Sherman Hill

The original transcontinental railroad crossed the front range of the Rockies at Sherman Hill in the Laramie Range, between Cheyenne and Laramie. The precipitous front range of the Colorado Rockies sort of peters out north of the Wyoming border, so while this is the highest point on the cross-country route, it is a relatively easy way to cross the mountains.

The route is aided by geology, which besides keeping the mountains low, also provided a broad ramp on the east side (the "gangplank") which basically allows the prairies to gently rise all the way to the crest without having to follow (or cross) deep canyons or surmount (or tunnel under) a steep final pass.

I've been amused when I've heard folks on either coast talk of driving across the country and wanting to see the Rockies, then choosing to drive I-80. I-80, like the railroad it follows, chose the easy route, which means it intentionally bypasses the most spectacular parts of the mountains.

The summit is marked by the Ames Monument, a simple granite pyramid built to mimic the nearby granite knobs and to honor President Lincoln. The original railroad grade is just a grassy path that passes nearby, since the Union Pacific has relocated the route a little farther south.