© Lonely Planet Publications 162 Washington...
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WASHINGTON CASCADES The magical Cascade Mountains run from southern British Columbia (BC) all the way down to Northern California and dominate the history, geography and climate of the land west of the Rockies. Part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, a ribbon of active volcanoes that encircles the Pacific Ocean, Washington’s part of the range contains some of America’s tallest peaks and five picturesque but potentially lethal volcanoes: Mt Baker, Glacier Peak, Mt Rainier, Mt Adams and Mt St Helens. St Helens erupted with devastating consequences in May 1980. Close to the Pacific Ocean, the Cascades’ steep ridges and lava-sculpted summits cause a substantial amount of precipitation to fall on their exposed western flanks (Mt Baker broke the world record for snowfall in a single season in 1999). Dense forests filled with western hemlock, Douglas fir and red cedar have traditionally flourished in these well-watered zones while, on the mountain’s dryer eastern slopes, ponderosa pine and western larch predominate. Renowned for their harsh, impregnable terrain and copious crevasse-covered glaciers, the highest Cascade peaks are vast stand-alone mountains that dominate their surroundings for miles around. Standing high above the nearby crest-lines, snowcapped giants such as Rainier and Baker rise like powerful natural monuments over the bustling population centers of Upper and Lower Puget Sound and are imbued with local legends. Protected by a string of overlapping wilderness areas, national forests and national parks, the Cascades offer some of the best backcountry adventures in the USA, if you don’t mind braving the elements and getting to grips with tent camping and freeze-dried food. For the less outdoor-minded, tantalizing snapshots of the region’s rarified beauty can be glimpsed traveling through by car, bus or train. Washington Cascades HIGHLIGHTS Standing on the Diablo Dam Overlook (p170) and gazing out over the inhospitable, yet awe-inspiring, North Cascades wilderness Hiking up to Cascade Pass (p170) to the sound of crashing glaciers Enjoying scrumptious food and fork- dropping views in the Sun Mountain Lodge’s (p173) celebrated restaurant Cross-country skiing on a sunny winter’s day in the Methow Valley (p185) Catching your first glimpse of Mt Rainier (p179) as it breaks through the hazy morning mist Watching new life re-emerge on Mt St Helens (p186) Mt St Helens Mt Rainier Valley Methow Lodge Sun Mountain Cascade Pass Overlook Diablo Dam © Lonely Planet Publications 162
Transcript of © Lonely Planet Publications 162 Washington...
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The magical Cascade Mountains run from southern British Columbia (BC) all the way down to Northern California and dominate the history, geography and climate of the land west of the Rockies. Part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, a ribbon of active volcanoes that encircles the Pacific Ocean, Washington’s part of the range contains some of America’s tallest peaks and five picturesque but potentially lethal volcanoes: Mt Baker, Glacier Peak, Mt Rainier, Mt Adams and Mt St Helens. St Helens erupted with devastating consequences in May 1980.
Close to the Pacific Ocean, the Cascades’ steep ridges and lava-sculpted summits cause a substantial amount of precipitation to fall on their exposed western flanks (Mt Baker broke the world record for snowfall in a single season in 1999). Dense forests filled with western hemlock, Douglas fir and red cedar have traditionally flourished in these well-watered zones while, on the mountain’s dryer eastern slopes, ponderosa pine and western larch predominate.
Renowned for their harsh, impregnable terrain and copious crevasse-covered glaciers, the highest Cascade peaks are vast stand-alone mountains that dominate their surroundings for miles around. Standing high above the nearby crest-lines, snowcapped giants such as Rainier and Baker rise like powerful natural monuments over the bustling population centers of Upper and Lower Puget Sound and are imbued with local legends.
Protected by a string of overlapping wilderness areas, national forests and national parks, the Cascades offer some of the best backcountry adventures in the USA, if you don’t mind braving the elements and getting to grips with tent camping and freeze-dried food. For the less outdoor-minded, tantalizing snapshots of the region’s rarified beauty can be glimpsed traveling through by car, bus or train.
