Cascade Pass Trail Improvement and Plant Propagation

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Cascade Pass Trail Improvement and Plant Propagation

Cascade Pass is the most heavily visited backcountry day-use area of North Cascades National Park, with an estimated 6,000 visitors per year. It is also used by backpackers and climbers accessing 3 popular nearby camps, 4 adjacent cross-country zones, and an adjacent US Forest Service wilderness area.

The 3.7 mi trail to the Pass has the most gradual switchbacks of any subalpine destination in the park. As a result, families with young children and elderly hikers follow the trail to Cascade Pass to enjoy the spectacular views. Despite continued

efforts to reduce trampling impacts, some of the trail sections required rehabilitation. Trail crew staff built reroutes of existing trail sections that resulted in safer footing for visitors and reduction of resource damage.

Vegetation Management and Plant Propagation Staff, along with community volunteers, collected cuttings and seeds for this project totaling 1,600 rooted cuttings, 400 pots of seedlings, and 42 flats of seeds of subalpine species. Sufficient revegetation of those areas disturbed by trail rehabilitation efforts is vital to mitigate bare ground impacts in the Pass area. Development of a comprehensive revegetation/restoration plan for Cascade Pass was also completed.

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