White Pass (Washington)

White Pass (elev. 4,500 feet (1,372 m)) is a mountain pass in the northwest United States, in the Cascade Range of Washington, southeast of Mount Rainier and north of Goat Rocks. U.S. Highway 12 travels over White Pass, connecting Yakima County on the east with Lewis County. It was named after Charles A. White, a surveying engineer who led the party that discovered it for the Northern Pacific Railroad in 1878.^[1]

White Pass
U.S. 12 through White Pass. Spiral Butte is visible on the left.
Elevation	4,500 ft (1,372 m)
Traversed by	U.S. Highway 12
Location	Lewis / Yakima counties, Washington, U.S.
Range	Cascades
Coordinates	46°38.3′N 121°23.4′W
White Pass Location in the United States Show map of the United States White Pass Location in Washington Show map of Washington (state)

A shortcut route across White Pass between Packwood and Naches was first established 93 years ago as State Road 5 in 1931,^[2][3][4] and the link was completed in August 1951 along the current route,^[5] later designated U.S. Route 12.

White Pass Ski Area, at the summit, opened on January 11, 1953. Champion ski racing twins Phil and Steve Mahre, along with their family, grew up on White Pass where their father Dave Mahre was the mountain manager for the ski area.^[6] White Pass is also the home mountain of professional snowboarder Marc Frank Montoya, owner of the Block Hotels.

As the crow flies, the pass is approximately 25 miles (40 km) southeast of the summit of Mount Rainier and thirty miles (50 km) north of Mount Adams.

On October 7, 2007, a single-engine Cessna Caravan crashed near White Pass while carrying skydivers; all 10 people aboard died in the crash.^[7][8]

Climate

Climate data for White Pass, Washington, 1991–2020 normals: 4440ft (1353m)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	31.1 (−0.5)	32.6 (0.3)	37.3 (2.9)	42.6 (5.9)	50.7 (10.4)	58.2 (14.6)	68.6 (20.3)	68.2 (20.1)	60.0 (15.6)	46.5 (8.1)	35.8 (2.1)	30.1 (−1.1)	46.8 (8.2)
Daily mean °F (°C)	26.9 (−2.8)	27.5 (−2.5)	31.3 (−0.4)	35.8 (2.1)	42.4 (5.8)	48.9 (9.4)	57.4 (14.1)	57.4 (14.1)	51.0 (10.6)	40.3 (4.6)	31.7 (−0.2)	26.2 (−3.2)	39.7 (4.3)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	22.8 (−5.1)	22.5 (−5.3)	25.7 (−3.5)	28.9 (−1.7)	34.2 (1.2)	39.6 (4.2)	46.3 (7.9)	46.6 (8.1)	41.8 (5.4)	34.1 (1.2)	27.6 (−2.4)	22.3 (−5.4)	32.7 (0.4)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	7.84 (199)	5.29 (134)	5.03 (128)	2.59 (66)	1.80 (46)	1.15 (29)	0.34 (8.6)	0.45 (11)	1.37 (35)	4.17 (106)	6.92 (176)	8.40 (213)	45.35 (1,151.6)
Source 1: XMACIS2[9]
Source 2: NOAA (Precipitation)[10]

Pigtail Peak, lies above White Pass and is within the White Pass Ski Area.

Climate data for Pigtail Peak, Washington, 1991–2020 normals: 5800ft (1768m)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	32.2 (0.1)	33.1 (0.6)	36.4 (2.4)	41.8 (5.4)	49.4 (9.7)	53.7 (12.1)	62.8 (17.1)	62.7 (17.1)	56.6 (13.7)	44.8 (7.1)	35.7 (2.1)	31.1 (−0.5)	45.0 (7.2)
Daily mean °F (°C)	26.9 (−2.8)	26.7 (−2.9)	29.1 (−1.6)	33.5 (0.8)	40.8 (4.9)	45.1 (7.3)	53.3 (11.8)	53.5 (11.9)	48.5 (9.2)	38.3 (3.5)	30.4 (−0.9)	25.9 (−3.4)	37.7 (3.2)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	21.6 (−5.8)	20.4 (−6.4)	21.8 (−5.7)	25.3 (−3.7)	32.3 (0.2)	36.6 (2.6)	43.7 (6.5)	44.3 (6.8)	40.3 (4.6)	31.9 (−0.1)	25.1 (−3.8)	20.7 (−6.3)	30.3 (−0.9)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	12.49 (317)	9.90 (251)	10.40 (264)	6.55 (166)	4.18 (106)	2.72 (69)	0.82 (21)	1.04 (26)	2.76 (70)	7.10 (180)	11.26 (286)	12.28 (312)	81.5 (2,068)
Source 1: XMACIS2[9]
Source 2: NOAA (Precipitation)[11]

References

1. "The Pacific Cascade Railway". Retrieved 20 August 2022.
2. "Want highway via White Pass". The Spokesman-Review. Associated Press. January 22, 1931. p. 3.
3. "Washington highway map". H.M. Gousha. (David Rumsey Map Collection). 1956. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
4. "State roads as established by legislature (1893–1935)" (PDF). Department of Transportation. (State of Washington). Retrieved January 20, 2017.
5. "New highway". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Associated Press. May 1, 1950. p. 6.
6. The Chronicle staff (February 25, 2024). "In focus: Brothers celebrated at White Pass Ski Area 40 years after winning Olympic medals". The Chronicle. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
7. Welch, Craig (October 10, 2007). "Anguish of getting "our kids off the mountain"". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on October 12, 2007. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
8. Tizon, Tomas Alex (October 10, 2007). "Skydiver plane found; all 10 aboard killed". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
9. "xmACIS2". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
10. "White Pass, Washington 1991-2020 Monthly Normals". Retrieved September 26, 2023.
11. "Pigtail Peak, Washington 1991-2020 Monthly Normals". Retrieved September 26, 2023.

External links

• White Pass road conditions
• White Pass Scenic Byway - official site
• Ski White Pass.com - trail map for the ski area
• Experience Washington.com - White Pass Scenic Byway

46°38.3′N 121°23.4′W