Hiker Headlines: Highway 20 Closure, America the Beautiful Pass Update, Snowy Forecasts

It’s Nov 30. Thank you for your support during GivingTuesday! Highway 20 is closing for the season. The Interagency Annual Pass is changing to allow a single cardholder in 2024. Expect snow in and east of the mountains this weekend. And Bronka Sundstrom, once the oldest woman to summit Mount Rainier, has passed away at the age of 98. Here’s some news you may have missed while out on trail this week.

There's already been plenty of snow in the mountains this month — but get ready for even more in this weekend's forecast! Photo by trip reporter ejain. 

Thank you! We’re so grateful for your kindness and generosity during GivingTuesday. We were truly in awe of the 900 hikers who joined together to raise over $120,000 for trails. With your gift to WTA, you’re part of a community dedicated to improving trails across Washington and creating opportunities for more people to enjoy the wonders of hiking.

Highway 20 closing: Highway 20 will close for the winter season at 6 p.m. tonight, Nov. 30. The west end of the closure is at the Ross Dam Trailhead (milepost 134) and the east end of the closure is at the Silver Star Gate (milepost 171). 

America the Beautiful Pass: The America the Beautiful Pass, also known as the Interagency Annual Pass, will come with a single signature line in 2024, compared to the two signatures the passes currently have. All 2023 passes with two signature lines will be honored through the expiration date. 

Let it snow: We’ve got some snowy forecasts coming up, both in the Cascades and in Eastern Washington. If you’re heading to either, check for road or trail closures — our Hiking Guide and trip reports are great resources — and prepare for winter hiking conditions. And if you brave the cold and hit the trails this weekend, we’d love to hear about it in a trip report! 

Mount Rainier icon passes away: Bronka Sundstrom, the oldest woman to summit Mount Rainier until earlier this year, passed away earlier this week at the age of 98. Bronka grew up in Poland when it was invaded by Nazi Germany, and she and her family were sent to concentration camps. After the liberation, she eventually made her way to Tacoma and became well-known for being a fixture at Mount Rainier, making dozens of trips to Camp Muir each season. In 2002, at 77 years old, she became the oldest woman to summit the mountain. 

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