Mullan Pass facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mullan Pass |
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Historical marker placed at Mullan Pass.
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| Elevation | 5,902 ft (1,799 m) |
| Traversed by | Austin-Mullan Pass Road and Montana Rail Link (via Mullan Pass Tunnel). |
| Location | Lewis and Clark / Powell counties, Montana, U.S. |
| Range | Rocky Mountains |
| Coordinates | 46°38′36″N 112°18′50″W / 46.6434°N 112.3138°W |
 Mullan Pass
Location in Montana
Mullan Pass
Location in the United States
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Mullan Pass is a mountain pass in the western United States. It is located in the Rocky Mountains of Montana. This pass sits on the Continental Divide. This is a special line where rivers flow to different oceans. Mullan Pass is 5,902 feet (1,799 meters) high. It's found between Powell and Lewis and Clark counties. The pass is about 13 miles (20 km) west of Helena. It is also part of the Helena National Forest.
Contents
Mullan Pass: A Mountain Gateway
A Path for Trains
Trains have used Mullan Pass for a long time. The Northern Pacific Railway (NP) built a line here in 1883. This line connected Logan to Garrison through Helena. It was the main route for NP's freight trains. Their secondary passenger train, the Mainstreeter, also used this path.
The NP also had another line over Homestake Pass. Their main passenger train, the North Coast Limited, used that route. Today, the rail line at Mullan Pass is used by Montana Rail Link. The trains go under the pass through the Mullan Tunnel. This tunnel is 5,566 feet high and 3,426 feet (1.04 km) long.
Who Was John Mullan?
The pass is named after Lieutenant John Mullan. He was an engineer for the United States Army. Lieutenant Mullan was the first person to cross this pass. He did this on March 22, 1854.
Later, in 1860, he led the building of the Mullan Road. This was the very first road over the pass. It made travel through the mountains much easier.
Exciting Moments at Mullan Pass
First Flight Over the Divide
Mullan Pass saw an amazing event on September 30, 1911. It was the site of the first flight over the North American Continental Divide. An aviation pioneer named Cromwell Dixon made this flight. He flew from Helena to Blossburg, about 15 miles west. He flew over Mullan Pass and then flew back the same day. This incredible achievement earned him $10,000. The governor of Montana, Edwin L. Norris, gave him the money.
The Helena Train Incident
On February 2, 1989, an incident happened near Helena. A train crew had to unhook their engines from a train. This was because of mechanical problems during very cold weather. The train had 48 cars. The air brakes on the cars stopped working. The train then rolled nine miles back towards Helena.
Around 5:30 a.m., the cars crashed into a parked work train. A fire started. The event caused damage in the community. Luckily, no one was hurt or killed.
Tunnel Repairs
In July 2009, part of the Mullan Tunnel's roof fell in. Workers were making the tunnel bigger. They wanted it to handle double-stack freight cars. These cars carry two containers stacked on top of each other. The tunnel was closed for 28 days. It reopened for trains on August 14, 2009.
Another Mullan Pass?
There is a second Mullan Pass. It is also part of the historic Mullan Road. This pass is on the border between Montana and Idaho. It is in the Bitterroot Range and is 5,168 feet high. This second pass is about 3 miles (4.8 km) east-northeast of Lookout Pass. Interstate 90 crosses the state line at Lookout Pass.
