From Digital Archives: Washington passes
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Just east of Snoqualmie Pass (Photos courtesy of Washington State Digital Archives)
Anyone who has driven across the Cascades did so by going over one of the several mountain passes that offer incredible views and recreational opportunities. The passes also play a crucial role in Washington’s transportation system, connecting the western and eastern halves of the state year-round.
Our Digital Archives has classic photos of several of our passes.
The top photo, taken between 1940 and 1960, shows the Snoqualmie Pass Highway (a precursor to Interstate 90) and Keechelus Lake during summer, just a few miles east of the pass itself. Note that the highway was only two lanes back then. Snoqualmie Pass has an elevation of 3,022 feet.
The middle photo features Cayuse Pass (4,675 feet), located on the east side of Mount Rainier National Park. Cayuse, which is closed during the winter, is where Highway 410 and Highway 123 meet. In this 1937 photo, cars are parked along the snow banks as skiers and others walk along the road.
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Cayuse Pass
The bottom photo, taken around 1945, shows several people sitting beside a car at Chinook Pass (5,430 feet), with Mount Rainier and Tipsoo Lake in the background. Chinook, just a couple of miles east of Cayuse, allows Highway 410 to proceed east into Yakima County. Like Cayuse, Chinook is closed during winter.
The Snoqualmie and Cayuse photos are found in the State Library Photograph Collection, 1851-1990. The Chinook Pass shot is found in the Digital Archives’ General Subjects Photograph Collection, 1845-2005.
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Chinook Pass
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Secretary of State
Steve Hobbs
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