Why Lookout Pass Was a Travel Nightmare This Weekend

Anyone who has been caught in traffic when winter hits Lookout Pass can attest to the miserable experience.

Yet oftentimes the worst traffic headaches happen when it appears winter is "over".

Hundreds of people learned that lesson the hard way this weekend, when a brutal storm hit the pass, sending trucks spinning and trapping drivers overnight.

READ MORE: Surviving the Most Dangerous Storms on Montana roads

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A "perfect storm" on Lookout

While Lookout Pass hits a fairly modest 4,710 feet, its location atop the Montana-Idaho border can make for brutal conditions, especially when a strong storm front with heavy moisture moves out of Eastern Washington. Then, that combines with cold air on the pass.

It's problematic anytime during the winter, but especially dangerous in later winter and early spring, when conditions can be perfect for a sudden freeze, and periods of very heavy snow, or mixed rain and snow.

This one hit "WITH warning"

Friday morning, it became apparent conditions would deteriorate rapidly later in the afternoon. Yet, not everyone is in a position to just stop, especially with commercial truck traffic.

When the snow and ice hit hard Friday evening, trucks began to spin out on both the Montana and Idaho sides of the summit, bringing traffic to a complete standstill.

Not all of the semis were chained up, and trucks were jackknifed on the climb out of Mullan, and on the descent into Montana. Eastbound traffic was backed up for miles.

Some motorists were trapped for 9 to 10 hours until emergency crews could clear the road and get traffic moving again Saturday morning. Many kept sharing updates throughout the end on social media, although the lack of clear information kept a lot of people sharing misinformation at times.

Lesson learned for Lookout Pass travel

The primary lesson here is to ALWAYS check not only the latest Lookout Pass conditions, but also the forecast for the actual time you plan to be crossing. Listen to our Townsquare stations for updates, and download the MDT and Idaho Department of Transportation apps.

There are also Facebook group pages which can be a source of helpful information, but always check those reports against the highway department reports.