By Abby Acone, KOMO News

This week, feet of snow over the Cascades have made for near-impossible driving and high avalanche danger.

This extended bout of cold and snow over the mountains is largely due to the weather pattern “La Niña.” She’s living up to expectations this winter.

So far this season, Snoqualmie Pass is reporting 375 inches of snow. That’s equal to about 31 feet. That number is higher than the last two years and this season isn’t even over yet.

“Yeah, it’s fantastic, coming from Colorado, it’s definitely like good to see a lot of snow,” said Danny Robles, a snowboarder along Snoqualmie Pass.

The Washington State Department of Transportation reports Stevens Pass has totaled 409 inches of snow (equal to 34 feet) this season. That exceeds most numbers from late February over the last several years.

Despite the challenging conditions over the passes this season, skiers and snowboarders we interviewed are positive about this wild winter of weather.

“I love the snow so it’s all good for me,” said Robles.

“From what I’ve heard, this is a lot, like keep it coming…keep it coming,” said Dillon Ludlow, a skier along Snoqualmie Pass.

The latest snowpack map shows the Olympics and Cascades are running well more than 100 percent of normal.

I asked the Northwest Avalanche Center Forecast Director Dennis D’Amico if these are the highest snowpack levels we’ve seen in years.

“Right now, we’re approaching some of those peaks that we had to wait until later in the season to get to at the end of February,” D’Amico said.

A high snowpack can be great for the environment, but Washington State Climatologist Dr. Nick Bond said too much snow can be a bad thing.

“If it’s so much that we can’t keep the roads open, then how do you get to the ski areas and to the places in the backcountry that you’re trying to get to,” Bond said.

WSDOT said if the snow continues in the weeks ahead and drivers don’t heed the traction tire requirements, the department could be on track to close Snoqualmie Pass more than it did the last four seasons.

Road crews are up against extreme amounts of snow and avalanche danger this month.