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80-610: The Thousand Lakes Wilderness is located within the southern portion of the Cascade Range in northeastern California. The 16,335-acre (66 km) wilderness was established in 1964 with the passage of the Wilderness Act and is administered by Lassen National Forest . The area lies within Shasta County , midway between the town of Burney and Lassen Volcanic National Park . Volcanic activity and glaciers have combined to create

160-623: A major eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980 . Minor eruptions of Mount St. Helens have also occurred since, most recently from 2004 to 2008. The Cascade Range is a part of the American Cordillera , a nearly continuous chain of mountain ranges (cordillera) that form the western "backbone" of North, Central , and South America . The Cascades are home to many national parks and protected areas, including North Cascades National Park , Mount Rainier National Park , Crater Lake National Park , and Lassen Volcanic National Park . The northern half of

240-400: A topographic prominence cutoff of 1,000 feet (300 m), in order to list only highly independent peaks.) The following peaks are notable for their topographic prominence : The following peaks are notable for their large, steep rise above local terrain. Peaks are listed in descending order by elevation. The North Cascades are known for having many extremely tall glacial-fed waterfalls;

320-480: A chain of volcanoes (the Cascade Volcanic Arc) above the subduction zone. Soil conditions for farming are generally good, especially downwind of volcanoes . This is largely because volcanic rocks are often rich in potassium -bearing minerals such as orthoclase , and erode relatively easily. Volcanic debris, especially lahars , also helps to spread mineral-rich volcanic material, and the storage of water in

400-410: A diversity of plant species. It contains more than 1630 vascular plant species There are eight distinct life zones that support thousands of plants separately and in their own way. Traveling west to east through the range, one would intersect a number of distinct ecoregions, first getting higher and colder, then getting warmer, yet drier. Each of these component ecoregions can be described by either

480-522: A few wolf packs returning from Canada live in the Cascades. Fewer than 50 grizzly bears reside in the Cascades of Canada and Washington. 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 the U.S. and Canada as

560-583: A few strikingly large volcanoes, like Mount Hood and Mount St. Helens, that dominate the landscape. The Cascade volcanoes define the Pacific Northwest section of the Ring of Fire , an array of volcanoes that rim the Pacific Ocean. The Ring of Fire is also known for its frequent earthquakes. The volcanoes and earthquakes arise from a common source: subduction , where the dense Juan de Fuca Plate plunges beneath

640-600: A fur trader with the North West Company , seeking a viable route across the mountains, explored and crossed the northern Cascades between Fort Okanogan and Puget Sound. His report of the journey is vague about the route taken. He followed the lower Methow River into the mountains. He might have used Cascade Pass to reach the Skagit River . Ross was the first European-American to explore the Methow River area and likely

720-465: A result, there is a great deal of winter snow and glaciation in the high North Cascades. The eastern slopes and mountain passes can receive significant snowfall. Cold Arctic air can flow south from British Columbia through the Okanogan River valley into the bowl-like basin east of the Cascades. Cold air damming causes this Arctic air to bank up along the eastern Cascade slopes, especially into

800-534: A route via the Coquihalla Pass for its southern mainline . South of the boundary, reconnaissance for possible railroad routes (none of which were viable north of the one eventually put in over Stevens Pass, at the southern edge of the North Cascades) and various mining rushes. Miners dominated the exploration and development of the range from the 1880s through the early 20th century. For example, mines around

880-465: A series of ancient faults , the most significant being the Straight Creek Fault, which runs north–south from north of Yale, British Columbia , through Hope , Marblemount, Washington , and down to Kachess Lake near Snoqualmie Pass. There is evidence of significant strike-slip movement on this fault in the past, with similar rocks on either side of the fault separated by dozens of miles. This

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960-693: A traveler passes through the Cascade Range, the climate first gets colder, then warmer and drier east of the crest. Most of the Cascades' lower and middle elevations are covered in coniferous forest ; the higher altitudes have extensive meadows as well as alpine tundra and glaciers . The southern part of the Cascades are within the California Floristic Province , an area of high biodiversity . Silver fir predominates above 2500 ft, while there are moors , meadows , and mountain hemlock / subalpine fir groves from 4500 to 6000 ft on

