Near Skykomish in King County, Washington — The American West (Northwest)

Snowsheds Needed Solid Support

Iron Goat Trail

— MP 1719.88 —

Snowsheds Needed Solid Support Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 30, 2015

1. Snowsheds Needed Solid Support Marker

Inscription. The timbers that held up the wooden roofs of the snowshed rested on large concrete footings, visible to the left in this 1913 photo taken during construction. Look for these footings along this wall and in other places along the Iron Goat Trail. Many of the timbers used for this snowshed were salvaged and sent to Montana sites when the 8-mile "new" Cascade Tunnel opened in 1929 and this portion of the railroad was abandoned.

This snowshed was a little over a third of a mile (1,868 feet) long and was the longest double-track combination type snowshed on the Cascade crossing. It was built in 1913, the busiest year for building snowsheds, with over 10,000 feet constructed.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Railroads & Streetcars. A significant historical year for this entry is 1913.

Location. 47° 42.821′ N, 121° 9.851′ W. Marker is near Skykomish, Washington, in King County. Marker can be reached from the intersection of Stevens Pass Highway (U.S. 2) and Old Cascade Highway, on the right when traveling west. Marker is located on the Iron Goat Trail, about ¼ mile west of the Iron Goat Trailhead just north of US Highway 2. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Skykomish WA 98288, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 4 other markers are within 10 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Snowsheds Protected the Railway

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(approx. 0.3 miles away); A Route Still in Use (approx. 0.9 miles away); Twin Tunnels Bored Through Granite (approx. 0.9 miles away); Early Skykomish (approx. 9.1 miles away).

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Iron Goat Trail

Also see . . . Stevens Pass Historic District (Wikipedia). With the increase in traffic over the line, interruptions increased as heavier snows blocked exposed portions of the track. In 1913, the Railway began a series of improvements on the west slope of the Cascade. As a result of these endeavors, eight of the twelve miles of track between the Cascade Tunnel and Scenic were covered by tunnels or snow sheds. (Submitted on September 16, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 30, 2015

2. Snowsheds Needed Solid Support Marker

(concrete snowshed wall in background)

Concrete Snowshed Wall Ruins (<i>beside Iron Goat Trail</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 30, 2015

3. Concrete Snowshed Wall Ruins (beside Iron Goat Trail)

(concrete footing visible on left)

1928 Cascade Tunnel (<i>west portal view from Old Cascade Highway</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, July 30, 2015

4. 1928 Cascade Tunnel (west portal view from Old Cascade Highway)

(active railroad line)
7.8 miles long • Elevation 2,247 feet
41,152 feet long • Completed 1928

Credits. This page was last revised on September 17, 2020. It was originally submitted on September 14, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 122 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 16, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 4. submitted on September 17, 2020, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.