Cascade Pass
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Cascade Pass is a 5392-foot pass over the northern Cascade Range, east of Marblemount, Washington. Although an important pass, providing the easiest connection from the Cascade River to the head of Lake Chelan, it is now part of the North Cascades National Park, and crossed by only a hiking trail.
From the west, one reaches it by hiking an easy 3.5 mile trail from the end of the Cascade River Road (elev. 3600 feet). From the east, it is accessible via a trail from Stehekin up the Stehekin River valley.
The summit of the pass, being at treeline, is known for its views in all directions. It is also a key departure point for mountaineering; to the north, the gentle ridge of the Sahale Arm leads up to Sahale Peak, as well as to the meadows of Boston Basin and the summits above. To the south, Mixup Arm leads to Mixup Peak and Magic Mountain, as well as to Cache Col, making Cascade Pass the start of the high-level Ptarmigan Traverse.
The pass was originally a major route for Native Americans trading between the coast and the interior.
[edit] References
- Fred Beckey, Cascade Alpine Guide: Stevens Pass to Rainy Pass, pp. 332-333
- Harvey Manning and Ira Spring, 101 Hikes in the North Cascades (The Mountaineers, 1979), pp 80-81
