Chinook Pass (elevation 5430 ft./1656 m.) is a pass through the

Cascade Range The Cascade Range or Cascades is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington (state), Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as m ...

in the state of

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

. The pass is located on the crest of the Cascade Range, along a ridge between Yakima Peak to the northwest of the pass, and Naches Peak to the southeast. The boundary between Pierce County, west of the pass, and Yakima County to the east, coincides with the ridge. Terrain immediately west of the pass is in the Cowlitz River watershed. Terrain on the east side drains to the

Yakima River The Yakima River is a tributary of the Columbia River in south central and eastern Washington state, named for the indigenous Yakama people. Lewis and Clark mention in their journals that the Chin-nâm pam (or the Lower Snake River Chamnapam N ...

watershed. The pass provides the east entrance to

Mount Rainier National Park Mount Rainier National Park is a List of national parks of the United States, national park of the United States located in southeast Pierce County, Washington, Pierce County and northeast Lewis County, Washington, Lewis County in Washington (sta ...

, and carries State Route 410 between the towns of Enumclaw and Naches. Because of the high elevation, Chinook Pass is usually closed in November due to very heavy snow and significant

avalanche An avalanche is a rapid flow of snow down a Grade (slope), slope, such as a hill or mountain. Avalanches can be triggered spontaneously, by factors such as increased precipitation or snowpack weakening, or by external means such as humans, othe ...

danger. It usually opens in mid-May and is not uncommon to have a snow depth at the summit of up to 15 feet. As part of the All-American Road program, Route 410 through Chinook Pass has been designated by the U.S. government as the Chinook Scenic Byway. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful routes in the United States. Because the summit is above the treeline, there are many places to park along the road to view the scenery. As commercial vehicles are not allowed through the National Park section of State Route 410, this route is also favored by summer tourists.

History

Chinook Pass was chosen as a route across the Cascade Mountains as a compromise. The height of the route would mean that it would likely never be a year-round road. The alternative was Naches Pass, which with the addition of a short tunnel would be much lower (and easier to keep open in winter). The Naches Pass plan is still on the books as SR 168, but it has never been built. The cost of the tunnel was the deciding factor, and the Chinook Pass route was chosen. The

Yakima Yakima ( or ) is a city in and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, United States, and the state's 11th most populous city. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total population of 96,968 and a metropolitan population of 256,728. The ...

side of a road over Chinook Pass was partially completed in 1914, but then work was abandoned for several years. This section was referred to as the 'Normile Grade'. In 1921 work began again on the Yakima side, below Normile, on the

American River The American River is a List of rivers of California, river in California that runs from the Sierra Nevada (U.S.), Sierra Nevada mountain range to its confluence with the Sacramento River in downtown Sacramento. Via the Sacramento River, it ...

. This work was done using horse teams. In 1924, an army tractor was brought in to speed up the work. Work on the west side of the road commenced later, and took longer. The two sides did not meet until 1931 at Tipsoo Lake near the summit.

Recreation

From 1940 to 59, Chinook Pass was one of the top ski areas in the state, with a season that ran from December to June. There were numerous non-permanent rope tows that extended from Cayuse Pass to the Tipsoo Lake area. The requirement that they were temporary tows was made by the Mount Rainier National Park so the lifts could be removed when the snow melted in the summer months. With the state government plans to no longer keep Chinook Pass open during the winter months and the opening of White Pass Ski Area, lift skiing ended. It is still a very popular area for backcountry

telemark skiing Telemark skiing is a skiing technique that combines elements of Alpine skiing, Alpine and Nordic skiing, Nordic skiing, using the rear foot to keep balance while pushing on the front foot to create a carving turn on downhill skis with toe-only ...

and snowboarding from May to July. Tipsoo Lake is located just a few hundred meters from the summit, with a picnic area and a trail going around the lake, is one of the most photographed landscapes in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. Chinook Pass is also a trailhead to the

Pacific Crest Trail The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), officially designated as the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, is a long-distance hiking and equestrian trail closely aligned with the highest portion of the Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges, which lie ...

, providing access to Dewey Lake and Cougar Lake (in the William O. Douglas Wilderness), Crystal Mountain Ski Resort, and the Norse Peak Wilderness. The Naches Peak Loop is a trail route that goes around Naches Peak, containing a segment of the

External links

Chinook Pass
at the Washington State Department of Transportation website
Pass opening and closure dates
for Chinook Pass, Cayuse Pass, and North Cascades Highway at the Washington State Department of Transportation website
ChinookPass.com
for Chinook Pass road conditions and Mount Rainier National Park news Mountain passes of Washington (state) Mountain passes of the Cascades Landforms of Pierce County, Washington Landforms of Yakima County, Washington Transportation in Pierce County, Washington Transportation in Yakima County, Washington Tourist attractions in Pierce County, Washington Tourist attractions in Yakima County, Washington

History

Recreation

See also

External links