Luther Pass
| Luther Pass | |
|---|---|
| Elevation | 7,740 ft (2,359 m) |
| Traversed by | State Route 89 |
| Location | |
| Location | Alpine / El Dorado counties, California,  United States |
| Range | Sierra Nevada |
| Coordinates | 38°47′13″N 119°56′45″W / 38.78694°N 119.94583°WCoordinates: 38°47′13″N 119°56′45″W / 38.78694°N 119.94583°W |
| Topo map | USGS Freel Peak |
Luther Pass (el. 7,740 ft. / 2,359 m) is a mountain pass in California in the Sierra Nevada, between the Carson River basin and Lake Tahoe. It is traversed by State Route 89[1] and lies on the boundary between Alpine County and El Dorado County.[2] The mountains southwest of Luther Pass form the Sierra Crest, while to the northeast they spur off to form the Carson Range.
The pass is named after Ira M. Luther, one of the "Irish Brigade" described by Mark Twain in Roughing It.[3] In 1854, Luther traversed the pass by covered wagon; he was also involved in later efforts to use the pass as the route for the Central Pacific Railroad.[4] The initial route for the Pony Express across the Sierra Nevada in 1860 connected Placerville and Lake Valley across Luther pass to Woodfords and thence to Nevada, but the route was quickly changed to use the Kingsbury Grade instead.[5]
Nowadays, during the ski season, the pass serves as an important connection between South Lake Tahoe and U.S. Route 50, to the north of the pass, and the Kirkwood ski area to the south. In the summer, it connects those areas via Monitor Pass to U.S. Route 395 and the eastern Sierra.[6]
[edit] References
- ^ California Highways: Routes 89 through 96.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Luther Pass
- ^ Mark Twain's Irish Brigade from Roughing It, Robert Stewart.
- ^ Luther Pass, Alpine County, California, Tom Schweich.
- ^ Farquhar, Francis Peloubet (1965), History of the Sierra Nevada, University of California Press, p. 101, ISBN 9780520015517.
- ^ State Route 89 Transportation Concept ReportPDF (509 KiB) , Caltrans, 2002.
