Where are the "big" mountain passes in the Northwest?

I believe the one going into Lewiston is Whitebird Pass or something like that.

 

Edit: Nevermind, N West specific.

But these are some good ones, if you ever get out this way:

Black Mountain (NC), Fancy Gap (VA), Monteagle (TN), Green River Gorge (NC)... that's a few off the top of my head.

 

^^^ KT, been thru all of those. . . . beautiful though, eh? Monteagle is fun....

 

The Appalachians are, indeed, beautiful. The Great Smoky's, Catskills, Allegheny, White, Green, Blue Ridge, Cumberland, Adirondack... There's some good hills there.

 

Sexton thats about it and its not a big deal.

 

Besides all the gravel passes in Montana you have Homestake, Mcdonald, Flesher and Marias passes. There there is the Bozeman hill between Bozeman and Livingston. The west side seems to get worse being in a canyon so less sun on the road. Unless you have to go between Helena and Lincoln just avoid Flesher pass. Either the truck or the trailer is in the other lane at times because of the corners.

Washington you have Whites, Snoqualmie and Stevens passes along with some other lesser known ones. Snoqualmie is a piece of cake.

 

Tombstone there's a gem. No escape ramps 2 lane crooked as a dogs leg for 8 miles. Its a beautiful drive though. Anytime you hear that. Beware. Fish lake is another one. 13 miles no ramps and a canyon on one side. But these are off the beaten path. Learn the passes and run it cool. Drive your own road.

 

On a side note. I started running 105k trucks in 82. Before they were very many of them. 25-30mph is appropriate for coming off the bigger grades. I'd get some knothead in a 5 axle up my tailpipe running his mouth about a rookie driver scared of the mountains. So I'd ask him if he'd like to show me how it's done. Never had an takers. Drive your own road.

 

Lewiston Hill is fun, south of there is Snowbird, it's a 7% as well. Lolo Pass is a goo one too, on US 12 at the MT/ID state line. The ID side has 99 miles of 45mph turns.

ID and MT do a good job at maintaining their roads in the winter, WA does alright, OR is terrible at it.

 

White Bird is on 95 between White Bird and Grangeville, ID. Lewiston hill is 60 miles farther north

If you want to know what trucking was REALLY like, look to the east as you travel the White Bird grade and you can see the old road with about 9 switch backs in it. THAT was a brutal grade.

I might throw in Lost Trail Pass on 93 between Idaho and Montana, although it is a piece of cake since they widened it 10 years ago.