[ScottP]

I notice on the WSDOT site for highway 2 that... "US 2 is closed from Coles Corner milepost 84.75 to Leavenworth at milepost 99 due to fire activity. SR207 and the chumstick highway are open as a detour. No vehicles over 26,000 lbs allowed on detour. No detour available to Leavenworth." Anybody have an idea why SR 207 and the Chumstick highway are open as a detour, but not to Leavenworth? TIA

[Schenk]

Maybe it is poorly worded or incomplete because you can certainly get to Leavenworth that way as far as I know (Coles Corner - SR 207 - SR 209 - Leavenworth). Perhaps they mean the road is not suitable for vehicles over 26,000 GVW and therefore not available as a detour to only those vehicles?

[HitTheTrail]

Probably means that do want thru traffic in a danger area but that they will let local residents go to their houses and get ready to evacuate.

[HitTheTrail]

I just heard from a source up at Lake Wenatchee just now that the road to Leavenworth via the Chumstick is now open to public car and light truck traffic. Just no big rigs. Also, the report is that skies are blue and relatively smoke free around Lake Wenatchee.

[Cyclopath]

Every spring I do a bike ride from Leavenworth, up the Chumstick, to Lake Wenatchee, out to Cole's Corner, and then down US 2 to Leavenworth. The roads definitely connect, although I heard the Chumstick has been closed until very recently because of the fire. Maybe it's listed as not a detour because they may have to close the road again if anything flares up?

[tmatlack]

The Plain detour from Coles Corner to Leavenworth lengthens the US 2 east bound trip by 40 minutes or so....and please be careful of the fire crews and their vehicles. Many are staging out of Plain. I came through there several days ago and it's no problem except for big travel trailers coming down the switchbacks into Plain. I would not do it on a weekend though. Drive speed limit. Tom