1040-427: A tree indicator species , or by a lack of trees: Western hemlock , silver fir , subalpine mountain hemlock , Alpine tundra , subalpine fir , and grand fir / Douglas-fir . The range also has a rich diversity of animals, including bald eagles , wolves , grizzly bears , mountain lions and black bears . The range is home to at least 75 species of mammals and 200 species of birds that either pass through or use

1120-528: Is an arid plateau that was largely formed 17 to 14 million years ago by the many flows of the Columbia River Basalt Group . Together, these sequences of fluid volcanic rock form the 200,000-square-mile (520,000 km ) Columbia Plateau in eastern Washington, Oregon, and parts of western Idaho. The Columbia River Gorge is the only major break of the range in the United States. When

1200-736: Is an interpretive site there now at "The End of The Oregon Trail". The road was constructed as a toll road – $ 5 per wagon – and was very successful. In addition, the Applegate Trail was created to allow settlers to avoid rafting down the Columbia River. The Trail used the path of the California Trail to north-central Nevada . From there, the Trail headed northwest into northern California, and continued northwest towards today's Ashland, Oregon . From there, settlers would head north along

1280-573: Is geologically considered the "North Cascades" may variously be defined as being the southern limit of exposure of igneous and metamorphic terranes which is generally north of Snoqualmie Pass, Snoqualmie Pass itself, or Naches Pass at the White River Fault Zone. While alpine glaciers are a defining feature of the Cascade Range as a whole, this is especially true of the North Cascades. The stratovolcanoes (Mount Baker and Glacier Peak) are

1360-624: Is great local relief . The southern part of the Canadian Cascades, particularly the Skagit Range , is geologically and topographically similar to the North Cascades, while the northern and northeastern parts are less glaciated and more plateau-like, resembling nearby areas of the Thompson Plateau . The range is near the Pacific Ocean and in the region's prevailing westerly winds , so it receives significant rain and snowfall, especially on

1440-577: Is known as the North Cascades in the United States but is formally named the Cascade Mountains north of the Canada–United States border , reaching to the northern extremity of the Cascades at Lytton Mountain . Overall, the North Cascades and Canadian Cascades are extremely rugged; even the lesser peaks are steep and glaciated, and valleys are quite low relative to peaks and ridges, so there

1520-458: Is not uncommon for some places in the Cascades to have over 500 inches (1,300 cm) of annual snow accumulation, such as at Lake Helen , near Lassen Peak. Most of the High Cascades are therefore white with snow and ice year-round. The western slopes are densely covered with Douglas-fir ( Pseudotsuga menziesii ), western hemlock ( Tsuga heterophylla ) and red alder ( Alnus rubra ), while

1600-582: Is thought to be related to northward tectonic movement of the West Coast relative to the rest of North America. Since about 35 million years ago, oceanic crust from the Pacific Ocean has been subducting under the continental margin , which has formed the current volcanoes as well as a number of igneous intrusions composed of diorite and gabbro . The current uplift of the Cascade Range began around 8 million years ago. Rocks similar to those in

1680-484: The Baker River is dammed to form Lake Shannon and Baker Lake . The Cascades harbor a largely-untapped potential for geothermal power . The U.S. Geological Survey Geothermal Research Program has been investigating this potential. Some of this energy is already being used in places like Klamath Falls, Oregon , where volcanic steam is used to heat public buildings. The highest recorded underground temperature found in

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1760-703: The Cascade Mountains . The portion in Canada is known to Americans as the Canadian Cascades , a designation that also includes the mountains above the east bank of the Fraser Canyon as far north as the town of Lytton , at the confluence of the Thompson and Fraser Rivers . They are predominantly non-volcanic, but include the stratovolcanoes Mount Baker , Glacier Peak and Coquihalla Mountain , which are part of

1840-550: The Cascade Volcanic Arc . The U.S. section of the North Cascades and the adjoining Skagit Range in British Columbia are most notable for their dramatic scenery and challenging mountaineering , both resulting from their steep, rugged topography . While most of the peaks are under 10,000 feet (3,000 m) in elevation , the low valleys provide great local relief, often over 6,000 feet (1,800 m). The summits of

1920-601: The Cascades Rapids in the Columbia River Gorge, a feature on the river now submerged beneath the Bonneville Reservoir . Before long, the great white-capped mountains that loomed above the rapids were called the "mountains by the cascades" and later simply as the "Cascades". The earliest attested use of the name "Cascade Range" is in the writings of botanist David Douglas in 1825. In 1814, Alexander Ross ,

