This slide has stranded nearly 100 people in North Cascades National Park, including 88 at the North Cascades Institute's Environmental Learning Center/Washington DOT

Nearly 100 people have been stranded in Diablo, Washington, in North Cascades National Park by an avalanche that swept down across State Route 20. Poor weather conditions and high avalanche danger have delayed efforts to clear the slide until Monday, which led park rangers to carry medicine by foot to some of those stranded.

The 88 stranded include 17 staff and 53 students at the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center, 15 people at the town, and three at the Ross Lake Resort, a National Park Service release said Sunday. All were OK and had food, shelter, and basic safety supplies, the release added.

The slide occurred in the early morning hours on Friday in the gorge east of Newhalem. The avalanche completely obstructed State Route 20 at approximately milepost 122.5, immediately east of the first tunnel. No one was injured in the avalanche. At the time area avalanche conditions were rated by the Northwest Avalanche Center as "high." Washington Department of Transportation announced on Friday they would not clear the debris based on avalanche danger in the Gorge, and the situation would be reassessed on Monday.

State Route 20 was closed at milepost 120, in the town of Newhalem, to the west of the slide and 134 to the east of the slide.

At the time of the slide, the North Cascades Institute was hosting a three-day field trip from Henry M. Jackson High School in Mill Creek with 53 students. The group was scheduled to depart the Environmental Learning Center on Friday.

North Cascade National Park Service Complex rangers worked with contacts on the far side of the slide to determine immediate needs. Everyone was found to be in good condition, but several people required daily medication. After consulting with the students’ families and their doctors, it was determined additional medications would be needed by Monday. 

Weather conditions, including rain and low cloud ceiling, created very poor conditions for flying. Park rangers consulted with the National Weather Service and the Northwest Avalanche Center and determined weather and avalanche danger were not likely to improve by Monday. After talking with regional aviation resources, and considering the low clouds and deteriorating weather over the next several days, it was determined there would be less risk and a higher likelihood of success through transportation of the medication by foot before the weather deteriorated further. Late Saturday morning rangers and a local deputy successfully transported the medications to Diablo fire personnel, who brought the medications the rest of the way to the Environmental Learning Center.

"It is the third day of Henry M Jackson High School's 'extended vacation' at the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center. Students, teachers, parent chaperones and Institute staff and graduate students continue to be safe, well-resourced and in good spirits," the group said Sunday in a post on the Institute's website. "Institute educational staff are leading weekend activities including a scavenger hunt, mini-Olympics, microscope lab, board games, taxidermy and even optional yoga and meditation! Interest in this unique story is rising in the media, and we've been contacted by CBS, ABC and Good Morning America."