Billings MT to Coeur d'Alene ID
Are there any daunting grades on I-90 between Billings, MT and Coeur d'Alene, ID?
Forum Discussion
n7bsn wrote:
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Lookout is out "wow" because (westbound) you are driving on the edge of a very spectacular drop-off...
https://maps.google.com/?ll=47.462611,-115.698792&spn=0.003779,0.008647&t=m&z=17&layer=c&cbll=47.462574,-115.698204&panoid=BTt3nv6E_C1vjhOxMdEsqQ&cbp=12,299.16,,0,3.24
Compared to some Washington grades it isn't that 'wow' (I90,US2,I82). Still you can see a long ways out into the valley while focusing on controlling your speed. There are trees on the slope below, and a paved shoulder plus Jersey Barrier the whole way down. There is a runaway truck ramp 3 miles down, plus a couple of other viewpoints further up.
According Idaho DOT, max grade is 6%
http://lb.511.idaho.gov/idlb/mountainpasses/mountainpass.jsf?id=6&view=state&text=m&textOnly=false
There are couple of alternatives that don't have significant passes. MT/ID200 north of Missoula follows a major river valley into Idaho. US2 crosses the Continental Divide south of Glacier Park via one of the lowest Rockies passes.