2000-654: The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) at Fort Vancouver near today's Portland, Oregon . From this base HBC trapping parties traveled throughout the Cascades in search of beaver and other fur-bearing animals. For example, using what became known as the Siskiyou Trail , Hudson's Bay Company trappers were the first non-natives to explore the southern Cascades in the 1820s and 1830s, establishing trails which passed near Crater Lake , Mount McLoughlin , Medicine Lake Volcano , Mount Shasta , and Lassen Peak. The course of political history in

2080-521: The Lushootseed name for Mount Rainier, and "Louwala-Clough", meaning "smoking mountain" for Mount St. Helens. In early 1792, British navigator George Vancouver explored Puget Sound and gave English names to the high mountains he saw. Mount Baker was named for Vancouver's third lieutenant, Joseph Baker , although the first European to see it was Manuel Quimper , who named it la gran montaña del Carmelo ("Great Mount Carmel ") in 1790. Mount Rainier

2160-515: The North American Plate . As the oceanic slab sinks deep into the Earth's interior beneath the continental plate, high temperatures and pressures allow water molecules locked in the minerals of solid rock to escape. The water vapor rises into the pliable mantle above the subducting plate, causing some of the mantle to melt. This newly formed magma rises toward the Earth's surface to erupt, forming

2240-761: The Pacific Crest Trail follows the range. The Cascades extend northward from Lassen Peak (also known as Mount Lassen) in northern California to the confluence of the Nicola and Thompson rivers in British Columbia . The Fraser River separates the Cascades from the Coast Mountains in Canada, as does the Willamette Valley from the upper portion of the Oregon Coast Range . The highest volcanoes of

2320-663: The Pacific Northwest saw the spine of the Cascade Range being proposed as a boundary settlement during the Oregon Dispute of 1846. The United States rejected the proposal and insisted on the 49th parallel north , which cuts across the range just north of Mount Baker. Throughout the period of dispute and up to the creation of the Crown Colony of British Columbia in 1858, the Hudson's Bay Company's York Factory Express route, as well

2400-569: The United States Forest Service from 1910 to 1940...." Fur traders entered the area in the first half of the 19th century, coming from Canada and from Astoria on the Columbia River . One of the earliest was Alexander Ross of the North West Company , who crossed the range in the summer of 1814, probably via Cascade Pass . The period of uncertainty surrounding the disputed Oregon Country gave way following partition along

2480-566: The diffuse knapweed ( Centaurea diffusa ) and reed canary grass ( Phalaris arundinacea ). On the United States side of the border, early inhabitants of the North Cascades included the Nooksack , Skagit , and Sauk-Suiattle tribes on the west, and the Okanagan people on the eastern side, with the Nlaka'pamux people of what is now Canada claiming hunting territory in the heart of the range, south across

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2560-680: The railway roadbed and the Othello Tunnels , now decommissioned, are popular tourist recreation destinations for hiking and bicycling. The pass is used by the Coquihalla Highway , a government megaproject built as part of the Expo 86 spending boom of the 1980s, which is now the main route from the Coast to the British Columbia interior. Traffic formerly went via the Fraser Canyon , to the west, or via Allison Pass and Manning Park along Highway 3 to

2640-522: The "American Alps" by hikers, climbers and mountaineers because of the sea of steep, jagged peaks that span across the range. This range's rugged approaches and exceptional alpine terrain make it a premiere training ground for mountain climbers. Chief among the protected areas in Washington is North Cascades National Park , occupying much of the area between Mount Baker and the Cascade divide. Contiguous with

2720-466: The 49th Parallel to a period of tentative U.S. Army exploration in tandem with violent subjugation of Indian tribes on the American side of the frontier in the second half of the century. With the partition, the Hudson's Bay Company was forced to seek an alternative to its older Brigade Trail via the Okanogan River and the construction of a new route over the northern spine of the Canadian Cascades from

2800-552: The Cascades began to rise 7 million years ago in the late Miocene , the Columbia River drained the relatively low Columbia Plateau. As the range grew, erosion from the Columbia River was able to keep pace, carving out the gorge and major pass seen today. The gorge also exposes uplifted and warped layers of basalt from the plateau. Before European exploration, First Nations tribes named many peaks, including "Wy'east" for Mount Hood , "Seekseekqua" for Mount Jefferson (Oregon) , "M'laiksini Yaina" for Mount McLoughlin , "Tahoma",

