Cascade Range

Cascade Range, lofty mountain range of the northwestern United States and southwestern Canada, about 1130 km (about 700 mi) long. The range extends from northern California through Oregon and Washington into British Columbia, Canada. In the U.S. the Cascades lie from about 160 to 240 km (about 100 to 150 mi) inland from the Pacific Ocean.

The Cascades form an important climatic divide, with the western slope receiving abundant precipitation but the eastern slopes very little. As a result, the western part of the range is heavily wooded and the eastern section is covered mainly by grass and scrub plants. In the Cascades are many lakes and several large rivers that are harnessed for hydroelectric power. The name of the range is taken from the great cascades of the Columbia River.