Washington Pass is the highest point of North Cascades Highway
Washington Pass is a high mountain pass at an elevation of 1,669m (5,477ft) above sea level, located on the boundary of Chelan and Okanogan counties, in the U.S. state of Washington.
Is the road to Washington Pass paved?
Located within the North Cascades National Park, the road to the summit is fully paved. It’s called State Route 20 (North Cascades Highway) and is the northernmost route across the Cascade Mountain Range in Washington.
How long is Washington Pass?
The pass is about 104km (65 miles) long, running from Diablo (in Whatcom County) to Winthrop (in Okanogan County). At the summit, a minor road (NF-500) climbs up to Washington Pass Observation Site, with amazing views.
Is Washington Pass open in winters?
Set high in the North Cascades mountains of Washington state, to the east of Rainy Pass, the road features a high risk of avalanches. It’s said to be among the top areas in the country for most avalanche paths per mile of highway, and avalanche hazard usually closes the highway sometime in late November/early December. It usually reopens sometime between April to early May. The normal winter closure is between MP 134 (Ross Dam Trailhead) and MP 171 (Silver Star Creek).