Nostalgia & History > Sierra Nevadas by Open Platform

This series began several days ago:   https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,5473100

Now we are passing #6 headed East.

Then we begin traversing snow sheds.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/19/22 09:34 by bandob.

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Nice.  I believe that 2nd photo portal is one I snowshoed too when I was a teen in the 70's from the Travis Air Force Base lodge.  I think the Sugar Bowl ski resort is just across the valley from there as well with a gondola to get there from the hwy 80 garage.

Super series.
Bob

Nice shot!

RC Lundgren
Elgin, TX

WillIAN, 

How far is the Sierra Nevadas from Donner?

Thanks

RC Lundgren
Elgin, TX

Well, Donner Pass is in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, so I'm not sure how to answer your question. Maybe others know its reationship to the snow sheds.
 

bandob Wrote:
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> Well, Donner Pass is in the Sierra Nevada
> Mountains, so I'm not sure how to answer your
> question. Maybe others know its reationship to the
> snow sheds.
Isn't Donner Pass what they call the highest part of Interstate 80?  I don't think it has anything to do with the railroad.  The "top" of the Sierra for the railroad is Norden. 
>  

The Sierra Nevada mountains are a north-south oriented mountain range that sort of separates California and Nevada.  I-80 is an interstate highway that crosses the mountain range between Sacramento, CA and Reno. NV and was built using portions of the old Highway 40.  Donner Pass is the highest point on I-80 in the Sierras and is approx. 7200' in elevation and is also a couple miles north of Norden as the crow flies.  UP railroad tracks somewhat generally follow I-80 but there are numerous diversions and differences between the asphalt and tracks.  Norden is located along the old Highway 40 and is a couple miles west of the RR summit, which summit I believe is in a tunnel called the "Big Hole".  Between Norden and the Big Hole entrance is the parking lot and access road for Sugar Bowl ski resort which has ski runs located directly above the Big Hole.  The ski resort also has gondolas that take you over the RR tracks just before the tunnel. At Sugar Bowl you can also see the abandoned right of way and entrance to an abandoned tunnel followed by abandoned snowsheds. https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,5410073,5410265#msg-5410265 
Norden is not visible from I-80 as there is a mountain peak in between them blocking the view but you can somewhat see the Norden sheds through the trees from old Highway 40.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/19/22 16:20 by SF2900.

Reminder that the Sierra Nevada is Spanish and means the "Great Snowy Range." The Sierra is a singular range not many or several like the Rockies. No "s" on SIERRA!

Thank you for the correction Mike.  I had a history teacher at Columbia Junior College in 1975 that would go nuts if you said SIerras instead of Sierra.