List of Sierra Nevada road passes
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This is a table of principal paved highway passes on or near the crest of the Sierra Nevada, United States. The road passes are generally listed from north to south, with their elevation and access road.
The California Department of Transportation attempts to keep Donner Summit (Interstate 80, I-80), Echo Summit (U.S. Route 50, US 50) and Carson Pass (State Route 88, SR 88) open year-round. Most other passes at higher elevation than these are usually closed during winter, with opening and closure dates varying based on snowfall and available road clearing and repair resources.[1]
Name | Elevation (ft) | Elevation (m) | Coordinates | Access Road | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fredonyer Pass[2] | 5,748 | 1,752 | 40°21′35″N 120°52′03″W / 40.35972°N 120.86750°W / 40.35972; -120.86750 (Fredonyer Pass) | SR 36 | Approximate boundary with the Cascade Range |
Beckwourth Pass[3] | 5,212 | 1,589 | 39°47′30″N 120°6′28″W / 39.79167°N 120.10778°W / 39.79167; -120.10778 (Beckwourth Pass) | SR 70 Feather River Route (via tunnel) | On the Diamond Mountains spur range Lowest Sierra Crest highway pass |
Yuba Pass[4] | 6,709 | 2,045 | 39°37′03″N 120°29′20″W / 39.61750°N 120.48889°W / 39.61750; -120.48889 (Yuba Pass) | SR 49 | On Feather River-Yuba River divide, not Sierra Crest |
Little Truckee Summit[5] | 6,400 | 1,951 | 39°30′18″N 120°16′55″W / 39.50500°N 120.28194°W / 39.50500; -120.28194 (Little Truckee Summit) | SR 89 | |
Donner Summit (Euer Saddle)[6] | 7,239 | 2,206 | 39°20′24″N 120°20′38″W / 39.34000°N 120.34389°W / 39.34000; -120.34389 (Donner Summit) | I-80 | Westbound |
7,227 | 2,203 | I-80 | Eastbound | ||
Donner Pass[7] | 7,088 | 2,160 | 39°18′52″N 120°19′37″W / 39.31444°N 120.32694°W / 39.31444; -120.32694 (Donner Pass) | Donner Pass Road Overland Route (via tunnel) | Also Northern route of the Lincoln Highway and former US 40 |
Brockway Summit[8] | 7,199 | 2,194 | 39°15′40″N 120°04′17″W / 39.26102°N 120.07130°W / 39.26102; -120.07130 (Brockway Summit) | SR 267 | On Truckee River divide, not Sierra Crest |
Mount Rose Summit[9] | 8,946 | 2,727 | 39°18′48″N 119°53′50″W / 39.31333°N 119.89722°W / 39.31333; -119.89722 (Mount Rose Summit) | SR 431 | On Carson Range spur highest year round Sierra Nevada highway pass |
Spooner Summit[10] | 7,158 | 2,182 | 39°06′15″N 119°53′50″W / 39.104233°N 119.897158°W / 39.104233; -119.897158 (Spooner Summit) | US 50 | On Carson Range spur Southern route of the Lincoln Highway |
Daggett Pass[11] | 7,339 | 2,237 | 38°58′36″N 119°53′20″W / 38.97657°N 119.88879°W / 38.97657; -119.88879 (Daggett Pass) | SR 207 | On Carson Range spur |
Echo Summit[12] | 7,377 | 2,249 | 38°48′47″N 120°01′48″W / 38.813°N 120.030°W / 38.813; -120.030 (Echo Summit) | US 50 | Southern route of the Lincoln Highway |
Luther Pass[13] | 7,735 | 2,358 | 38°47′13″N 119°56′45″W / 38.78694°N 119.94583°W / 38.78694; -119.94583 (Luther Pass) | SR 89 | On Carson River-Lake Tahoe divide, not the Sierra Crest |
Carson Pass[14] | 8,573 | 2,613 | 38°41′38″N 119°59′15″W / 38.69389°N 119.98750°W / 38.69389; -119.98750 (Carson Pass) | SR 88 Pacific Crest Trail | |
Monitor Pass[15] | 8,321 | 2,536 | 38°40′32″N 119°37′10″W / 38.67556°N 119.61944°W / 38.67556; -119.61944 (Monitor Pass) | SR 89 | In Carson River watershed, not Sierra Crest closed in winter[1] |
Ebbetts Pass[16] | 8,732 | 2,662 | 38°32′40″N 119°48′43″W / 38.5443529°N 119.8118455°W / 38.5443529; -119.8118455 (Ebbetts Pass) | SR 4 Pacific Crest Trail | Closed in winter[1] |
Sonora Pass[17] | 9,624 | 2,933 | 38°19′40″N 119°38′9″W / 38.32778°N 119.63583°W / 38.32778; -119.63583 (Sonora Pass) | SR 108 Pacific Crest Trail | Closed in winter[1] |
Tioga Pass[18] | 9,943 | 3,031 | 37°54′40″N 119°15′29″W / 37.91111°N 119.25806°W / 37.91111; -119.25806 (Tioga Pass) | SR 120 | Closed in winter[1] |
Minaret Summit[19] | 9,175 | 2,797 | 37°39′23″N 119°03′37″W / 37.65639°N 119.06028°W / 37.65639; -119.06028 (Minaret Summit) | SR 203 | Not a trans-Sierra route, road ends west of summit closed in winter[1] |
No roads cross the Sierra Crest for 137 miles (220 km) between Minaret Summit and Ninemile Canyon. | |||||
Sherman Pass[20] | 9,140 | 2,786 | 35°59′26″N 118°21′57″W / 35.99056°N 118.36583°W / 35.99056; -118.36583 (Sherman Pass) | Sherman Pass Road (Forest Route 22S05) | On the Kern River-South Fork Kern River divide, not the Sierra Crest Closed in winter[21] |