2880-414: The Cascades, known as the High Cascades, dominate their surroundings, often standing twice the height of the nearby mountains. They often have a visual height (height above nearby crestlines) of one mile or more. The highest peaks, such as the 14,411-foot (4,392 m) Mount Rainier, dominate their surroundings for 50 to 100 miles (80 to 161 km). The northern part of the range, north of Mount Rainier,

2960-779: The Chewack-Pasayten Fault. This fault separates the easternmost portion of the North Cascades, the Methow Terrane, from the Quesnellia Terrane, one of the Omineca and Intermontane Belts . The fault also separates the Methow River valley, part of the Methow Terrane, from the Okanagan Range , part of the Quesnellia Terrane. The Columbia River Basalt Group bounds the North Cascades to the southeast. The southern limit of what

3040-606: The North Cascades continue north to the vicinity of Mount Meager massif in the Coast Mountains , where they abut the Stikinia Terrane of the Omineca-Intermontane Province that dominates the Interior Plateau of British Columbia. This geologic similarity between the North Cascades and Coast Mountains results in a fairly arbitrary boundary between the two. In British Columbia, the western geologic boundary of

3120-492: The North Cascades for a breeding area. There are also 11 species of fish on the west side of the Cascades. Examples of amphibian species occurring in the North Cascades include the western toad ( Bufo boreas ) and the rough-skinned newt ( Taricha granulosa ). The biodiversity of the area is threatened by global climate change and invasive exotic plant species. These exotic plants thrive by utilizing manmade structures such as roads and trails. These invasive plants include

3200-569: The North Cascades is defined as the Fraser River as it follows the Straight Creek Fault, while in the United States the western boundary is defined by the Puget Lowlands in the west, although there are significant westward extensions of rocks similar in origin to those in the North Cascades found in the San Juan Islands . The eastern geologic boundary of the North Cascades may be marked by

3280-420: The North Cascades varies considerably by location and elevation. The western slope of the range is wet and cool, with 60 to 250 inches (1.5 to 6.4 m) of precipitation per year. This produces a temperate rain forest climate in the low valleys, which then grades into montane and alpine climates on mountain slopes and peaks. Summers are comparatively dry, with far less precipitation than in winter; sometimes

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3360-676: The Thompson via the Nicoamen River and runs via Lawless Creek, the Tulameen River and Copper Creek to the Similkameen River . On the west, the foothills of the range are separated by a narrow coastal plain from Puget Sound except along Chuckanut Drive between Bellingham and Mount Vernon , where they abut the Sound directly. The southern boundary of the North Cascades is less definite. For

3440-581: The area of Spuzzum into the valley of the Coldwater River to connect fort Langley on the lower Fraser with its northern posts in New Caledonia . The route was impracticable and was soon abandoned, though more southerly routes through what is now Manning Park laid the foundations for later routes such as the Dewdney Trail and the modern Crowsnest Highway via Allison Pass , and was later similar to

3520-459: The boomtown of Monte Cristo , in the southwest portion of the North Cascades, produced "between $ 1 and $ 2.7 million in silver and gold". The Holden Mine , on the east side of the main divide, produced 106,000 tons of copper and 600,000 ounces of gold. Discovery of gold by American prospectors on the banks of the Thompson River at its confluence with the Nicoamen River , at the northern tip of

3600-788: The border into Washington. The tribes living and using the range on the Canadian side of the border are the Nlaka'pamux , Sto:lo and the Upper and Lower Similkameen subgroups of the Okanagan. A now-extinct group known as the Nicola Athapaskans also inhabited and hunted in the area now occupied by the Similkameen. Many current geographic names in the region are derived from native terms, either by transliteration or translation. Beckey notes that "Many names were derived from Chinook Jargon , mostly applied by

3680-406: The case of the northernmost areas graven by deep valleys along the flank of the Fraser Canyon, notably that of the Anderson River . The Fraser River and the adjoining lowland on its south bank form the northern and northwestern boundary of the range. On the east, the Okanogan River and the Columbia River bound the range in the United States, while the northeastern boundary of the range departs

3760-399: The current topography. The area is dominated by Crater Peak (8677 ft), the highest point in the Lassen National Forest. The lowest point in the wilderness, 5546 feet, occurs at the base of the volcano. This peak is a reminder of the glacial action that eroded the original, much larger Thousand Lakes Volcano and created the many small lakes and ponds scattered through the region. Some of

