Soldier Summit, Utah

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Soldier Summit (elevation 7477 ft.) is the name of both a popular summit crossing of the Wasatch Mountains and a ghost town located at the summit. Francisco Atanasio Domínguez and Silvestre Vélez de Escalante are credited with discovering the summit, but it was almost certainly used by native americans before them. The summit takes its name from soldiers who died in an unexpected snow storm in July 1861.

Soldier Summit has always served as an important transportation spot since its discovery. Today it is on the main line of both U.S. Highway 6 and the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad. At one time both the State highway department and the railroad had operations at the summit. With the exception of a gas station that is sometimes open, the town site is abandoned. Today Soldier Summit is a popular rest stop and photo spot for railfans. Many railfans also take pictures of the Gilluly loops, a series of switchbacks on the western approach to the summit. The California Zephyr passenger train uses this route.

[edit] Trivia

Helper, Utah derives its name from Soldier Summit. During the steam locomotive era the railroad stored helper engines at Helper. They placed the helpers on freight trains to climb the grades to the summit. Once the train had cleared the mountains the helpers would be removed and placed on a train traveling back towards the summit. Soldier Summit is the 5th highest summit or pass on a U.S. transcontinental railroad main line after Tennessee Pass, Moffat Tunnel, Sherman Hill Summit and Raton Pass.