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A Roster of Bicycling Passes and Summits

This section contains a partial list of cycling and mountain biking passes in Rocky Mountain and Intermountain Basin states other than the states listed above. No claim is made that these are the "most suitable" passes for a bicycle, in some cases just the opposite. See individual descriptions. However it is possible to cross all these routes with a bicycle. Paved and other surfaces are included. Tables are sorted by highest elevation first. Summits that are not sourced to another publication or map are marked with a (u) behind the designation, indicating that they are unnamed and "unofficial" summits.

Alberta (Canada)
Montana (US)
Wyoming (US)


 



Alberta (Canada)


- PAVED - Highwood Pass (2227m)  Kananaskis Trail (which is really a road) between Highwood Jct and Peter Lougheed Provincial Park.
- PAVED - Bow Pass (2068m) southern part of Icefields Parkway between Lake Louise and Saskatchewan Crossing
- PAVED - Sunwapta Pass (2027m)northern part of Icefields Parkway between Saskatchewan Crossing and Jasper
- PAVED - Yellowhead Pass (1130m)  low Rockies pass on the Yellowhead Highway to BC with an interesting history.

Montana (US)

- PAVED - Beartooth Pass (10940ft) see Wyoming table
- PAVED - Colter Pass (8066ft) - road through Absaroka mtns between Beartooth Pass (Wy) and Cooke City
- PAVED - Logan Pass (6680ft) - more popularly known as "going to the sun road"; probably America's most esteemed cycle touring pass. In spite of this, cyclists are heavily restricted during what time of day they can cross.
-   MTB   - Whitefish Divide (apr5600ft) northernmost pass on the Great Divide Bicycle Trail. From West: Eureka (2577ft). From East: Trail Creek (3800ft).



Wyoming (US)

- PAVED - Beartooth Pass (10940ft): Beartooth Highway between Red Lodge (Mt) and Cooke City (Mt).
- PAVED - Snowy Range Pass (10800ft): paved Wy130 between Laramie and Saratoga over Medicine Bow Range.
- PAVED - Battle Lake Pass (9916ft): paved Wyo70 over forested Sierra Madre Range between Riverside/ Encampment and Dixon (6520ft). May still contain some short unpaved sections.
- PAVED - Powder River Pass (9666ft): Bighorn Range; US16 between Buffalo and Tensleep; double summit also goes over Muikress Pass (9500ft). Canyon and badlands on Tensleep side; has been part of RAW, the Ride Across Wyoming.
-   MTB   - Union Pass (9210ft): long dirt road between US26 near Du Noir (Dubois area), and Wy352 about 25 miles north of Pinedale; runs north-south west of Wind River Range. Crossed by Hunt's Astorians in 1811 and was the cause of much confusion for its compilcated drainages during fur trapper days.
- PAVED - Foxpark Divide (9142ft): Wy230 crosses foothills of Mecine Bow mountains between Wood's Landing and Walden (Co).
- PAVED - Granite Pass (8950ft): Bighorn Range; US14 between Shell and Ranchester; has been part of RAW, the Ride Across Wyoming.
-   MTB   - Cheyenne Pass (8591ft): Laramie Hills; partially paved Happy Jack Road between Cheyenne and Sherman Hill Summit. From there Telephone Canyon decends into Laramie.
- PAVED - Craig Pass (8260ft): geographicall muddled CD crossing in Yellowstone National Park. By appearance indistinguisable from other points along the road. The pass is remarkable for its confusing geography. The road crosses from Atlantic to Pacific watersheds while going west to east.
-   MTB   - Sherman Hill Summit (8235ft): Laramie Hills; I80 crosses 1 mile northwest of old historic summit. The historic summit can be reached by a 1 mile dirtroad detour. This was the highest point on the Union Pacific section of the first transcontinental railroad.
-   MTB   - Antelope Pass (8050ft): Laramie Hills; dirt road between Tie Siding and I80. Road follows UP railroad between Hermosa and Dale Creek. This road also crosses the old historical Shermann Hill Summit. In these shallow sage hills wind is often the primary challenge.
- PAVED - Dead Indian Pass (8048ft): Chief Joseph Highway over Absaroka Mtns between Cody area and Cooke City (Mt).
- PAVED - Cache La Poudre Pass (apr. 8000ft): historical name for US285 between Laramie (7200ft) and Fort Colllins (Co), rolling Front Range foothills. Summit is just south of Tie Siding.
- PAVED - Salt River Pass (7616ft): low pass between Montpelier, Idaho and Smoot, Star Valley Wyoming.
- PAVED - Morton Pass (apr.7300ft): Laramie Hills, between Bosler (apr. 7000ft) and Wheatland (apr. 5000ft), 65 miles. Barely discenible grade on Bolser (west) side, and windswept inclined plains instead of mountains; also called Sybille Pass in Spraque's book "The Great Gates".
-   MTB   - Birdseye Pass (6993ft): dirt road/ double track trail over Owl Creek Mtns between Boysen Reservoir (4890ft) and Thermopolis (4085ft).
 

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Copyright (C) by Michael Fiebach 2003-2010
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