Snow Grinds Santiam Pass to a Halt Tuesday Morning

ODOT reported at 2:00 PM that the slide at mile post 79 had been cleared, reopened, and that traffic was moving normally through the area.

Photos courtesy: Mike Brady/Oregon State Police Full size images at the bottom of the story

(SANTIAM PASS, Ore.) - Oregon State Police troopers assisted Oregon Department of Transportation crews today with intermittent highway closures, while responding to several snowslides on Highway 20 at Santiam Pass.

Joseph Harwood with ODOT says the series of snow slides closed Highway 20 at milepoint 78.5 near Santiam Junction.

"The slides occurred in the Hogg Rock area, with the largest slide 15 feet deep across the highway."

He says ODOT crews on scene reported that three vehicles became trapped in the slide, but there are no injuries.

The highway remained closed in the early hours of the morning while crews removed the snow and ice from the highways.

Harwood says that on the west side of the slide, the highway was closed at Santiam Junction. On the east side, the closure was at Black Butte Ranch near Camp Sherman Road.

State police troopers responded from Bend, Salem, and Albany Area Command offices to assist with the various problems related to the cold weather. One was Oregon State Police Senior Trooper Mike Brady who took the set of photos posted below.

ODOT reported at 2:00 PM that the slide at mile post 79 had been cleared, reopened, and that traffic was moving normally through the area.

Special photo series by OSP Senior Trooper Mike Brady