Whitehorse Mountain

Whitehorse Mountain is located 3 miles southwest of Darrington, in the Boulder Creek Wilderness along with its sister peak, Three Fingers. Whitehorse Mountain’s position much farther west from the crest of the Cascade Range makes it a landmark visible from as far away as Seattle, and also from many summits of the range to the east. Its craggy appearance, hanging glacier, and 6000 feet of local relief above the Stillaguamish River Valley make Whitehorse a postcard image as seen from the logging community of Darrington, yet the mountain receives minor climbing attention due to strenuous one-day routes and avalanche danger. Whitehorse was undoubtedly sighted by English naval explorer George Vancouver in 1792 while exploring the Puget Sound. At that time the mountain was called So-Bahli-Ahli (lofty lady from the east), as it was known in the local native-American language. The name Whitehorse was established in humor when an early pioneer’s white horse ran away, and during the search for it a neighbor saw a resemblance to a white horse of a snow patch on the mountain and in jest and said, "There it is above us."

Refer to Cascade Alpine Guide: Climbing and High Routes, Volume 2, by Fred Beckey for complete information on all the established routes on Whitehorse.

Variant names: White Horse Mountain. So-bahli-ahli.