SR 410 opens to alternating traffic to Greenwater, Crystal Mountain

Boise Creek took a chunk out of the highway when it overfilled on Dec. 11 during the state’s atmospheric river flooding.

By Ray Miller-Still • December 16, 2025 3:55 pm

Tags: Enumclaw

The crucial highway that takes commuters from Enumclaw to Crystal Mountain Resort is again open to the public, but it will likely not return to pre-storm condition anytime soon.

State Route 410 was closed on Dec. 10 when an atmospheric river hit Washington state and the White River overflowed; Washington State Department of Transportation employees said the water came up to their headlights at the deepest point at the closure, located at milepost 38.

But it was Boise Creek that did more lasting damage the following day when it, too, overspilled, taking some of the sediment underneath the highway with it, collapsing the eastbound lane.

This effectively cut off the town of Greenwater from its closest neighbor, requiring Greenwater Fire Chief Paul Sowers to organize twice-daily convoys that brought people from the town of about 130 residents into and out of Enumclaw for supplies.

Sowers said a hundred or so people participated in the first few trips, but those numbers soon leveled out as people filled their larders and stocked up on propane.

The convoys stopped on Dec. 16, when automatic traffic lights were installed to alternate traffic in the westbound lane, which was altered to reduce weight on the damaged roadway.

“However, returning the highway to its pre-storm condition will require additional time and a more comprehensive repair approach,” said WSDOT Communications Elizabeth Mount. “Given the widespread damage across multiple state highways as well as the need to scope repairs, we are unable to provide more specific timelines.”

How the alternating traffic and the related delays will affect the Crystal Mountain Resort and the cities of Enumclaw and Buckley, which have businesses that often rely on the influx of winter tourists, is unclear.

“If we get enough snow, pending road viability, we could open,” said Crystal Mountain Resort Vice President of Marketing and Sales Linnea Hansen. “Our priority is the safety of our employees, guests and local communities who travel the road, so we cannot say for sure if we will be able to open.”