Lost Trail Pass
Encyclopedia
Lost Trail Pass is a mountain pass
in the Rocky Mountains
of the United States
, on the border of Idaho
and Montana
in the Bitterroot Mountains
. The pass is at an elevation
of 7014 feet (2138 m) above sea level and is traversed by U.S. Highway 93
. The pass is about a half-mile (1 km) west of the continental divide, which retreats eastward at this point, inside Montana along the Ravalli
-Beaverhead
county border, toward Butte
.
South of the pass in Idaho is the North Fork of the Salmon River, which descends with US-93 to North Fork
to join the main Salmon River
. In Montana, US-93 drops northward into the Bitterroot River
Valley, and gradually descends towards Hamilton
, Lolo
, and Missoula
.
Lewis and Clark likely crossed either this pass or Chief Joseph Pass
in early September 1805 to enter the Bitterroot Valley
. They later rested for a few days at Traveler's Rest, near present-day Lolo, in preparation for their crossing over the Bitterroots at Lolo Pass
, back into present-day Idaho, following the Lolo Trail, north of US-12.
The Lost Trail Powder Mountain
ski area is at the pass, immediately west of US-93.
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 the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, on the border of Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
and 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 Bitterroot Mountains
Bitterroot Mountains
The Northern and Central Bitterroot Range, collectively the Bitterroot Mountains, is the largest portion of the Bitterroot Range, part of the Rocky Mountains, located in the panhandle of Idaho and westernmost Montana in the Western United States...
. The pass is at an elevation
Elevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
of 7014 feet (2138 m) above sea level and is traversed by U.S. Highway 93
U.S. Route 93
U.S. Route 93 is a major north–south United States highway in the western United States. The southern terminus is at U.S. Route 60 in Wickenburg, Arizona. The northern terminus is at the Canadian border north of Eureka in Lincoln County, Montana, where the roadway continues into Roosville,...
. The pass is about a half-mile (1 km) west of the continental divide, which retreats eastward at this point, inside Montana along the Ravalli
Ravalli County, Montana
-National protected areas:*Bitterroot National Forest *Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge*Lolo National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000 , there were 36,070 people, 14,289 households, and 10,188 families residing in the county. The population density was 15 people per square mile...
-Beaverhead
Beaverhead County, Montana
-National protected areas:* Beaverhead National Forest * Big Hole National Battlefield* Nez Perce National Historical Park * Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge-History:...
county border, toward 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...
.
South of the pass in Idaho is the North Fork of the Salmon River, which descends with US-93 to North Fork
North Fork, Idaho
North Fork is an unincorporated community in Lemhi County, Idaho.Its name is derived from confluence of the south-flowing North Fork of the Salmon River with the north-flowing main Salmon River, which makes a near-right angle turn here to flow westward across the state to Riggins...
to join the main Salmon River
Salmon River (Idaho)
The Salmon River is located in Idaho in the northwestern United States. The Salmon is also known as The River of No Return. It flows for through central Idaho, draining and dropping more than between its headwaters, near Galena Summit above the Sawtooth Valley in the Sawtooth National...
. In Montana, US-93 drops northward into the Bitterroot River
Bitterroot River
The Bitterroot River is a tributary of the Clark Fork River in southwestern Montana, USA. It runs for about 75 miles south-to-north through the Bitterroot Valley, from the confluence of its West and East forks near Conner to the Clark Fork near Missoula.Ravalli County and Missoula County...
Valley, and gradually descends towards Hamilton
Hamilton, Montana
Hamilton is a city in and the county seat of Ravalli County, Montana, United States. The population was 3,705 at the 2000 census. Significant outlying population growth is shown in the area; the ZIP Code Tabulation Area for Hamilton's ZIP Code, 59840, had a population of 12,327at the 2000 census.-...
, Lolo
Lolo, Montana
Lolo is a census-designated place in Missoula County, Montana, United States. It is part of the 'Missoula, Montana Metropolitan Statistical Area'. The population was 3,388 at the 2000 census. It is home to Travelers' Rest State Park, a site where Lewis and Clark camped in 1805 and again in 1806...
, and Missoula
Missoula, Montana
Missoula is a city located in western Montana and is the county seat of Missoula County. The 2010 Census put the population of Missoula at 66,788 and the population of Missoula County at 109,299. Missoula is the principal city of the Missoula Metropolitan Area...
.
Lewis and Clark likely crossed either this pass or Chief Joseph Pass
Chief Joseph Pass
Chief Joseph Pass is a mountain pass on the continental divide of the Rocky Mountains in the northwestern United States, between the states of Idaho and Montana...
in early September 1805 to enter the Bitterroot Valley
Bitterroot Valley
The Bitterroot Valley is located in southwestern Montana in the northwestern United States. It extends over 100 miles from remote Horse Creek Pass north to a point near the city of Missoula...
. They later rested for a few days at Traveler's Rest, near present-day Lolo, in preparation for their crossing over the Bitterroots at Lolo Pass
Lolo Pass (Idaho-Montana)
Lolo Pass, elevation , is a mountain pass in the United States, in the Bitterroot Range of the northern Rocky Mountains. It is on the border between the states of Montana and Idaho, approximately west-southwest of Missoula, Montana....
, back into present-day Idaho, following the Lolo Trail, north of US-12.
The Lost Trail Powder Mountain
Lost Trail Powder Mountain
Lost Trail Powder Mountain is an alpine ski area located along the Montana-Idaho border at the junction of US Highway 93 and Montana State Highway 43 at Lost Trail Pass, about one mile northwest of Chief Joseph Pass, which is on the Continental Divide....
ski area is at the pass, immediately west of US-93.
External links
- Idaho Transportation Dept. - webcam - Lost Trail Pass
- Lost Trail.com - Lost Trail Powder Mountain ski area - official site