Eastbound lanes are back open after being closed Sunday afternoon. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
Eastbound Highway 2 is back open after a fatal crash on Stevens Pass closed the roadway.
The highway was closed for nearly four hours after two people were killed in a crash near the top of the pass Sunday afternoon. According to officials, one vehicle traveling westbound lost control and crossed into the eastbound lanes, where it was struck by another vehicle. Both drivers, one of whom was a 17-year-old, were pronounced dead at the scene.
The cause of the crash has not yet been determined. A few inches of snow fell on Stevens Pass over the weekend, and snow was falling again Sunday afternoon.
Those traveling through Stevens Pass are advised to drive carefully.
The four-hour closure duration reflects the complex investigation and recovery operations required after fatal collisions, with Washington State Patrol collision reconstructionists documenting skid marks, vehicle positions, and road conditions before clearing the scene.
The westbound vehicle crossing into eastbound lanes indicates either loss of traction on slippery surfaces, driver error, mechanical failure, or medical emergency that caused the driver to lose directional control before the head-on impact.
The 17-year-old driver’s involvement adds tragic dimension to the crash, with the teen either newly licensed or driving on a learner’s permit, raising questions about experience levels navigating winter mountain highway conditions.
The pronouncement of both drivers dead at the scene suggests impact forces severe enough to cause immediate fatal injuries, likely involving high speeds or direct frontal collisions where vehicle safety systems proved insufficient.
The weekend snowfall creating slippery conditions near the pass summit at 4,061 feet elevation represents typical early winter hazards where drivers accustomed to dry roads encounter black ice or packed snow requiring dramatically different driving techniques.
Sunday afternoon timing places the crash during popular return travel hours when Seattle-area residents head home from weekend recreation in Leavenworth or eastern Washington, contributing to traffic volumes on the two-lane highway.
Stevens Pass Highway 2’s designation as the primary northern Cascade crossing means the four-hour closure forced travelers to either wait or detour via Interstate 90 Snoqualmie Pass, adding 90 minutes to trips between Seattle and Wenatchee.
The active snowfall during the crash investigation complicated evidence collection as fresh snow covered tire tracks and debris patterns that help reconstructionists determine speeds and vehicle trajectories before impact.
The lack of determined cause suggests investigators are examining multiple factors including road conditions, vehicle maintenance, driver impairment, distraction, or medical issues rather than an obvious single explanation.
The careful driving advisory represents standard guidance that carries particular weight following fatal crashes, though such warnings often prove insufficient to change behavior of drivers overconfident in their abilities or vehicles’ traction control systems.
