mountain pass
A mountain pass is a navigable route through a mountain range or over a ridge. Since mountain ranges can present formidable barriers to travel, passes have played a key role in trade, war, and both Human migration, human and animal migration t ...
Mountain Loop Highway
The Mountain Loop Highway is a scenic byway in the U.S. state of Washington (U.S. state), Washington. It traverses the western section of the Cascade Range within Snohomish County, Washington, Snohomish County. The name suggests it forms a full ...
between Silverton and Darrington. It is a popular trail head for access to the old mining town of Monte Cristo and has a branch off to hike up to Gothic Basin, which is about a mile in.
The mining boom at Monte Cristo, starting in 1890, resulted in the need for access to the remote town. In 1891 a wagon road was built along the Sauk River, from the
Skagit River
The Skagit River ( ) is a river in southwestern British Columbia in Canada and northwestern Washington (state), Washington in the United States, approximately 150 mi (240 km) long. The river and its tributaries drain an area of 1.7&nbs ...
to Monte Cristo. That same year it was discovered that Monte Cristo could be accessed via the South Fork Stillaguamish River. A surveyor named J.Q. Barlow blazed a route from Silverton to Monte Cristo. Mining interests funded further work and soon a wagon road was built over Barlow Pass to join the Sauk wagon road. Later a railroad would be built over the same route.
Image:Monte_Cristo_Trail_Head.JPG, Monte Cristo trail head
File:Sign_at_barlow-pass.JPG, Road signage