The North Cascades region borders Canada to the north. It is made up of Whatcom, Skagit, Okanogan, and Chelan counties. As the region’s name implies, the Cascade mountain range is a major feature of this region. The range runs down the center of the region which results in it often being discussed as two separate subregions: the Northwest Cascades and the North Central Cascades. This region is very diverse in terms of features, as part of it is coastal while part is well inland. Important features of the region include the Northern Cascade Mountains, the northern Columbia River, and Mount Baker.

Formation of the Cascade Mountain Range

The familiar snow-clad peaks of the Cascade Range are part of a 1,300 km (800 mi) chain of volcanoes, which extends from northern California to southern British Columbia. The volcanoes are the result of the slow slide of dense oceanic crust as it sinks beneath North America (subduction), which releases water and melts overlying rock. This rich volcanic zone contains the well-known landmark volcanoes and approximately 2,900 other known volcanic features ranging from small cinder cones to substantial shield volcanoes. (USGS)

As this graphic shows, the Cascade Mountain Range has been very active in the past 4,000 years.

Features of the North Cascades Region

Cascades

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Northern Columbia River

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Mount Baker

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