The Cascade Range or Cascades is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as many of those in the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades. The small part of the range in British Columbia is referred to as the Canadian Cascades or, locally, as the Cascade Mountains. The highest peak in the range is Mount Rainier in Washington at 14,411 feet (4,392 m).
The Great Northern Railway was an American Class I railroad. Running from Saint Paul, Minnesota, to Seattle, Washington, it was the creation of 19th-century railroad entrepreneur James J. Hill and was developed from the Saint Paul & Pacific Railroad. The Great Northern's route was the northernmost transcontinental railroad route in the U.S.
BNSF Railway is the largest freight railroad in the United States. One of six North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 36,000 employees, 33,400 miles (53,800 km) of track in 28 states, and over 8,000 locomotives. It has three transcontinental routes that provide rail connections between the western and eastern United States. BNSF trains traveled over 169 million miles in 2010, more than any other North American railroad.
The Burlington Northern Railroad was a United States-based railroad company formed from a merger of four major U.S. railroads. Burlington Northern operated between 1970 and 1995.
The Northern Pacific Railway was a transcontinental railroad that operated across the northern tier of the western United States, from Minnesota to the Pacific Northwest. It was approved by Congress in 1864 and given nearly 40 million acres of land grants, which it used to raise money in Europe for construction.
Stevens Pass is a mountain pass through the Cascade Mountains located at the border of King County and Chelan County in Washington, United States. U.S. Route 2 travels over the pass, reaching a maximum elevation of 4,061 feet (1,238 m). The Pacific Crest Trail crosses the highway at Stevens Pass. The BNSF Railway's Cascade Tunnel lies 1,180 feet (400 m) below the pass summit.
The Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway was a railroad in the northwest United States. Incorporated in 1905, it was a joint venture by the Great Northern Railway and the Northern Pacific Railway to build a railroad along the north bank of the Columbia River. The railroad later built or acquired other routes in Oregon. The SP&S was merged into the Burlington Northern in March, 1970. Remnants of the line are currently operated by BNSF Railway and the Portland and Western Railroad.
Lester is a ghost town near Stampede Pass, just south of Snoqualmie Pass in King County, founded in 1892 by the Northern Pacific Railway. Lester is located along what is currently National Forest Development Road 54, on land owned by Tacoma Water, a division of Tacoma Public Utilities.
Hot Springs is a ghost town in King County, Washington, United States. Properly Green River Hot Springs, the town was first settled under the name Kendon by the Northern Pacific Railway in 1886. Hot Springs was at one time home to a large sanatorium built around the natural hot springs in the area, and by 1907–1908 had a population of 225 with two doctors. The sanatorium was reported to have been an impressive facility, having nice suites, bowling alleys and pool tables. A 1904 envelope has a return address, "The Kloeber, J. S. Kloeber, M.D. Green River Hot Springs, Wash.". The area was also home to Harvey Dean's mill. By 1913–14 the town's population had dropped to 65, with no businesses mentioned. Evidence points to the fact that sometime before 1913–14 the sanatorium had burned down. By 1918, the town had virtually vanished, only being listed as a "Discontinued Post Office."
Weston is a ghost town in Washington State founded circa 1900. Located at the foot of the western 2.2 percent grade of the Northern Pacific Railway's climb up Stampede Pass to Stampede Tunnel, the town served as the western helper station on the pass, counterpart to Easton, Washington. Facilities included an engine house, telegraph station, water tank, turntable and some ancillary residences and eating houses.
Stampede Pass is a mountain pass in the northwest United States, through the Cascade Range in Washington. Southeast of Seattle and east of Tacoma, its importance to transportation lies almost entirely with railroading, as no paved roads cross it. It is approximately twelve miles (20 km) south-southeast of Snoqualmie Pass, the gap for Interstate 90, and two miles (3 km) south of Keechelus Lake.
The Northern Transcon, a route operated by the BNSF Railway, traverses the most northerly route of any railroad in the western United States. This route was originally part of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, Northern Pacific Railway, Great Northern Railway and Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway systems, merged into the Burlington Northern Railroad system in 1970.
Keechelus Lake is a lake and reservoir in the northwest United States, near Hyak in Kittitas County, Washington. Approximately fifty miles (80 km) southeast of Seattle and a few miles southeast of Snoqualmie Pass, it is the source of the Yakima River.
Snoqualmie Pass is a mountain pass that carries Interstate 90 (I-90) through the Cascade Range in the U.S. state of Washington. The pass summit is at an elevation of 3,015 feet (919 m), on the county line between Kittitas County and King County.
The Meeker Southern Railroad is a Class III shortline railroad owned by Ballard Terminal Railroad Company LLC that travels approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) between East Puyallup ("Meeker") and McMillin, Washington, United States.
Nagrom is a ghost town in King County, Washington, United States.
Kanaskat, Washington is an unincorporated community in King County, Washington, United States.
Kanaskat-Palmer State Park is a 320-acre (130 ha) Washington state park on the Green River in King County. The park has 2 miles (3.2 km) of river shoreline and offers picnicking, camping, 3 miles (4.8 km) of trails for hiking and biking, expert-level rafting and kayaking in the Green River Gorge, fishing, swimming, birdwatching, wildlife viewing, and horseshoes.
San Simon is a census-designated place in Cochise County, Arizona, United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 165. San Simon is located along Interstate 10, 40 miles (64 km) east of Willcox. The community has a ZIP code of 85632.
Martin is an extinct town in the northwest United States, in Kittitas County, Washington. Stampede Pass is near to the west.
