カスケード山脈の峠・トップ20

At 5,430 ft, Chinook Pass offers stunning mountain along Mather Memorial Parkway. The pass is open mid-May to November—check for seasonal closures before you go.

The summit of this pass is marked by a rustic stone-and-wood archway that happens to be part of the legendary Pacific Crest Trail. If you want to hop off your bike for a minute, there's a pretty, short nature trail here with great views of Mt. Rainier, the Cascade Mountains, and Tipsoo Lake.

From Cispus Pass, a hiker can look down into two stunning river valleys, the Cispus to the west and the Klickitat to the east. It is a challenging day hike.

Lolo Pass is a trailhead along the PCT, but there is not much traffic here. You will find a picnic bench with lovely shade next to the road.

Situated at McKenzie Pass, Dee Wright Observatory is built entirely of volcanic rock in the shape of a fortress. The lava fields surrounding the observatory span for 100 square miles, offering endless possibilities for other-worldly running scenery! On a clear day enjoy spectacular views of Three Sisters Wilderness, Mount Washington, Mount Jefferson and numerous volcanic craters.

Lolo Pass is a trailhead along the PCT, but there is not much traffic here. You will find a picnic bench with lovely shade next to the road.

The highest point of the Enchantments Traverse, Aasgard Pass from Colchuck Lake is the most popular route to climb into the Enchantments Core. When it is snow free, the route is pretty straightforward and marked with user cairns. It climbs nearly 2,000 feet in a mile over scree and rock. When covered in snow, it is important to stay to the left to avoid the creeks that may not be visible. Poles and microspikes will be helpful, especially if you are going down this route. I would recommend doing additional research on this route before attempting it so that you have a solid understanding of what the climb entails.

The observatory at the summit was constructed from the literal mountain of volcanic material it is located on. During construction great care was taken to leave "lava tube" windows in the wall so visitors can easily identify the surround mountains.