Sherman Summit

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Sherman Summit
Elevation 8,640 ft (2,633 m)[1]
Traversed by Interstate 80
Location Albany County, Wyoming, USA
Range Laramie Mountains
Coordinates 41°14′10″N 105°26′11″W / 41.23611°N 105.43639°W / 41.23611; -105.43639Coordinates: 41°14′10″N 105°26′11″W / 41.23611°N 105.43639°W / 41.23611; -105.43639
Topo map USGS Sherman Mountains West

Sherman Summit, elevation 8,640 ft (2,630 m),[1] is a mountain pass on the crest of the Laramie Mountains in Albany County, Wyoming, between the cities of Cheyenne and Laramie. While not a particularly rugged mountain crossing, it holds special significance as the highest point along the entire length of transcontinental Interstate 80. It can easily be confused with at least three other nearby locations that have similar distinctions:

Just southwest of present-day Sherman Summit, at an elevation of about 8,820 ft (2,690 m),[1] is the highest point on the original transcontinental Lincoln Highway and its successor, U.S. 30. This location, where the pavement is still in place, is known simply as The Summit. A huge bronze bust of Abraham Lincoln once stood here; it has since been relocated to Sherman Summit.

About 7.5 miles (12.1 km) south-southeast of Sherman Summit is the site of the former town of Sherman, the highest point on the original transcontinental main line of the Union Pacific Railroad, at an elevation of 8,247 ft (2,514 m). Because the tracks were later relocated a few miles south, the original town of Sherman no longer exists, but this is still the location of the Ames Monument, erected by the railroad to mark its original high point.[2]

As a result of the track relocation, the high point on the railroad is now about 3.4 miles (5.5 km) southeast of the Ames Monument, at an elevation of 8,014 ft (2,443 m).[3] There is no town here, but the official railroad name for this location is, perhaps not surprisingly, Sherman. However, this point (like the Ames Monument) is not actually on the crest of the Laramie Mountains, which is now surmounted via the nearby Hermosa Tunnel at the slightly lower elevation of 7,960 ft (2,430 m).[4]

See also

  • Buford, Wyoming - Town near the summit that claims to be the highest town on Interstate 80

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Sherman Mountains West, Wyoming, USGS 7.5 minute topographic map via Topoquest". USGS. Retrieved 2013-08-04. 
  2. ↑ "Sherman Mountains West, Wyoming, USGS 7.5 minute topographic map via Topoquest". USGS. Retrieved 2013-08-04. 
  3. ↑ "Buford, Wyoming, USGS 7.5 minute topographic map via Topoquest". USGS. Retrieved 2013-08-04. 
  4. ↑ "Dale Creek, Wyoming, USGS 7.5 minute topographic map via TopoQuest". USGS. Retrieved 2013-12-23. 
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