Chinook Pass
| Chinook Pass | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pass height | 1655 m | ||
| US state | Pierce County | Yakima County | |
| expansion | State Road (Washington State Route 410) | ||
| Mountains | Cascade chain | ||
| Map (Washington) | |||
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| Coordinates | 46 ° 52 '18 " N , 121 ° 30' 56" W | ||
The Chinook Pass (5,430 ft (1,655 m) high) is a mountain pass in the Cascade Range in the State of Washington .
The pass is the east entrance to Mount Rainier National Park . Washington State Route 410 runs over it and connects the cities of Enumclaw and Naches . Due to the high altitude, the Chinook Pass is usually closed in November due to very heavy snowfall and acute avalanche danger. It usually reopens in mid-May. It is not uncommon for the snow to be 15 ft (4.6 m) high at the top of the pass.
As part of the All-American Road program, State Route 410 was designated a Chinook Scenic Byway by the United States federal government over the Chinook Pass. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful roads in the United States. Because the top of the pass is above the tree line , there are plenty of places along the road to park and view the area. The fact that truck traffic is not allowed through the national park is another reason that the route is preferred by summer tourists.
history
The Chinook Pass was chosen as a compromise when looking to cross the Cascade Range. The height indicated that it would never be a year-round usable pass. The alternative was the Naches Pass , which if a short tunnel had been added would have been much lower (and easier to keep open in winter). Naches Pass is still on Washington State Route 168 but has never been upgraded. The cost of the tunnel was the deciding factor, so the Chinook Pass was chosen for the route.
The Yakima side of a road over Chinook Pass was partially completed in 1914. But then the work was stopped for several years. This section was called the "Normile climb". Work on the Yakima side resumed in 1921 below Normile on the American River . The work was carried out using horses. An Army tractor was brought in in 1924 to speed up the work. Work on the west side (in Pierce County ) started later and lasted longer. It was not until 1931 that the two sides met at Tipsoo Lake near the top of the pass.
tourism
From 1940 to 1959, Chinook Pass was one of the top ski resorts in Washington with a season from December to June. There were numerous non-operating drag lifts that stretched from Cayuse Pass into the Tipsoo Lake area. The requirement for non-permanent lifts came from Mt. Rainier National Park; the lifts could be removed in summer after the snow melted. Ski lift operations ended when the Washington government planned to end the pass in winter and the White Pass Ski Area opened. The area at Chinook Pass is still a popular destination for telemarkers and snowboarders from May to July .
Tipsoo Lake is only a few hundred yards from the top of the pass. There are picnic areas and a hiking trail around the lake. It is one of the most photographed landscapes in the United States.
The Chinook Pass is also an entry point for the Pacific Crest Trail . From here you can reach Dewey Lake and Cougar Lake (in the William O. Douglas Wilderness ), the Crystal Mountain Ski Resort and the Norse Peak Wilderness .
The Naches Peak Loop is a hiking route around Naches Peak that includes a section of the Pacific Crest Trail.
Web links
- The Chinook Pass on the Washington State Department of Transportation website
- Chinook Pass, Cayuse Pass, and Washington State Route 20 (North Cascades Highway) pass opening and closing dates on the Washington State Department of Transportation website
- Information at ChinookPass.com for the road conditions at Chinook Pass and news from Mount Rainier National Park