John Guilford's Hikes

Cascade Pass on 2025-09-16

Date: 2025-09-16

Location: Cascade Pass

People: (including myself): Happy Hikers

			  	Alt.	Miles
Trailhead:		9:15	3660	0
Top of switchbacks:	10:45	5100	3.3
Cascade Pass:		11:06	5390	4.2
Leave:			11:45		4.3
Trailhead:		1:45		8.6

Despite arriving at the trailhead at 9am on a Tuesday morning, the lot was mostly full and filling up fast.

The views start in the parking lot and improve as one hikes up the trail.

The trail initially switchbacks up the side of the valley, but the grade is not too steep, and the trail was smooth and even, making the hiking easy.

Eventually one reaches the top of the switchbacks and begins a traversing trail to Cascade Pass at the top of the valley's headwall.

There was a stiff wind blowing through the pass. There was high pressure in eastern Washington and a low to the west, and the winds like to funnel through passes like this one.

I thought about descending down the west side a bit to get out of the wind, but instead I hunkered down with the rest of my group in the lee of some rocks where it wasn't too windy and ate lunch.

Trails from the pass go in multiple directions. You can descend down the Stehekin river valley all the way to Stehekin and lake Chelan. You can head north to the Sahale Arm. A short trail to the south leads to an outhouse and a good viewpoint down to the pass.

When we left, we found the wind greatly diminished not far off the summit. It would have been a nicer lunch area down there. We then came across some spruce grouse not too far off the trail. We had to stop for pictures. Further down the trail while crossing a rocky slope we came upon several pika also near the trail.

As we descended, the day got warmer. At the pass I needed a fleece vest and windbreaker, but by the time I got back to the parking lot, a t-shirt and shorts were very comfortable.