The Chinook Pass area is located along Highway 410 between the Towns of Enumclaw, Greenwater and Mount Rainier to the west and Naches to the east. At an elevation of 5,430 feet it is snowbound for a portion of the year, usually closing in November and reopening in May. This gorgeous drive has been designated as the Chinook Scenic Byway and is considered to be one of the most beautiful drives in the United States. There are many pull outs along this route with views of the surrounding area, including Mount Rainier, Naches Peak, and the American River Valley to the east.
From Chinook Pass there are many fantastic recreation activities available. The Pacific Crest Trail that runs from Mexico to Canada crosses Highway 410 here on an elevated walkway. There are also many other destination hikes departing from this area to such areas such as Naches Peak, Sheep Lake, Dewey Lake and Crystal Lake. Opportunities also abound for climbing, snowshoeing, ski-touring, skiing, snowboarding, cycling, horseback riding, animal watching and more.
In addition to the many recreational activities, many geologic features can be found in this area. The Cascade Mountains were created by uplifting and volcanic activity along a North-South axis. Formed during the Pleistocene Ice Age about 2 million years ago, alpine glaciers flowed from the mountain range into the lowlands. As these glaciers retreated they left U-shaped valleys divided by sharp ridges. The views from the many viewpoints along this section of the Pacific Crest Trail look down into the Rainier Fork of the American River and illustrates this type of glacial formation. Many of the Alpine lakes are Tarns, formed in the cirques that were carved by these ancient glacial lobes. Southwest of Chinook Pass is a series of switchbacks exposing a sequence of bedded Ohanapecosh Formation rocks cut by dikes and sills. these rocks have been dated at 20 million years old.
The dramatic contrast between the east and west sides of the Cascade Mountains is strongly influenced by weather systems approaching from the Pacific Ocean. Mountains serve as a barrier to weather systems, causing the cloud fronts to drop heavy amounts of precipitation west of the Cascade Range. Native vegetation on the east side of the mountains has adapted to a much drier climate."
This cache was placed along the Pacific Crest Trail approximately 0.6 miles from the closest parking. Continuing on you will reach Sheep Lake in another 1.4 miles. Additionally on your way back you can take a right hand head steeply up the ridge to Deadwood Lakes. While this caches is not near a drop off, the initial section of trail might make the parents of small children nervous as there are a few places with steep slopes in the initial quarter mile. Please be careful as this snow is possible late into the season.
2016 was the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, and to celebrate, Visit Rainier and WSGA hosted the Visit Rainier Centennial GeoTour - 100 caches placed in and around Mount Rainier National Park. The geocaches highlighted the rich history, scenic wonders, quaint communities, and hidden gems of the Rainier region. Participants received geocoin and pathtag prizes for finding all the caches.
