Methow River off State Route 20
Mount Baker, WA simplified hazards map (usgs.gov)
- WA100: Washington Pass (wa100.dnr.wa.gov)
Washington Pass—accessible only about half of the year—is a stretch of the North Cascades Highway boasting steep mountains, year-round glaciers, and a gorgeous alpine forest. This section of State Route 20 climbs to elevations over 5,500 feet and is covered by up to 40 feet of snow between late Fall and early Summer. A short side road near a hairpin turn leads to the Washington Pass Overlook, where visitors can enjoy a short paved trail leading to a spectacular viewpoint. Looming above the overlook are the slopes of a breathtaking array of alpine peaks and pinnacles, including the rounded dome of Liberty Bell and the twin peaks of the North and South Early Winter Spires. This landscape is immensely popular with rock climbers, who scramble up the sheer slopes to reach high vantage points with views of Kangaroo Ridge to the east and the glacier-carved Methow River valley to the north.
- Washington State Route 20 (Wikipedia)
State Route 20 (SR 20), also known as the North Cascades Highway, is a state highway that traverses the U.S. state of Washington. It is the state’s longest highway, traveling 436 miles (702 km) across the northern areas of Washington, from U.S. Route 101 (US 101) at Discovery Bay on the Olympic Peninsula to US 2 near the Idaho state border in Newport. The highway travels across Whidbey Island, North Cascades National Park, the Okanagan Highland, the Kettle River Range, and the Selkirk Mountains. SR 20 connects several major north–south state highways, including Interstate 5 (I-5) in Burlington, US 97 through the Okanogan–Omak area, SR 21 in Republic, and US 395 from Kettle Falls to Colville.