Click below to read an early edition of my Snoqualmie Pass story:

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Drivers crossing Snoqualmie Pass after its opening should still be prepared for a possible closure, said Trooper Jeff Merrill, a spokesman for the Washington State Patrol. That means packing extra food, water and blankets.

I caught up with Trooper Jeff Merrill, a spokesman for the Washington State Patrol, and asked him about the WSP’s role in the closure of Snoqualmie Pass. Here’s what he had to say:

"We have close to 10 to 15 troopers intermittently working the pass during the closure, during the evacuation, helping people off the summit and back down the west and east side. We’re trying to keep the disruption to a minimum for those who live and work here, even though it is a huge inconvenience to the public who can’t commute east to west over

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Heading up Snoqualmie Pass:

SNOQUALMIE PASS – Red Mountain Coffee is one of those ski-resort shops that sells everything from polished rocks to T-shirts to snacks like pizza, coffee and cookies.

And it’s also become a hub for locals, state troopers and workers looking to repair the damage following this week’s avalanches on Snoqualmie Pass. The sudden closure of Interstate 90 on Tuesday left visitors to the ski slopes and workers who live down the pass stranded. Many businesses closed; most of Red Mountain’s employees live in the area and could report to work.

"Business has been a little bit slower, and it’s just kind of different here," said barista Sarrah Powers, a 16-year-old student at Mount Si High School. "We’ve been getting a lot more locals in here because their food is running out. And there are a lot more police officers and DOT workers – people who are trying to keep the road open."

The initial closure left dozens of people stranded in the restaurant. Owner Terri Harcus said she couldn’t just turn them away, so many stayed for hours until they could get an escort down the mountain.

"Every foot of space was taken up by somebody," she said. "Most people were sitting on the floor, just waiting."

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Drew and I are heading up the pass as part of a convoy led by a Washington State Patrol car. The road is already icy and slippery a few hundred yards past the barricades.

I asked a State Department of Transportation worker what the weather is like where we’re going. She pointed to my sunglasses. “You won’t be needing those,” she said. “It’s snowing like hell up there.”

Every media outlet in the area is here, and TV guys seem to just be eating it up:

Here’s a video the State Department of Transportation put together showing what avalanche-control work looks like:

Photographer Drew Perine and I are heading north for avalanche coverage. More details to come.