3840-414: The drier eastern slopes feature mostly ponderosa pine ( Pinus ponderosa ), with some western larch ( Larix occidentalis ), mountain hemlock ( Tsuga mertensiana ) and subalpine fir ( Abies lasiocarpa ) and subalpine larch ( Larix lyallii ) at higher elevations. Annual rainfall is as low as 9 inches (230 mm) on the eastern foothills due to a rain shadow effect. Beyond the eastern foothills

3920-439: The early 1840s, at first only marginally. Following the Oregon Treaty the inward flux of migration from the Oregon Trail intensified and the passes and back-valleys of what is now the state of Washington were explored and populated, and it was not long after that railways followed. Despite its being traversed by several major freeways and rail lines, and its lower flanks subjected to major logging in recent decades, large parts of

4000-466: The early 1860s and the creation of non-native towns (on top of much older native ones) at Boston Bar , Lytton and Hope , as well as Princeton. Early settlers also arrived in the foothills of the North Cascades in the latter half of the 19th century, and utilized the range in a limited way as a source of timber and grazing land. The range is so rugged that this exploitation was less dramatic than in other more gentle landscapes. Early recreational use of

4080-477: The established Siskiyou Trail into the Willamette Valley . With the exception of the 1915 eruption of remote Lassen Peak in Northern California, the range was quiet for more than a century. Then, on May 18, 1980, the dramatic eruption of Mount St. Helens shattered the quiet and brought the world's attention to the range. Geologists were also concerned that the St. Helens eruption was a sign that long-dormant Cascade volcanoes might become active once more, as in

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4160-403: The first to explore the Stehekin River and Bridge Creek region. Due to the difficulty of crossing the northern Cascades and the paucity of beaver, fur-trading companies made only a few explorations into the mountains north of the Columbia River after Ross. Exploration and settlement of the Cascades region by Europeans and Americans was accelerated by the establishment of a major trading post of

4240-406: The form of snow , and the resulting glaciation , combine with the regional uplift to create a dramatic landscape in the western part of the range. Deep, U-shaped valleys carved by glaciers in Pleistocene time separate sharp ridges and peaks carved into steep shapes by more recent snow and ice. The eastern and northernmost parts of the range are much more plateau-like in character, though in

4320-421: The form of snow and ice is also important for agriculture. The snow-capped mountains, such as Mt. Hood and Mt. Bachelor , are used as ski resorts in the late winter, while in the summer they become popular hiking and mountaineering locations. Much of their meltwater eventually flows into reservoirs, where it is used for recreation, while its potential energy is captured to generate hydroelectric power before

4400-461: The largest Mount Shuksan glaciers are forced through a narrow chute over a 2,183-foot (665 m) headwall at the head of Sulphide Valley . The bulk of the North Cascades consists of "deformed and metamorphosed , structurally complex pre- Tertiary rocks ". These originated in diverse locations around the globe: the area is built of several ("perhaps ten or more") different terranes of different ages and origins. These terranes are separated by

4480-586: The lower passes, such as Snoqualmie Pass and Stevens Pass . The milder, Pacific-influenced air moving east over the Cascades is often forced aloft by the cold air held in place in the passes due to cold air damming. As a result, the passes often receive more snow than higher areas in the Cascades. This effect makes the relatively low elevation ski resorts at Snoqualmie Pass (about 3,000 feet (910 m)) and Stevens Pass (about 4,000 feet (1,200 m)) possible. The following North Cascades peaks are notable for their height (absolute elevation): (The above table uses

4560-470: The most obviously glaciated peaks and have the largest glaciers, but many of the smaller, nonvolcanic peaks are glaciated as well. For example, the portion of the Cascades north of Snoqualmie Pass (roughly the North Cascades as defined in this article) These glaciers all retreated from 1900 to 1950. From 1950 to 1975 many but not all North Cascades glaciers advanced. Since 1975 retreat has become more rapid with all 107 glaciers monitored retreating by 1992. 2015

4640-442: The mountain range which contained these peaks. He referred to it simply as the "eastern snowy range". Earlier Spanish explorers called it Sierra Nevada , meaning "snowy mountains". In 1805, the Lewis and Clark Expedition passed through the Cascades on the Columbia River, which for many years was the only practical way to pass that part of the range. They were the first non-indigenous people to see Mount Adams , but they thought it

