Sahale Arm via Cascade Pass
Skagit County, Washington
Details
Distance
12.34 miles
Elevation Gain
5230 ft
Route Type
Out-and-Back
Description
Added by Scott Kranz
Enjoy a picturesque landscape of alpine meadows from Sahale Arm via Cascade Pass, which at 7500' feet would seem more fitting as rock peaks and ice.
To get to this hike, go to Marblemount, WA. Then, drive ~23 miles east on Cascade River Road until the end, the Cascade Pass Trailhead. Even before you hit the trail, you'll get an amazing view of Johannesburg Mountain.
Once you're ready to get going, the initial 3.7 miles of this hike to Cascade Pass are moderate in difficulty. If you're headed out with the family, this is a doable day hike as long as your end goal is Cascade Pass. The first two miles will get you moving a bit as you'll climb up 1400 feet. From here, the trail levels out for the next 1.7 miles.
If you're up for continuing to Sahale Arm, get ready for the first mile to gain around 800 feet. You'll eventually reach a junction with the trail down to Doubtful Lake. Stay to the left on the Sahale Arm trail and don't lose the elevation you've gained as you continue to climb. Eventually, you'll make it to the base of Sahale Glacier. If you don't have the appropriate climbing gear, be sure to stay off it and enjoy the amazing views from the top.
If you're heading up to the Cascade Pass, be sure to see if the road is closed or snow-covered. The best time to go on this hike is mid-summer through fall.
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Sahale Arm via Cascade Pass Reviews
A great hike indeed. I didn't mind the switchbacks and overall found it to be a modest and enjoyable hike from a physicality standpoint. I chose this hike for the views and like most selfish decisions, it backfired. Found ourselves in the clouds for most, if not all, of the hike. Spent the night on Sahale Glacier with medium to strong wind, rain, and sleet. Oh, what I would have traded to get one little peak of the towering Cascades from the top of Sahale glacier camp. Alas, for another time! A truly beautiful area and a fun drive through Marblemount for this Minnesota hiker. I'll be back...
5.0
Looks like a beautiful place, but unfortunately, like Mike, I was in the thick of clouds the whole journey, only catching glimpses of neighboring peaks through a gap in the clouds. Having said that, after seeing so little of this place, I can only imagine how stunning it is on a clear day! Prepare for a long journey to get to the views though, those switchbacks do seem to go one forever! Coupled with a 13 mile gravel road in less than great condition you'll have to work for those views. Will definitely come back on a clear day for a snowy ascent!
4.0
Less than .25 miles from the glacier! A cloud as transparent as concrete rolled over Cascade Pass and its neighboring peaks as I was less than a quarter mile from the Sahale Glacier. It remains a mystery to me still what the views from the top would look like. To be returned to one day...I vow!
4.0
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Nearby
Climb Sahale Peak via the South Slope Route
Pelton Basin Camp
Sahale Glacier Camp via Cascade Trailhead
Climb Eldorado Peak via the East Ridge
Hidden Lake Lookout
Lookout Mountain Trail
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