms can dump fresh snow on sections that were already cleared. Equipment breaks down. And avalanches can wipe out days of progress in minutes.

This year could be different. The April 1 snow depth at Lake Helen was just 91 inches, tied for the lowest reading since 2015. The park says it anticipates the road could be fully open by Memorial Day weekend, which would be one of the earliest openings in recent years. Late April storms did add some fresh snow, but not enough to significantly change the timeline.

Hikers and cyclists can access cleared sections of the road before it opens to vehicles. Check the park’s alerts page for the latest conditions.