Stevens Pass
Encyclopedia
Stevens Pass is a mountain pass
through the Cascade Mountains
located at the border of King County
and Chelan County in Washington, United States
.
U.S. Highway 2 travels over the pass reaching a maximum elevation of 4061 feet (1,238 m). The BNSF Railway
's Cascade Tunnel
lies 1180 feet (359.7 m) below the pass summit.
Stevens Pass is named after John Frank Stevens
, the first non-indigenous person to discover it. Native Americans
familiar with the area knew of the pass, although very little is known about Native American routes through the mountains. An old native trail over nearby Cady Pass, connecting the North Fork Skykomish River
and the Wenatchee River
, had been known about and used by pioneers since the early 19th century. In 1872 Hubert C. Ward, who was exploring the area for the Northern Pacific Railway
, heard from some Native Americans that there was a low pass at the head of Nason Creek, a tributary of the Wenatchee River, which led to one of the sources of the Skykomish River. Later, in 1887, Albert Bowman Rogers, who like Stevens was working for the Great Northern Railway, learned from Native Americans that the Skykomish River and Nason Creek had sources close to one another but that neither Native Americans nor whites visited the Nason Creek area. Neither Ward nor Rogers had time to fully explore the area. In 1890 John Stevens conducted a thorough survey, located the pass, and determined it to be the best suited for a railway crossing of the North Cascades
. He wrote that there was no indication that the pass was used—there was no sign of any trails, blazes
, campsites, or old campfires, for at least ten miles in either direction and that the area was thickly forested and covered with almost impenetrable brush. Steven wrote, "the region promised nothing to the prospector, while Indians and Whites crossing the mountains used either Snoqualmie
on the south or the Indian Pass on the north."
A recreation area by the pass contains a ski resort. Stevens Pass Ski Area
is on Cowboy Mountain and Big Chief Mountain. The Pacific Crest Trail
crosses US Highway 2 at Stevens Pass.
trains. the "Seattle Express" local passenger train No. 25 and Fast Mail train No. 27, were stalled on the tracks at the Cascade Tunnel Station on Stevens Pass because of a heavy snow storm and avalanches. Then on March 1, six days later, another avalanche pushed both trains 150 feet (45 meters) down into the Tye River
Valley, thus burying the train cars in snow and debris. The Wellington Disaster killed ninety six people, thirty-five passengers and sixty-one railroad employees, which made the Wellington avalanche one of the worst train disasters in United States railway history.
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...
through the Cascade Mountains
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...
located at the border of King County
King County, Washington
King County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. The population in the 2010 census was 1,931,249. King is the most populous county in Washington, and the 14th most populous in the United States....
and Chelan County in Washington, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
U.S. Highway 2 travels over the pass reaching a maximum elevation of 4061 feet (1,238 m). The BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
's Cascade Tunnel
Cascade Tunnel
The Cascade Tunnel refers to two tunnels at Stevens Pass through the Cascade Mountains, approximately to the east of Everett, Washington. The first Cascade Tunnel was a 2.63-mile long single track railroad, built by the Great Northern Railway in 1900 to avoid problems caused by heavy winter...
lies 1180 feet (359.7 m) below the pass summit.
Stevens Pass is named after John Frank Stevens
John Frank Stevens
John Frank Stevens was an American engineer who built the Great Northern Railway in the United States and was chief engineer on the Panama Canal between 1905 and 1907.- Biography :...
, the first non-indigenous person to discover it. Native Americans
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...
familiar with the area knew of the pass, although very little is known about Native American routes through the mountains. An old native trail over nearby Cady Pass, connecting the North Fork Skykomish River
Skykomish River
The Skykomish River is a Washington river which drains the west side of the Cascade Mountains in the southeast section of Snohomish County and the northeast corner of King County. The river starts with the confluence of the North Fork Skykomish River and South Fork Skykomish River approximately one...
and the Wenatchee River
Wenatchee River
The Wenatchee River is a river in the U.S. state of Washington, originating at Lake Wenatchee and flowing southeast for , emptying into the Columbia River immediately north of Wenatchee, Washington...
, had been known about and used by pioneers since the early 19th century. In 1872 Hubert C. Ward, who was exploring the area for the Northern Pacific Railway
Northern Pacific Railway
The Northern Pacific Railway was a railway that operated in the west along the Canadian border of the United States. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in...
, heard from some Native Americans that there was a low pass at the head of Nason Creek, a tributary of the Wenatchee River, which led to one of the sources of the Skykomish River. Later, in 1887, Albert Bowman Rogers, who like Stevens was working for the Great Northern Railway, learned from Native Americans that the Skykomish River and Nason Creek had sources close to one another but that neither Native Americans nor whites visited the Nason Creek area. Neither Ward nor Rogers had time to fully explore the area. In 1890 John Stevens conducted a thorough survey, located the pass, and determined it to be the best suited for a railway crossing of the North Cascades
North Cascades
The North Cascades are a section of the Cascade Range of western North America. They span the border between the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington and are officially named in Canada as the Cascade Mountains...
. He wrote that there was no indication that the pass was used—there was no sign of any trails, blazes
Trail blazing
Trail blazing, or trailblazing, is the practice of marking paths in outdoor recreational areas with blazes, markings that follow each other at certain — though not necessarily exactly defined — distances and mark the direction of the trail...
, campsites, or old campfires, for at least ten miles in either direction and that the area was thickly forested and covered with almost impenetrable brush. Steven wrote, "the region promised nothing to the prospector, while Indians and Whites crossing the mountains used either Snoqualmie
Snoqualmie Pass
Snoqualmie Pass is a mountain pass that carries Interstate 90 through the Cascade Range in the U.S. State of Washington. The elevation of the pass summit is , and is on the county line between Kittitas County and King County...
on the south or the Indian Pass on the north."
A recreation area by the pass contains a ski resort. Stevens Pass Ski Area
Stevens Pass Ski Area
This article is about the ski area. For information on the mountain pass along US Highway 2 where the ski resort is located, see Stevens Pass...
is on Cowboy Mountain and Big Chief Mountain. The Pacific Crest Trail
Pacific Crest Trail
The Pacific Crest Trail is a long-distance mountain hiking and equestrian trail on the Western Seaboard of the United States. The southern terminus is at the California border with Mexico...
crosses US Highway 2 at Stevens Pass.
Wellington Disaster of 1910
On February 23, 1910, the two Great Northern RailwayGreat Northern Railway (US)
The Great Northern Railway , running from Saint Paul, Minnesota, to Seattle, Washington—more than 1,700 miles —was the creation of the 19th century railroad tycoon James J. Hill and was developed from the Saint Paul and Pacific Railroad...
trains. the "Seattle Express" local passenger train No. 25 and Fast Mail train No. 27, were stalled on the tracks at the Cascade Tunnel Station on Stevens Pass because of a heavy snow storm and avalanches. Then on March 1, six days later, another avalanche pushed both trains 150 feet (45 meters) down into the Tye River
Tye River (Washington)
The Tye River is a river in the U.S. state of Washington. It rises near Stevens Pass in the Cascade Mountains and flows west, joining the Foss River to form the South Fork Skykomish River. Its waters eventually empty into Puget Sound near Everett via the Skykomish River and Snohomish River. U.S....
Valley, thus burying the train cars in snow and debris. The Wellington Disaster killed ninety six people, thirty-five passengers and sixty-one railroad employees, which made the Wellington avalanche one of the worst train disasters in United States railway history.
External links
- Stevens Pass road conditions
- Stevens Pass ski area official site