Where is the UP’s crossing of the Continental Divide in Wyoming? I keep being told that it is at an unknown spot. But Is it Sherman Hill? Or is it at the Hermosa Tunnels?
The Hermosa Tunnels are actually on Sherman Hill. UP actually crosses the continental divide twice because of the Great Basin but the only listed one I could find is at Creston, elevation 7107ft near milepost 713.4. Sherman Hill is actually higher than that, elevations 8013ft for tracks 1&2 and 7866ft for track 3. The tunnels are slightly lower than track 3’s summit.
Other info-- Creston is 166 track miles west of the tunnels
Neither, it is at Creston, WY which is a little way west of Rawlins, WY much farther west than you would think it would be found. The North Platte River loops around the northern end of the Medicine Bow mountains while the UP goes over them at Sherman Hill. The second crossing of the North Platte is at Fort Fred Steele just east of Rawlins.
Go over to the other side of this forum- the trackside guide. Look for Dale’s(nanimo73) post about Continental Divide crossings, currently on page 2. I’m not smart enough to post a link to it.([D)]). He shows it to be Sherman Summit at 8013 feet. Ckeck out the thread. You will be amazed.[8D]
Here Murph, I’ll give you an assist…
http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=59946
As I said in that thread, It actually crosses the Continental Divide twice in Wyoming.
Where is the second crossing?
The proper answer would be both sides of the Great Divide Basin like miniwyo says.
I go with Creston which is in the basin and higher than either side. I believe UP says Creston as well. Perhaps the entire basin should be treated as one wide crossing.
Thanks Murph.
If there are two crossings, must there not be a third? Or are the two crossings on two different routes?
Dave – one route, two crossings, because of the Red Desert Basin (see miniwyo’s post above). Moving west, the first crossing is Eastern Slope/Red Desert Basin; the second crossing is Red Desert Basin/Western Slope.
Dave, it’s like crossing a bowl- the Red Desert Basin doesn’t drain to anywhere.
Dale had it right in his big post that is linked above Creston is the recognized crossing, I was just simply pointing out that it does do it twice. Lots of tourists come to town and are confused about why they crossed it twice so us locals have to explain it to them and we basically get into the same discussion. I usually end up pulling out my map and showing them [:P]
Thanks for the refresher geography lesson!
Even though the original poster didn’t know it, it is a trick question because the “Continental Divide” separates the Atlantic Ocean basin from that which drains into the Pacific. There are other lesser divides between other watersheds. Triple Divide Mountain in Glacier National Park has three distinct faces and each faces drains into a different Ocean. The North Face drains into the Arctic Ocean, the SW face drains into the Pacific, and the SE face drains into the Atlantic. The divide mentioned by Miniwyo is not by definition the “Continental Divide”., but it is more significant than one between two rivers that drain into the same ocean.
Question for Miniwyo, east of Sherman Hill is Atlantic drainage. At Fort Fred Steele, near Rawlins, you are also in the Atlantic drainage. Where do you cross into and out of the Red Desert Basin? West of Creston perhaps?
I remember the same question in my distant youth while on a family vacation heading east on I-80 through Wyoming. My brother and I were looking at the map trying to find where we would cross the Continental Divide and discovered the existence of the Great Divide Basin, which doesn’t drain to anywhere.
Sorry, I made the Question so tricky. I forgot about the basin. Duh. Thank You everybody for your help and support.