| Rogers Pass | |
|---|---|
| Elevation | 5,610 ft (1,710 m) |
| Traversed by | Montana Highway 200 |
| Location | |
| Location | Lewis and Clark County, Montana, USA |
| Range | Rocky Mountains |
| Topo map | USGS Rogers Pass (MT) |
Rogers Pass rises 5,610 feet (1,710 m) above sea level and is located on the continental divide in the U.S. state of Montana.[1] The pass is adjacent to Helena National Forest and is traversed by Montana Highway 200. Wide shoulders provide parking for those wishing to hike the Continental Divide Trail. Bicyclists note, the wide shoulders are limited to the very top and will not be found on 200. The pass is the best route between the cities of Great Falls and Missoula, Montana, more than 800 feet (244 m) lower than Lewis and Clark Pass 5.3 miles (8.5 km) to the northwest that was used by Meriwether Lewis of the eponymous expedition on July 7, 1806.[2]
Rogers Pass is more than 100 miles (160 km) south of Marias Pass and there are no other roads that cross the continental divide between these two passes. The region between the two passes is mostly wilderness, and the majority of it has been set aside and protected from future development. The Great Bear, Scapegoat and Bob Marshall Wildernesses have been consolidated into the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex, and permanently protect 1,535,352 acres (6,213.35 km2). The region is noted for its inaccessibility and as one of the last strongholds for the grizzly bear in the lower 48 states.[3] The Scapegoat Wilderness is a 10 miles (16 km) hike north of Rogers Pass via the Continental Divide Trail.
Contents |
Rogers Pass in Montana was named by the Great Northern Railroad for one of the line's locating surveyors,[4] A.B. Rogers, who located the pass in 1887. Rogers has the distinction of having two passes named after him, this one in Montana, and another Rogers Pass in British Colombia Canada.[5] In 1881 and 1882 A.B. Rogers was a surveyor for the Canadian Pacific Railroad, and he located Rogers Pass in British Columbia, Canada, which was then used by the Canadian Pacific Railroad (CPR) on its transcontinental line across Canada. The CPR named the pass after Rogers. James Jerome Hill, who controlled both the CPR and the Great Northern then hired Rogers as a locating engineer on his Great Northern Railroad which built into Montana in 1887. Shortly after Rogers had located the pass in Montana that bears his name, his career ended when he was badly injured falling from his horse.[6] Although Hill and the Great Northern Railroad eventually chose Marias pass, 100 miles to the north, as the pass over the continental divide for their transcontinental railroad route, Hill saw to it that Rogers Pass in Montana was named after the surveyor.
Rogers Pass is the location of the coldest temperature ever recorded in the United States outside of Alaska. On January 20, 1954 a low temperature of −70 °F (−57 °C) was recorded during a severe cold wave.[7]
The region is a noted location for observation of Golden Eagles and to a lesser extent, Bald Eagles. During the months of March and April, strong westerly winds help migrating flocks of eagles cross the continental divide so they can spend the summer on the great plains. During these months, over 800 Golden Eagles and 129 Bald Eagles have been observed heading east. From mid-September through October, a similar migration occurs, except in the opposite direction. This is also a migration route used by other raptors such as Northern Goshawks, Red-tailed Hawks, and Rough-legged Hawks. Canada Geese, Tundra Swans and Snow Geese also use the pass during migration periods. The Golden Eagles and other birds can be observed from a distance as close as 100 to 500 feet (30 to 150 m).[8]
A web cam exists allowing the viewer to have a real-time look at periodic snapshots of Rogers Pass and its current road and weather conditions.[9]