page_title: Snoqualmie Pass
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Snoqualmie Pass / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Guye Peak at Snoqualmie Pass, WA
context_page_description: Snoqualmie Pass is a mountain pass that carries Interstate 90 through the Cascade Range in the U.S. state of Washington. The pass summit is at an elevation of 3,015 feet, on the county line between Kittitas County and King County.
  Snoqualmie Pass has the lowest elevation of the three east–west mountain routes across Washington State that are kept open year-round, along with Stevens Pass to the north, and White Pass to the south. I-90 is the primary commercial artery between Seattle and points east, carrying an average of 29,000 vehicles through the pass per day. I-90 is the only divided highway crossing east–west through the state.
  The pass lends its name to a census-designated place located at the summit. Both the CDP and Snoqualmie Pass are named after the Snoqualmie people of the valley to the west.
context_section_description: Snoqualmie Pass was well known to the Native Americans of the region. Hudson's Bay Company trappers and traders were active in the Snoqualmie and Yakima valleys during the early 19th century. They knew about Snoqualmie Pass but information about their use of it is vague. A possible early use of the pass was that of A.C. Anderson, who drove cattle across the Cascades in 1841, via a pass he called "Sinahomish Pass".
  Captain George B. McClellan and his lieutenant Abiel W. Tinkham explored the Snoqualmie Pass region in 1853 and 1854. Their goal was to find a pass better suited for a railroad than Naches Pass, where the Naches Trail crossed the Cascade Mountains. They explored from the east side of the mountains, reaching the vicinity of Yakima Pass (47.3365°N 121.4324°W). Tinkham continued down the west side via the Cedar River. McClellan decided not to examine Snoqualmie Pass itself because of unfavorable reports from Natives.
  In 1856, Major J.H.H. Van Bokkelen, then of the Washington Territory Volunteers (militia), crossed Snoqualmie Pass on a scouting mission. In 1858 several large pack trains bound for mines east of the Cascades crossed the pass. In 1865 a number of Seattle citizens, including Arthur A. Denny, explored the Cedar River, Snoqualmie Pass, and Naches Pass. They reported that Snoqualmie Pass route was a better choice for a road than the old Indian trail over Yakima Pass. By 1867 a toll road had been built over Snoqualmie Pass. Intended to be suitable for wagons, for years the road was only usable by pack trains and for cattle drives.
  The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (the "Milwaukee Road") completed a line through Snoqualmie Pass in 1909, part of its Pacific Extension. This grade was soon replaced in 1914 by the 2¼-mile (3.6 km) Snoqualmie Tunnel, from Hyak due west to Rockdale, at an approximate elevation of 2,600 feet (790 m), more than 400 feet (120 m) below the pass. The rail line was abandoned 40 years ago in 1980, and the tunnel is presently a multi-use trail for bicyclists and hikers, part of Iron Horse State Park. During tunnel construction, an improved wagon road was built over the pass. Near the original rail line, the Sunset Highway was opened through the pass in 1915.
  In 1927, the road over the pass became U.S. Route 10; it began to be plowed and kept open during winter in 1931.  By 1933, the first alpine ski hill was cleared at Snoqualmie Pass, and U.S. 10 was finally paved in 1934.
  In 1946, tunnel engineer Ole Singstad proposed the construction a tunnel under Snoqualmie Pass to avoid the most treacherous section of the route.
  In 1969, construction of U.S. 10's replacement, Interstate 90, began across the pass.
  Since 1991, the Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust has acted to protect the scenic value of the I-90 corridor over Snoqualmie Pass.
caption: Snoqualmie Pass landmarks
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