- Devil's Gate Pass
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This article is about the pass in eastern California. For other uses, see Devil's Gate (disambiguation).
Devil's Gate Pass Elevation 7,519 ft (2,292 m) Traversed by U.S. Route 395 Location Location Mono County, California, 
United StatesRange Sweetwater Mountains Coordinates 38°20′54″N 119°21′43″W / 38.34833°N 119.36194°WCoordinates: 38°20′54″N 119°21′43″W / 38.34833°N 119.36194°W Topo map USGS Fales Hot Springs Devil's Gate Pass is a mountain pass in Mono County, California, traversed by U.S. Route 395. The pass is named for the Devils Gate, a granitic formation located west of the summit of the pass.[1]
Contents
Location
Bridgeport and the East Walker River lie to the east and south of Devil's Gate, and the West Walker River lies to the west and north. The Sierra Nevada rise up from the west and south of the pass, while to the northeast the Sweetwater Mountains spur off from the Sierra Nevada. The Little Walker Caldera lies southwest of the pass.
Devil's Gate Pass is a few miles east of Sonora Junction, which is the junction of U.S. 395 with State Route 108. This segment of U.S. 395 connects Antelope Walker valley to Big Meadows (Bridgeport). State Route 108 terminates at Sonora Junction with the west bound road connecting to Sonora Pass and Sonora over the Sierra Nevada. The given coordinates are the location of the highest point of U.S. Route 395 through the pass (what Caltrans calls the summit of the pass).
Visitor information
Visitors to the area should acquire a Toiyabe National Forest service map before exploring beyond U.S. Route 395. Although most of the surrounding land is publicly owned and accessible via Burcham Flat Road and Little Walker Road, the land on either side of U.S. Route 395 through the pass is privately owned. The forest service map highlights public and private lands in color.
History and land use
John C. Fremont crossed the pass in Feb 1844. His party was surveying the the western boundary of the Nevada Basin but due to inclement weather they were searching for a route across the Sierra Nevada. Due to difficult terrain and deep snow, he was forced to abandon his cannon after crossing the pass. It is unclear if the cannon has ever been found.[2]
Various commercial activities have been attempted along the pass. A water powered mill was noted by William H. Brewer in his journal entry for July 15, 1863.[3]
A stage stop and resort at Fales Hot spring 2 miles to the west was operated from about 1877 through 1952. A newer resort was constructed in 1954 and is now being restored after falling into disrepair. The gasoline station next to the resort remained open until at least the 1970s and was torn down around 1990.[4] A small ski run was operated at Swaugger Creek, 4 miles to the east of the pass, in the 1930s. A pack station catering to deer hunters was operated at the pass in the 1970s. Currently much of the private land is used as pasture (west side of pass) or for private homes (east side of pass).
References
- ^ "Devils Gate". Geographic Names Information System, U.S. Geological Survey. http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:222305. Retrieved 2009-05-03.
- ^ "The History of the Fremont Cannon, Part II". WolfPackChat.com. http://nevada.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=678310. Retrieved 2009-05-03.
- ^ "Up and Down California in 1860-1864". uncertain. http://www.yosemite.ca.us/library/up_and_down_california/4-4.html. Retrieved 2011-10-24.
- ^ "MCHS_Newsletter_2011". MonoCoMuseum.com. http://www.monocomuseum.org/newsletter_folder/MCHS_Newsletter_2011.pdf. Retrieved 2011-10-24.
Categories:- Landforms of Mono County, California
- Mountain passes of California
- California geography stubs
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