Echo Summit facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Echo Summit |
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View from Echo Summit towards Lake Tahoe.
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| Elevation | 7,382 ft (2,250 m) |
| Traversed by |  US 50 |
| Location | El Dorado County, California, U.S. |
| Range | Sierra Nevada |
| Coordinates | 38°48′47″N 120°01′48″W / 38.813°N 120.030°W |
| Topo map | |
| Reference #: | 1048 |
Echo Summit is a famous mountain pass located in the Sierra Nevada mountains in California, U.S.. It stands at about 7,377 feet (2,249 meters) above sea level. This makes it the highest point along U.S. Route 50 in California. The summit is found in El Dorado County, just south of the beautiful Lake Tahoe.
Echo Summit has a rich history. The "Pioneer Route" of the Lincoln Highway, which was the first road to cross the entire United States, went over nearby Johnson Pass in 1913. The road you can drive on today over Echo Summit was built later, between 1936 and 1939. This area is also a starting point for the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, a very long hiking trail.
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Echo Summit: A Historic Sports Site
Echo Summit is well-known for hosting the 1968 U.S. Olympic track and field trials for men. These trials took place from September 6 to 16, just a month before the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. The women's trials were held at a lower elevation in Los Angeles.
Training for High Altitudes
The reason Echo Summit was chosen was its high elevation. It has a similar height to the Olympic Stadium in Mexico City. This made it a perfect training camp for athletes to get used to exercising at high altitudes. The site opened in July 1968 for this special training.
Building a World-Class Track
With help from a local casino, Harrah's Tahoe, a special running track was bought. This track was made of a new material called Tartan track, similar to what would be used at the Olympics. It was installed in early July in the parking lot of a small ski area. The track was designed so it could be taken apart and moved easily.
Records and Recognition
Even with hundreds of Ponderosa pine trees in the middle of the track and huge boulders around the high jump area, amazing things happened. Four new world records were set at these trials!
In 2014, Echo Summit was recognized as a California Historical Landmark. A special sign was placed along Highway 50 to mark its importance. At that time, it was only the fifth sports-related historical site in California.
From Ski Area to Snow Play
The ski area where the track was installed was once called Nebelhorn, and later Echo Summit. It closed in 1988. Today, this area is known as Adventure Mountain. It's a popular spot for winter fun like sledding and tubing.