4720-401: The older Hudson's Bay Company Brigade Trail from the Canyon to the Interior, the Dewdney Trail, and older routes which connected east to the Similkameen and Okanagan valleys. The southern mainline of the Canadian Pacific Railway penetrated the range via the passes of the Coquihalla River , along one of the steepest and snowiest routes in the entire Pacific Cordillera . Near Hope, B.C. ,

4800-453: The period from 1800 to 1857 when a total of eight erupted. None have erupted since St. Helens, but precautions are being taken nevertheless, such as the Cascades Volcano Observatory and Mount Rainier Volcano Lahar Warning System in Pierce County, Washington . The Cascade Range is made up of a band of thousands of very small, short-lived volcanoes that have built a platform of lava and volcanic debris. Rising above this volcanic platform are

4880-426: The purposes of this article, it will be taken as U.S. Highway 2 , running over Stevens Pass , or equivalently, the Skykomish River , Nason Creek, and the lower Wenatchee River . This roughly follows Beckey's geologic division in Cascade Alpine Guide and the definition used by Peakbagger.com. Sometimes the southern boundary is defined by Snoqualmie Pass and the approximate route of Interstate 90 . Sometimes

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4960-432: The range included expeditions by the local climbing clubs, The Mountaineers and The Mazamas . These groups did not fully explore the inner reaches of the range and ascend the most difficult peaks until the 1930s and 1940s. It was not until the 1970s, that most peaks were climbed in the most isolated areas, making it one of the last explored ranges in the contiguous United States. The North Cascades are often referred as

5040-466: The range is 510 °F (266 °C) at 3,075 feet (937 m) below Newberry Volcano 's caldera floor. Forests of large, coniferous trees ( western red cedars , Douglas-firs, western hemlocks, firs , pines , spruces , and others) dominate most of the Cascade Range. Cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers (largely a result of oceanic influence) favor evergreen species, whereas mild temperatures and rich soils promote fast and prolonged growth. As

5120-420: The range remain intense and forbidding alpine wilderness. Much of the northern half of the Cascades, from Rainier north, have been preserved by U.S. national or British Columbia provincial parks (such as E.C. Manning Provincial Park ), or other forms of protected area. The Canadian side of the range has a history that includes the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush of 1858–60 and its famous Cariboo Road , as well as

5200-417: The range, helped trigger the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush of 1858-1860 which in turn prompted the declaration of the Colony of British Columbia to affirm British possession of territories north of the 49th Parallel. The Fraser rush led to exploration of the Cascades to the east of the canyon and in the valley of the Similkameen River , with minor rushes in the area of Princeton, British Columbia in 1859 through

5280-443: The rest of the Canadian Cascades are not glaciated in the same way and feature rock "horns" rising from plateau-like uplands, with the Manning Park and Cathedral Park areas known for their extensive alpine meadows , as is also the case with the eastern flank of the US portion of the range. Portions of the US side of the range are protected as part of North Cascades National Park . The large amount of precipitation , much of it in

5360-400: The route of fur brigades, followed the Okanogan River along the east edge of the Cascades and the Columbia River through the range. Passes across the range were not well known and little used. Naches Pass was used for driving cattle and horses to Fort Nisqually . Yakima Pass was also used by the Hudson's Bay Company. American settlement of the flanks of the Coast Range did not occur until

5440-451: The south, near the border. The Barlow Road was the first established land path for U.S. settlers through the Cascade Range in 1845, and formed the final overland link for the Oregon Trail (previously, settlers had to raft down the treacherous rapids of the Columbia River). The Road left the Columbia at what is now Hood River and passed along the south side of Mount Hood at what is now Government Camp , terminating in Oregon City. There

5520-529: The ten highest measured waterfalls are listed. Many tall waterfalls occur where meltwater from mountain glaciers drop down a headwall , which are common occurrences in the North Cascades. Many waterfalls, despite their great height, are non-notable as they are not clearly visible and often have low volume. Seahpo Peak Falls , despite its great height at nearly 2,200 feet (670 m), is an example of one of these waterfalls. A few notable exceptions do occur; Sulphide Creek Falls occurs where meltwaters from two of

5600-416: The term "North Cascades" or "northern Cascades" is used for the entire range north of the Columbia River . Geologically, the rocks of the North Cascades extend south beyond Stevens Pass and west into the San Juan Islands . The significance of the geologic transitions to the Okanagan Highland to the east and the Interior Plateau and Coast Mountains to the north are less agreed upon. The climate in