unnamed pass[22] | 6,260 | 1,908 | 35°51′41″N 118°00′26″W / 35.86136°N 118.00719°W / 35.86136; -118.00719 (Unnamed pass) | CR J41 Ninemile Canyon Road/Kennedy Meadow Road | |
Walker Pass[23] | 5,246 | 1,599 | 35°39′47″N 118°01′37″W / 35.66306°N 118.02694°W / 35.66306; -118.02694 (Walker Pass) | SR 178 Pacific Crest Trail | |
Tehachapi Summit[24] | 4,064 | 1,239 | 35°06′08″N 118°16′58″W / 35.10222°N 118.28278°W / 35.10222; -118.28278 (Tehachapi Summit) | SR 58 Southern Pacific Railroad | Traditionally marks the south end of the Sierra and the northeast end of the Tehachapis, even though it is primarily associated with the latter |
Cancelled plans
A number of trans-Sierra highways have been proposed but never constructed or cancelled. These include:
- Trans-Sierra Highway, which would have continued State Route 203 from its dead end, was proposed in the 1920s, but the idea was abandoned following the passage of the California Wilderness Act of 1984.
- California State Route 168, the High Sierra Piute Highway, planned to go over Piute Pass; currently two disconnected segments with a gap over the Sierra Nevada
- California State Route 190–currently two disconnected segments with a gap over the Sierra Nevada
See also
- California portal
- Geography portal
- List of mountain passes in California
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Winter Driving Tips". Caltrans. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
- ^ United States Geological Survey. Fredonyer Pass, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014 – via TopoQuest.
- ^ United States Geological Survey. Beckwourth Pass, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014 – via TopoQuest.
- ^ United States Geological Survey. Sattley, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014 – via TopoQuest.
- ^ United States Geological Survey. Sierraville, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014 – via TopoQuest.
- ^ United States Geological Survey. Norden, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014 – via TopoQuest.
- ^ United States Geological Survey. Norden, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014 – via TopoQuest.
- ^ United States Geological Survey. Martis Peak, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved May 10, 2018 – via TopoQuest.
- ^ United States Geological Survey. Mount Rose, Nevada (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved May 10, 2018 – via TopoQuest.
- ^ United States Geological Survey. Glenbrook, Nevada (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved May 10, 2018 – via TopoQuest.
- ^ United States Geological Survey. South Lake Tahoe, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved May 10, 2018 – via TopoQuest.
- ^ United States Geological Survey. Echo Lake, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014 – via TopoQuest.
- ^ United States Geological Survey. Freel Peak, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014 – via TopoQuest.
- ^ United States Geological Survey. Carson Pass, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014 – via TopoQuest.
- ^ United States Geological Survey. Topaz Lake, Nevada (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved October 11, 2017 – via TopoQuest.
- ^ United States Geological Survey. Ebbetts Pass, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014 – via TopoQuest.
- ^ United States Geological Survey. Sonora Pass, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014 – via TopoQuest.
- ^ United States Geological Survey. Tioga Pass, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014 – via TopoQuest.
- ^ United States Geological Survey. Mammoth Mountain, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014 – via TopoQuest.
- ^ United States Geological Survey. Sirretta Peak, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014 – via TopoQuest.
- ^ "Sherman Pass Road". U.S. Forest Service. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
- ^ United States Geological Survey. Lamont Peak, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014 – via TopoQuest.
- ^ United States Geological Survey. Walker Pass, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved January 2, 2014 – via TopoQuest.
- ^ United States Geological Survey. Tehachapi North, California (Topographic map). 1:24,000. 7.5 minute series. Reston, VA: United States Geological Survey. Retrieved September 17, 2017 – via TopoQuest.
External links
- Caltrans - Mountain Pass Closures