Posted on 4/1/2021
So you've decided to take a weekend trip around the tri-pass! These passes consist of Cayuse Pass, White Pass, and Chinook Pass. Your car is all gassed up and ready to go, and your first stop is Cayuse Pass on state route 410. Cayuse Pass is just 41 miles southeast of Enumclaw with an elevation of 4675 ft. Cayuse Pass is typically closed in November due to heavy snow and outstanding avalanche danger caused by the high elevation. It usually opens in May and is known to have a snow depth at the summit of up to 15 feet. Cayuse Pass is tucked away in the Cascade mountains consisting of windy turns intersecting state route 123 and 410 is the second-highest pass in Washington. Cayuse Pass is on the east side of Mt. Rainier National Park and is a backcountry skiing destination. The next pass you'll be going through is Chinook Pass, which has an elevation of 5430 ft and is located on the crest of the cascade range just a few miles up from Cayuse Pass. It is also usually ... read more