5680-640: The volcanic activity is relatively recent—Hall Butte is a cinder cone that erupted perhaps 500 years ago. Despite its name, there are considerably fewer than a thousand lakes—about seven major lakes lie within the wilderness. The largest is Eiler Lake, named after Lu Eiler the person who discovered Thousand Lakes Valley. All of the larger lakes contain populations of trout. Wildlife includes black-tailed deer , black bear , pika , pine marten , northern goshawk , spotted owl , pileated woodpecker , and Clark's nutcracker . Even elk have been known to visit occasionally. There are four trailheads providing access into

5760-515: The warmer eastern air and cooler western air meet at the Cascades during the summer months, and form thunderstorms. Sometimes, the storms move downwind into lowland cities. The eastern slope lies in the rain shadow of the range, since prevailing winds and most moisture come from the west, and hence is significantly drier than the western side of the main divide, becoming semi-arid in the eastern lowlands. As with most mountainous areas, precipitation increases dramatically with increasing elevation. As

5840-450: The water is used to irrigate crops. Because of the abundance of powerful streams, many of the major westward-draining rivers of the Cascades have been dammed to provide hydroelectric power . One of these, Ross Dam on the Skagit River , retains a reservoir which spans the border southeast of Hope, British Columbia , extending 2 miles (3.2 km) into Canada. At the foot of the southeast flank of Mount Baker, at Concrete, Washington ,

5920-471: The west side. The treeline is at ~6000 feet. On the east side, subalpine forests of larch trees grade to pine and interior fir forests below 4200 ft, which grade to ponderosa below 2500 ft, which in turn grades to semidesert scrub near sea level. Above 7500 ft, the landscape is barren with either no plants or only moss and lichen . Black bears , coyotes , bobcats , cougars , beavers , deer , elk , moose , mountain goats and

6000-420: The western slopes due to orographic lift , with annual snow accumulations of up to 1,000 inches (2,500 cm) (= 83 feet (25 m)) in some areas. Mount Baker in Washington recorded a national record single-season snowfall in the winter of 1998–99 with 1,140 inches (2,900 cm) (= 95 feet (29 m)). Before that year, Mount Rainier held the American record for snow accumulation at Paradise in 1978. It

6080-468: The wilderness and approximately 21 miles (34 km) of trails. Cascade Range The Cascades are part of the Pacific Ocean 's Ring of Fire , the ring of volcanoes and associated mountains around the Pacific Ocean. All of the eruptions in the contiguous United States over the last 200 years have been from the Cascade Volcanoes . The two most recent were Lassen Peak from 1914 to 1921 and

6160-500: The winter snowpack) form a large reservoir of water . As snow and ice melts in the summer, the resulting meltwater compensates for the seasonal decrease in precipitation. As glaciers retreat they will provide less summer runoff. The Cascades north of Snoqualmie Pass have 756 glaciers covering 103 square miles (270 km ) of terrain. For comparison, the entire contiguous United States has about 1,100 glaciers in total, covering 205 square miles (530 km ). The North Cascades has

6240-457: Was Mount St. Helens. When they later saw Mount St. Helens they thought it was Mount Rainier. On their return trip, Lewis and Clark spotted a high but distant snowy pinnacle that they named for the sponsor of the expedition, U.S. President Thomas Jefferson . Lewis and Clark called the Cascade Range the "Western Mountains". The Lewis and Clark expedition, and the many settlers and traders that followed, met their last obstacle to their journey at

6320-411: Was an especially damaging year for Cascadian Glaciers, an estimated mass loss of five to ten percent, the single greatest loss in over 50 years. There are approximately 700 glaciers in the range, though some have already disappeared. Since a brief advancing period in the 1950s, most of these glaciers have been retreating . This is a serious concern to water managers in the region, as the glaciers (and

6400-555: Was named after Admiral Peter Rainier . Later in 1792, Vancouver had his lieutenant William Robert Broughton explore the lower Columbia River . He named Mount Hood after Lord Samuel Hood , an admiral of the Royal Navy . Mount St. Helens was sighted by Vancouver in May 1792, from near the mouth of the Columbia River. It was named for Alleyne FitzHerbert, 1st Baron St Helens , a British diplomat. Vancouver's expedition did not, however, name

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