Any high mountain passes through Montana/Idaho on I-90
Headed to South Dakota from Portland, OR along I-90, curious if there is any high mountain passes like on I-70 through Colorado?
Forum Discussion
- Yes, there is about three. One just east of Coeur d'alene, one east of Mulan, and another east of Butte.
- There are a couple of summits in Idaho, including the one on the ID/MT border, and couple in Montana. The intersection of I90 and I15 is at Butte, a relatively high mining town. But none are as high as the 2 on I70. Of course to get a realistic picture you need to know the total length of climb and grade for each, not just the absolute altitude (compare Portland to Government camp v Denver to Eisenhower tunnel).
paulj wrote:
There are a couple of summits in Idaho, including the one on the ID/MT border, and couple in Montana. The intersection of I90 and I15 is at Butte, a relatively high mining town. But none are as high as the 2 on I70. Of course to get a realistic picture you need to know the total length of climb and grade for each, not just the absolute altitude (compare Portland to Government camp v Denver to Eisenhower tunnel).
Yeah, not wanting to do Vail Pass or Loveland or Berthod pass again. Once is enough.... but we do Government Camp 1-2 times a year...
Also heard there is a long stretch with no services, is that the case?- remember you are crossing the Rockies, so yes there are some high passes
old guy wrote:
remember you are crossing the Rockies, so yes there are some high passes
i figured that but the question was if they were the long hauls like on I-70 thru Colorado over Vail, Loveland and Berthod Passes- The two main ones are about five miles long each.
After getting to the top of the one in Butte area, the down grade is nearly as bad. Watch your brakes and use compression brake if equipped. Also heard there is a long stretch with no services, is that the case?
That's a question of what constitutes a "long" stretch, and how much services you need.
It's an interstate highway, so there are services at very frequent intervals. But it's certainly not urban. A quick perusal of your Rand McNally or Googlymaps will show you.- delete
Tom/Barb wrote:
old guy wrote:
remember you are crossing the Rockies, so yes there are some high passes
They aren't that high. I-90 is the lowest route you can take. Homestake Pass is a mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of Montana in the United States. It sits on the Continental Divide on the border between Jefferson County and Silver Bow County, six miles south-southeast of Butte in Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest at an elevation of 6,329 feet (1,929 m).
Remember to take the short cut from Spearfish S.D. to Billings, it save a half day driving.
