Cascade Pass is a 5392 feet (1,643.5 m) mountain pass

Mountain pass

A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...

 over the northern Cascade Range

Cascade Range

The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...

, east of Marblemount, Washington

Marblemount, Washington

Marblemount is a census-designated place in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The population was 203 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Mount Vernon–Anacortes, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area...

, U.S.

Although an important pass, providing the easiest connection from the Cascade River

Cascade River (Washington)

The Cascade River is a river in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a tributary of the Skagit River which it joins at the city of Marblemount. It is a National Wild and Scenic River.- South Fork :...

 to the head of Lake Chelan

Lake Chelan

Lake Chelan is a narrow, 55-mile-long lake in Chelan County, northern Washington state, U.S. It is the largest natural lake in Washington state...

, it is now inside North Cascades National Park

North Cascades National Park

North Cascades National Park is a U.S. National Park located in the state of Washington. The park is the largest of the three National Park Service units that comprise the North Cascades National Park Service Complex. Several national wilderness areas and British Columbia parkland adjoin the...

, and crossed by only a hiking trail.

From the west, one reaches it by hiking an easy 3.5 mile trail from the end of the Cascade River Road (elev. 3600 feet (1,097.3 m)). From the east, it is accessible via a trail from Stehekin

Stehekin, Washington

Stehekin is a small unincorporated community in Chelan County, Washington. It is part of Wenatchee–East Wenatchee Metropolitan Statistical Area. Located at the northwest end of Lake Chelan, it lies just south of the North Cascades National Park at . It is within Lake Chelan National...

 up the Stehekin River

Stehekin River

The Stehekin River is a river located in Washington state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. It is the main river flowing into Lake Chelan. Miners arrived in Stehekin River Valley in the late 19th century. They were followed by homesteaders in the early 20th century...

 valley.

The summit of the pass, being at the tree line, is known for its views in all directions. It is also a key departure point for mountaineering

Mountaineering

Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...

; to the north, the gentle ridge of the Sahale arm leads up Sahale Mountain

Sahale Mountain

Sahale Mountain is a jagged, glaciated mountain, in North Cascades National Park, in northern Washington state. The summit of Sahale Mountain is referred to as Sahale Peak. It is just south of its higher neighbor, Boston Peak, and the saddle between the two is only lower than Sahale's summit...

 to the summit, as well as to the meadows of Boston Basin and the summits above. To the south, Mixup Arm leads to Mixup Peak and Magic Mountain, as well as to Cache Col, making Cascade Pass the start of the high-level Ptarmigan Traverse

Ptarmigan Traverse

The Ptarmigan Traverse is a famous alpine hiking route in Washington State's North Cascades. The route, from Cascade Pass to Dome Peak, is generally remote, unmarked, and challenging.-History:...

.

The pass was originally a major route for Native American

Native Americans in the United States

Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...

s trading between the coast and the interior. Among the first white men to explore and map the Skagit Pass was New York newspaperman Frank Wilkeson

Frank Wilkeson

Frank Wilkeson was an American journalist, soldier, farmer and explorer. He wrote several books, including an autobiography of his service in the Union Army during the American Civil War...

. Alexander Ross

Alexander Ross (fur trader)

-Fur trader and explorer:Ross emigrated to Upper Canada, present day , from Scotland about 1805.In 1811, while working for John Jacob Astor's Pacific Fur Company, Ross took part in the founding of Fort Astoria, a fur-trading post at the mouth of the Columbia River...

probably crossed the Cascades via Cascade Pass in 1814. His writings are too vague to be certain about his precise route.