Monitor Pass facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Monitor Pass |
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The view from a 9,000 foot peak, just south of Monitor Pass
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| Elevation | 8,314 ft (2,534 m) |
| Traversed by |  SR 89 |
| Location | Alpine County, California, United States |
| Range | Sierra Nevada |
| Coordinates | 38°40′32″N 119°37′10″W / 38.67556°N 119.61944°W |
Monitor Pass is a high mountain pass located in California. It's part of the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountain range, found southeast of Lake Tahoe. The pass reaches an elevation of 8,314 feet (2,534 meters) above sea level.
State Route 89 travels right over Monitor Pass. This road connects to U.S. Route 395 near a small community called Topaz. The pass helps people travel between the areas of the West Walker River and Carson River. It also provides a more direct route to Markleville, California, even though it means going up a bit higher.
The History of Monitor Pass
Monitor Pass played a role in early American exploration. In the late spring of 1827, a famous explorer named Jedediah Smith crossed this pass. He was leaving California after his first big journey. This crossing was very important because it was the first time a non-native person had ever traveled across the Sierra Nevada mountains. Smith came down from Ebbetts Pass and then continued from Monitor Pass, past Topaz Lake, and into Nevada.
Building the Road
The highway that goes through Monitor Pass was finished in the early 1950s. This made it one of the most recent passes in the Sierra Nevada to get a paved road. A local hero named Robert M. Jackson helped make this highway project happen. He worked for the Alpine County Public Works Department for over 30 years. His efforts helped connect these mountain communities.
Winter Travel and Closures
Because Monitor Pass is so high up, it gets a lot of snow in winter. Because of this, State Route 89 over the pass has to close each year. The exact dates it closes depend on the weather and how much snow falls. However, Monitor Pass is usually closed to cars and trucks between late November and early April.
