White Bird Hill Summit
Encyclopedia
White Bird Hill Summit is a mountain pass
in northern
Idaho
on U.S. Highway 95
. Located in Idaho County
, it is midway between White Bird
and Grangeville
. The summit elevation
of the highway is 4245 feet (1,293.9 m) above sea level, through a substantial cut
.
The modern multi-lane highway was completed in June 1975, following ten years of construction. The treeless northbound grade climbs 2700 vertical feet (823 m) in 7 miles (11.3 km), an average gradient of over 7%. The original road was completed in 1921 and first paved in 1938, it rose slightly higher to 4429 feet (1,350 m), due to the absence of a summit cut. Located to the east, the old road was twice the length and had a multitude of switchbacks
ascending a treeless slope. On the present highway, the descent north of the summit is less dramatic as the grade drops less than 900 feet (274.3 m) in the forest with few curves onto the Camas Prairie towards Grangeville.
White Bird Hill Summit marks the divide between the Salmon River
and the Camas Prairie. The Battle of White Bird Canyon
of the Nez Perce War
occurred in the valley south of the summit in 1877. Chief White Bird
was a respected leader of the Nez Perce tribe.
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 northern
North Central Idaho
North Central Idaho is an area which spans the central part of the state of Idaho and borders Oregon, Montana, and Washington. It is the southern half of the Idaho Panhandle region and is rich in agriculture and natural resources. Lewis and Clark travelled throughout this area on their journey to...
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....
on U.S. Highway 95
U.S. Route 95 in Idaho
In the U.S. state of Idaho, U.S. Route 95 is a north–south highway near the western border of the state, stretching from Oregon to British Columbia for over .-Route description:...
. Located in Idaho County
Idaho County, Idaho
Idaho County is a county located in the U.S. state of Idaho. As of the 2010 Census the county had a population of 16,267. The county seat is Grangeville...
, it is midway between White Bird
White Bird, Idaho
White Bird is a town in Idaho County, Idaho, United States. The population was 106 at the 2000 census.-Geography:White Bird is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
and Grangeville
Grangeville, Idaho
Grangeville is the largest city in and the county seat of Idaho County, Idaho, United States, in the west central part of the state. It had a population of 3,141 at the 2010 census.- Culture :...
. The summit 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 the highway is 4245 feet (1,293.9 m) above sea level, through a substantial cut
Cut (earthmoving)
In civil engineering, a cut or cutting is where soil or rock material from a hill or mountain is cut out to make way for a canal, road or railway line....
.
The modern multi-lane highway was completed in June 1975, following ten years of construction. The treeless northbound grade climbs 2700 vertical feet (823 m) in 7 miles (11.3 km), an average gradient of over 7%. The original road was completed in 1921 and first paved in 1938, it rose slightly higher to 4429 feet (1,350 m), due to the absence of a summit cut. Located to the east, the old road was twice the length and had a multitude of switchbacks
Hairpin turn
A hairpin turn , named for its resemblance to a hairpin/bobby pin, is a bend in a road with a very acute inner angle, making it necessary for an oncoming vehicle to turn almost 180° to continue on the road. Such turns in ramps and trails may be called switchbacks in American English, by analogy...
ascending a treeless slope. On the present highway, the descent north of the summit is less dramatic as the grade drops less than 900 feet (274.3 m) in the forest with few curves onto the Camas Prairie towards Grangeville.
White Bird Hill Summit marks the divide between the 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...
and the Camas Prairie. The Battle of White Bird Canyon
Battle of White Bird Canyon
The Battle of White Bird Canyon was fought on June 17, 1877 in Idaho Territory. The battle was the opening battle of the war with the Nez Perce nation and represented a significant defeat of the U.S. Army. It was fought in the western part of present-day Idaho County, Idaho, southwest of the city...
of the Nez Perce War
Nez Perce War
The Nez Perce War was an armed conflict between the Nez Perce and the United States government fought in 1877 as part of the American Indian Wars. After a series of battles in which both the U.S. Army and native people sustained significant casualties, the Nez Perce surrendered and were relocated...
occurred in the valley south of the summit in 1877. Chief White Bird
Chief White Bird
White Bird , also referred to as White Pelican , was a leader and war chief of the Lamátta band of the Nez Perce tribe.- History :...
was a respected leader of the Nez Perce tribe.
Video
- You Tube video - motorcycle POV - White Bird Hill - northbound US-95 - June 2011
- You Tube video - motorcycle trailer POV - White Bird Hill - southbound US-95 - June 2011
- Idaho Transportation Dept. - roadcam - U.S. 95 - White Bird Hill - north of summit
External links
- Visit Idaho.org - official state tourism site
- Idaho Transportation Dept. - White Bird Bridge - at base of grade - photo
- White Bird Bridge - construction photo gallery from early 1970s
