American Summit facts for kids
Quick facts for kids American Summit |
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|---|---|
| Häk'aww | |
| Elevation | 3,652 ft (1,113 m) |
| Traversed by | Taylor Highway, Valdez-Eagle Trail (defunct) |
| Location | Southwest of Central, Alaska, Southeast Fairbanks Census Area |
| Range | Mertie Mountains |
| Coordinates | 64°35′56″N 141°18′00″W / 64.599°N 141.300°W |
American Summit (sometimes called American Pass) is a mountain pass in east-central Alaska. The local Hän people call it Häk'aww. This pass is about 3,420 feet (1,042 m) high. It goes through the high ground of the Fortymile River area.
Today, the Taylor Highway crosses American Summit. This highway connects the town of Eagle, Alaska to the Alaska Highway. It also links to the Top of the World Highway. Before 1953, the Valdez-Eagle Trail used this pass. That trail was the first land route between the Gulf of Alaska and the gold fields of central Alaska.
Contents
History of American Summit
Ancient Trails and Gold Rushes
For thousands of years, Athabascan native people used American Summit. They knew it was the lowest point in the White Mountains. These mountains lie between the Alaskan coast and the Yukon River. This made the summit a very useful path for travel.
In the late 1800s, gold was discovered in central Alaska. This led to a series of "gold rushes." Thousands of miners came to the Yukon River area. In 1897, the U.S. Army started building forts along the Yukon River. These forts helped keep order for the growing population. One important fort was Fort Egbert, built in the town of Eagle.
Building a New Route
Eagle was in a very isolated spot. Supplies for the fort and town had to come a long way. They either traveled across Alaska by the Yukon River or through Canada. The U.S. government wanted a faster, all-American route. So, they ordered a road built from Valdez on the Gulf of Alaska to Fort Egbert.
American Summit was the natural choice for this road. It was the lowest point in the mountains between Valdez and Eagle. The road was finished by 1901. To make communication even faster, the U.S. military began building the Washington-Alaska Military Cable and Telegraph System. Eagle was the northernmost point of this system.
Telegraph lines were put over American Summit in 1902. An undersea cable connected Valdez to Seattle in 1904. After 1909, a radio link was set up, and the telegraph line was no longer needed.
From Trail to Highway
The road over American Summit remained. It was improved over time. By the 1920s, the first cars were able to drive over the summit. During World War II, the Alaska Highway was built. This also led to work on its side roads. A project to improve the trail over American Summit began in 1945.
By 1953, this work resulted in the Taylor Highway. This is a seasonal road that still connects Eagle to the outside world. It crosses American Summit.
Wildfires and Dog Sled Races
In 2004, Alaska had its worst wildfire season ever recorded. American Summit was the site of a large wildfire. This fire burned about 10,000-acre (40 km2) of land. That year, hundreds of fires burned over 6,600,000 acres (27,000 km2) across Alaska.
Today, the Yukon Quest sled dog race crosses American Summit every February. This famous 1,000-mile (1,600 km) race travels between Fairbanks, Alaska, and Whitehorse, Yukon.
