Cascade Pass — Sunday, Jul. 20, 2025

Absolute best trail I have ever enjoyed.

Tried to get an early start and hit the trail at 6:30 AM. The lot was already almost full and getting fuller by the second. Despite all the activity I came nose-to-nose with an elk barely a quarter mile from the trailhead.

Lots of switch backs the first part of the hike. Then it straightens out a bit, then some more climbing, and then Cascade Pass.

It’s a nice open viewing area, which is good as there will be a crowd of people enjoying the view. When I arrived the clouds and fog were still prevalent — still a beautiful scene but I felt a little sad I wasn’t enjoying the full majesty. But I did get to see a marmot, the first of many, waddling across the pass.

Reflecting on previous trip reports, assessing my stamina, and with the encouragement of my fellow hikers at the viewing area, I decided to push on an additional mile to “the shoulder” of Sahale Arm.

Best decision. This made the hike. The extension started out gently and I got a very close up show of two marmots having a knock-down all-out brawl alongside the trail, and a few moments later some kind of grouse or pheasant on the trail like any other hiker. I continued til I got to the real climbing, as described by previous reports very steep and rocky. It’s probably 800 feet squeezed into about a half mile. Halfway up I considered turning back but I could see the ridge and I’d already come this far.

Kept going and was rewarded with a human traffic jam. What was the hold up? A mother goat and her kid on the trail. After a few moments our little gaggle figured out a way to go around the goats without disturbing them. I hate to step one foot off trail but if there’s ever a case for breaking that rule this felt like a good one.

Once the climbing is done you get to a rounded mound with mind blowing 360 degree views. Be sure to go a few extra paces along the Sahale Arm trail to the overlook and look down — you don’t want to miss Doubtful Lake. It was up here I also ran into a second mother goat and her kid.

The trip back was long but with gravity on my side much easier. Also the clouds had lifted so my views at Cascade Pass and even down all those switchbacks were much improved.

I got back to the parking lot around 2:30 and cars were lined up on either side of the road. It was pretty tight going.

Drawbacks: feels like nitpicking to mention any negatives on this stunning hike but I will say I was annoyed to see even on this trail with all the abundant wildlife and clear postings re: NO PETS people still dragged their dogs along. Not a lot, I only saw two, but one was with a group that stood right in front of the NO PETS sign examining the maps and signs at the trailhead but chose to ignore the sign literally in front of their faces.

Also, got stuck in a caravan when I first headed in, led by a lime green Toyota Tacoma that claimed 4x4 capability and drove up the trailhead at a crawl, refusing ample opportunities to pull over and let better drivers pass.

But like I said this is nitpicking. I have been hiking 30-plus years. This was the best. Aside from a few trails in Mt Rainier, nothing else comes close.