Washington Cascades
HIGHLIGHTS
Standing on the Diablo Dam Overlook ( p170 ) and gazing out over the inhospitable, yet awe-inspiring, North Cascades wilderness
Hiking up to Cascade Pass ( p170 ) to the sound of crashing glaciers
Enjoying scrumptious food and fork-dropping views in the Sun Mountain Lodge’s ( p173 ) celebrated restaurant
Cross-country skiing on a sunny winter’s day in the Methow Valley ( p185 )
Catching your first glimpse of Mt Rainier ( p179 ) as it breaks through the hazy morning mist
Watching new life re-emerge on Mt St Helens ( p186 )
Mt St Helens
Mt Rainier
ValleyMethow
LodgeSun Mountain
Cascade Pass
OverlookDiablo Dam
© Lonely Planet Publications162
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(62mi)To Whistler
(6.2mi)To Kennewick
City (7km)To Coulee
(5.5mi)To Aberdeen
To Portland (0.1mi)
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O r e g o n
Carson
Ellensburg
FallsMaple
Falls
Snohomish
Granite
Arlington
Verlot
Darrington
Concrete
Newhalem
Diablo
MarblemountRockport
Manson
Pateros
Omak
Carlton
Methow
Loomis
Nighthawk
Tumwater
ElumCle
GroundBattle
Tenino
CarbonadoWilkeson
EnumclawPuyallup
Eatonville
ElbeAshford
RandleMortonMossyrock
Toledo
Castle Rock
Kelso
Cougar
WoodlandLa Center
Amboy
Naches
TeanawayRoslyn
TownsendPort
HarborFriday
Blaine
Langley
Vancouver
Twisp
Winthrop
Mazama
Chelan
Wenatchee
Yakima
Toppenish
Everett
Mt Vernon
Seattle
OLYMPIA
Tacoma
VICTORIA
Vancouver
Longview
Centralia
Chehalis
Bellingham
ResortMountainCrystal
ReservationIndian
Colville
PointArtist
Mt Baker Ski AreaSalmon Ridge Sno-Park
ReservationHanford Nuclear
US Dept of Energy
ReservationYakama Indian
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120º W121º W122º W123º W
120º W121º W122º W123º W
48º N
47º N
46º N
LakeBumping
WhatcomLake
LakePalmer
LakeBaker
Lake Stevens
LakeSilver
ReservoirSwift
LakeKachess
LakeCle Elum
Riffe Lake
ChelanLake
ShannonLake
LakeRoss
IslandsSan Juan
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HkcalB
SpitDungeness
RobertsPoint
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Va l l ey
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C A N A D A
National ForestWenatchee
State ParkConconully
State ParkPearrygin Lake
Creek State ParkTwenty-Five Mile
State ParkAlta Lake
Wilderness AreaSawtooth
Lake Chelan-
National ForestOkanogan
State ParkRockport
WildernessGlacier Peak
Log Boom Park
Pasayten Wilderness
State ForestCapitol
State ParkBeacon Rock
WildernessHeavenIndian
State ParkFort Simcoe
National ForestWenatchee
WildernessMt Adams
National ForestGifford Pinchot
MonumentNational Volcanic
Mt St Helens
National ParkOlympic
National ForestSnoqualmieMt Baker-
Wilderness AreaAlpine Lakes
National ParkNorth Cascades
National ForestMt Baker-Snoqualmie
National ParkMt Rainier
Mt Baker(10,781ft)
Pass (6197ft)Harts
(5477ft)Pass
Washington
(4020ft)Summit
LoupLoup
(4860ft)Pass
Rainy(9087ft)
Mt Logan
(5384ft)Cascade Pass
(8242ft)Mountain
Tiffany
Mountain (8685ft)Remmel
Austin Pass (4700ft)
Jack Mountain (9065ft)
Methow Pass
Slate Peak (7450ft)
Mt Lago (8745ft)
(8245ft)Mountain
PyramidMountain (6820ft)
Whitehorse
(12,276ft)Mt Adams
(9511ft)Bonanza Peak
(10,541ft)Glacier Peak
(9415ft)Mt Stuart
Pass (3022ft)Snoqualmie
(8363ft)Mt St Helens
(14,411ft)Mt Rainier
See North Cascades National Park Map (p169)
Map (p187)See Mt St Helens
See Mt Rainier National Park Map (p180)
USFS
USFS
USFS
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539
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20
153
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WASHINGTON CASCADES 0 50 km0 30 miles
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