Homestake Pass
Encyclopedia
Homestake Pass is a mountain pass
in the Rocky Mountains
of Montana
in the United States
. It sits on the Continental Divide of the Americas on the border between Jefferson County, Montana
and Silver Bow County, Montana
, six miles south-southeast of Butte, Montana
in Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest
at a height of 6329 feet (1,929.1 m). The pass was discovered by Edwin Harrison McHenry
, a civil engineer
working for the Northern Pacific. McHenry was tasked with locating a line from the NP's main line near Logan, Montana
, through to Butte.
The Northern Pacific Railway
used the pass for its line from Logan, Montana
to Garrison, Montana
via Butte
(Rocky Mountain Division, Second and Fourth Subdivisions) built in 1889. The line over the pass is currently owned by BNSF Railway
. It has been inactive since 1983. This was Northern Pacific's scenic transcontinental passenger train route used by the famous North Coast Limited
. When Interstate 90
was built the state of Montana used Homestake Pass to cross the continental divide bypassing the US Route 10 route over the divide at Pipestone Pass
.
A trail running race currently takes place on the Continental Divide Trail
between Homestake Pass and Pipestone Pass
. Hosted by Butte's Piss and Moan Running Club, the Wulfman CDT 14k is held annually on the Saturday closest to the Summer solstice
.
Mountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
in the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
of Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It sits on the Continental Divide of the Americas on the border between Jefferson County, Montana
Jefferson County, Montana
-National protected areas:*Deerlodge National Forest *Helena National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 10,049 people, 3,747 households, and 2,847 families residing in the county. The population density was 6 people per square mile . There were 4,199 housing units at an...
and Silver Bow County, Montana
Silver Bow County, Montana
-National protected areas:*Beaverhead National Forest *Deerlodge National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 34,606 people, 14,432 households, and 8,933 families residing in the county. The population density was 48 people per square mile . There were 16,176 housing units at...
, six miles south-southeast of Butte, Montana
Butte, Montana
Butte is a city in Montana and the county seat of Silver Bow County, United States. In 1977, the city and county governments consolidated to form the sole entity of Butte-Silver Bow. As of the 2010 census, Butte's population was 34,200...
in Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest
Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest
The Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest is the largest of the National Forests in Montana, United States. Covering , the forest is broken into nine separate sections and stretches across eight counties in the southwestern area of the state. President Theodore Roosevelt named the two forests in...
at a height of 6329 feet (1,929.1 m). The pass was discovered by Edwin Harrison McHenry
Edwin Harrison McHenry
Edwin Harrison McHenry was the fourth vice-president of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad and first vice-president of the Consolidated Railway of Hartford, Connecticut...
, a civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
working for the Northern Pacific. McHenry was tasked with locating a line from the NP's main line near Logan, Montana
Logan, Montana
Logan is an unincorporated community in Gallatin County, Montana, United States.-History:Logan is situated on the Gallatin River and was established in 1889 as a railroad station on the Northern Pacific and Montana...
, through to Butte.
The Northern Pacific Railway
Northern Pacific Railway
The Northern Pacific Railway was a railway that operated in the west along the Canadian border of the United States. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in...
used the pass for its line from Logan, Montana
Logan, Montana
Logan is an unincorporated community in Gallatin County, Montana, United States.-History:Logan is situated on the Gallatin River and was established in 1889 as a railroad station on the Northern Pacific and Montana...
to Garrison, Montana
Garrison, Montana
Garrison is a census-designated place in Powell County, Montana, United States. The population was 112 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Garrison is located at ....
via Butte
Butte, Montana
Butte is a city in Montana and the county seat of Silver Bow County, United States. In 1977, the city and county governments consolidated to form the sole entity of Butte-Silver Bow. As of the 2010 census, Butte's population was 34,200...
(Rocky Mountain Division, Second and Fourth Subdivisions) built in 1889. The line over the pass is currently owned by BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
. It has been inactive since 1983. This was Northern Pacific's scenic transcontinental passenger train route used by the famous North Coast Limited
North Coast Limited
The North Coast Limited was a named passenger train operated by the Northern Pacific Railway between Chicago and Seattle via Bismarck, North Dakota...
. When Interstate 90
Interstate 90
Interstate 90 is the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It is the northernmost coast-to-coast interstate, and parallels US 20 for the most part. Its western terminus is in Seattle, at Edgar Martinez Drive S. near Safeco Field and CenturyLink Field, and its eastern terminus is in...
was built the state of Montana used Homestake Pass to cross the continental divide bypassing the US Route 10 route over the divide at Pipestone Pass
Pipestone Pass
Pipestone Pass is a mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of Montana in the United States. It sits on the continental divide in Silver Bow County, Montana, 10 miles south of Butte, Montana in Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest at a height of 6,347 ft .The Chicago, Milwaukee, St...
.
A trail running race currently takes place on the Continental Divide Trail
Continental Divide Trail
The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail is a United States National Scenic Trail running 3,100 miles between Mexico and Canada. It follows the Continental Divide along the Rocky Mountains and traverses five U.S. states — Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico...
between Homestake Pass and Pipestone Pass
Pipestone Pass
Pipestone Pass is a mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of Montana in the United States. It sits on the continental divide in Silver Bow County, Montana, 10 miles south of Butte, Montana in Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest at a height of 6,347 ft .The Chicago, Milwaukee, St...
. Hosted by Butte's Piss and Moan Running Club, the Wulfman CDT 14k is held annually on the Saturday closest to the Summer solstice
Summer solstice
The summer solstice occurs exactly when the axial tilt of a planet's semi-axis in a given hemisphere is most inclined towards the star that it orbits. Earth's maximum axial tilt to our star, the Sun, during a solstice is 23° 26'. Though the summer solstice is an instant in time, the term is also...
.