Donner Pass ride

In 1960, Interstate 80 through the Tahoe area was begun and about 3 years later was completed.  Prior to that time, the only way to get through the Sierras from Sacramento to Reno was Highway 40.  As a child, Mark made that trip many times on the way to visit relatives in Utah.  The road from Donner Pass to Donner Lake is steep with many switchbacks.  This road existed long before guardrails were invented and Mark remembers seeing rusting wrecks that were once cars that had gone over the side.  So it was a trip down memory lane for Mark to ride up that road once again.  Only this time on our bikes.

We began at Donner Lake.  This picture shows the mountain we are going to climb. The arrow points to a bridge.....

........ about a mile from the top.  The bridge was built in the 1920's.  If you look closely, you'll see Mark riding his bike:

The view from near the top:

We saw a lot of rock climbers up there as well.  This picture has two arrows pointing to rock climbers.

Thanks to my telephoto lens, you can see these crazy people up close!

We stopped at a historical society marker in Soda Springs Station and the man there told us that before US80 was built they would get as many as 7,000 cars through their town a day.

It was a tough three mile climb, and then a fun downhill for about 12 miles.  The only problem is that you have to ride back UP those 12 miles and then go down the three mile switchbacks which can be a bit scary.  But not as scary as what I imagine rock climbing to be.