California State Route 88
| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 122 mi[1] (196 km) | |||
| Tourist routes |   Carson Pass Highway | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end |  SR 99 near Stockton | |||
| East end |  SR 88 at state line near Minden, NV | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | California | |||
| Counties | San Joaquin, Amador, Alpine | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
State Route 88 (SR 88), also known as the Carson Pass Highway,
SR 88 is one of the few
Route description
SR 88 begins just outside
Between Sunnybrook and
To scale the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, East of Pine Grove Highway 88 follows a ridge that separates the watershed of the North Fork
While the road uses ridges for the western approach to Carson Pass, the eastern approach rapidly descends into the
SR 88 is part of the
History
The portion of Route 88 east of Antelope Springs, near Buckhorn, started as the Amador/Nevada Wagon Route, a toll road with a franchise granted in 1852[29] and surveyed in 1857.[30] While the route was based on the existing Kit Carson trail and Old Emigrant Road, among the primary reasons for granting the toll road franchise was to fund a realignment of the portion from Tragedy Spring to Caples Lake. In its original form, the road connected these landmarks by looping around the Silver Lake basin, over a high mountain ridge near Emigrant Lake reaching an elevation of 9,640 feet (2,940 m). This was a treacherous routing, and was rerouted via blasting a path through the Carson Spur in 1863.[31] The path through the Carson Spur was re-dynamited and widened to its current form in 1960.[29]
The first numerical designation for the Amador County portion of modern SR 88 was SR 8, which overlaps the present highway from Alpine County to Jackson. Unlike modern SR 88, it continued south to Mokelumne Hill, then to Valley Springs along modern State Route 26 and a small portion of SR 49. A portion of modern Route 88 west of Jackson was then part of SR 104.[32] During the 1940s, maps of the area showed both the 8 and 88 designations in use. The original alignment south and west of Jackson retained the SR 8 designation, while the modern alignment of SR 88, where the roads existed, used the 88 designation.[33][34]
Significant parts of the highway have been re-aligned and improved from the original wagon trail. A bypass of Jackson's historical district was completed in 1948.[11] The modern form of the highway was assigned the 88 designation by the time the California Department of Highways, predecessor agency to Caltrans, announced major upgrades for the highway were in progress or recently completed in 1958. Already completed was a re-alignment of the eastern approach to Carson Pass. Originally the eastern approach ran along the south shore of Red Lake. The realigned highway passes the lake to the north. This change lengthened the approach, but reduced the grade. Improvements expected to be completed soon included paving a road to be used for the highway west of Martell towards what is today SR 124 and re-alignments along parts of the ridge, including bypassing a mountain in the ridge area called Peddler's Hill.[35]
The highway was not originally maintained in the winter, but became the most recent trans-Sierra Nevada highway to remain open year round in 1971. This change coincided with a change in ownership, and construction to significantly expand what is now called the Kirkwood Mountain Resort - which lies between Carson Pass and the Carson Spur. The developers building the resort agreed to build and donate maintenance facilities for Caltrans and contribute funds for snow plowing.[36]
Historical landmarks
As the SR 88 corridor has history that predates the automobile, there are a number of historical markers and landmarks along the roadway. These include:
- The Trail of the 1844 John C. Frémont Expedition, at the northwest corner of the Calaveras River (postmile SJ 6.09)[37]
- Clinton, on Clinton Road, south of the highway, in Pine Grove—Clinton was the center of a placer mining community during the 1850s and of quartz mining as late as the 1880s. This town once decided Amador County elections as its votes were always counted last.[38]
- Irishtown, at the intersection of Pine Grove Wieland Road in Pine Grove—This was an important stopping place for emigrants on their way to the southern mines. The first white settlers on this spot found it a "city of wigwams," and hundreds of mortars in the rocks testify that this was a favorite Indian camping ground.[39]
- Maiden's Grave, burial place of Rachel Melton (d. 1850), a young girl who died while traveling to California via covered wagon (postmile AMA 61.3)[40]
- Cooks Station, a store and restaurant built in the 1860s and still in operation, elevation 5,000 feet (1,500 m)[41]
- Ham's Station is a historic restaurant and convenience store, first established in 1855,[42] with current structures built cerca 1879. It originally served as a toll station on the highway.[43][44]
- Mormon Emigrant Trail were killed.[16]
- Two markers note the original alignment of the Old Emigrant Road that was bypassed with the construction via the Carson Spur. One is at the intersection of Mud Lake Road (postmile AMA 63.1). The second marker is at postmile ALP 2.4, at Caples Lake.[31]
- The Kit Carson Marker (CHL #315, postmile ALP 5.2), at the summit of Carson Pass, marks where Carson carved his name into a tree in 1844 while guiding John C. Frémont through the Sierra Nevada. The original can be found at Sutter's Fort, Sacramento.[45]
- On some large rocks near Carson Pass, a group of pioneers inscribed their names and the emblem of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows in 1849 (postmile ALP 5.3).[46]
Major intersections
Except where prefixed with a letter, postmiles were measured on the road as it was in 1964, based on the alignment that existed at the time, and do not necessarily reflect current mileage. R reflects a realignment in the route since then, M indicates a second realignment, L refers to an overlap due to a correction or change, and T indicates postmiles classified as temporary ().[47] Segments that remain unconstructed or have been relinquished to local control may be omitted. The numbers reset at county lines; the start and end postmiles in each county are given in the county column.
| County | Location | Postmile [47][1][28] | Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Joaquin SJ 0.00-25.37 | | 0.00 | Waterloo Road | Continuation beyond SR 99 | |
| | 0.00 | SR 99 – Sacramento, Fresno | Interchange; western end of SR 88; SR 99 exit 255 | ||
| Lockeford | L12.24 |   SR 12 west (Victor Road) – Lodi | Western end of SR 12 overlap | ||
| 13.60 |   CR J5 south (Jack Tone Road) | Western end of CR J5 overlap | |||
| 14.08 |  CR J5 north (Elliott Road) / Tully Road | Eastern end of CR J5 overlap | |||
| Clements | 19.17 |  SR 12 east – San Andreas | Eastern end of SR 12 overlap | ||
| | |  CR J12 (Collier Road) | |||
| Amador AMA 0.00-71.65 | | 5.53 |   SR 124 north – Ione, Placerville | Southern terminus of SR 124 | |
| | 7.39 |  SR 104 west / Jackson Valley Road – Ione | Western end of SR 104 overlap | ||
| | 12.68 | SR 104 east (Ridge Road) – Sutter Creek | Eastern end of SR 104 overlap | ||
| Martell | 14.25 5.93[N 1] |  SR 49 north – Sutter Creek, Placerville | Western end of SR 49 overlap | ||
| Jackson | 4.03[N 1] 14.29 |  SR 49 south – Mokelumne Hill, San Andreas | Eastern end of SR 49 overlap | ||
| Pine Grove | 22.69 | Ridge Road – Sutter Creek | |||
| 23.36 | Pine Grove-Volcano Road – Volcano | ||||
| | R26.79 |  SR 26 west (Red Corral Road) – West Point | Eastern terminus of SR 26 | ||
| | R58.67 | US 50 Alt. west) | Western end of US 50 Alt. overlap | ||
| Alpine ALP 0.00-25.28 | | R5.23[48] | Carson Pass, elevation 8,573 feet (2,613 m)[48] | ||
| | 13.40 |  US 50 Alt. east) / Burnside Lake Road – Lake Tahoe | Western end of SR 89 overlap; eastern end of US 50 Alt. overlap | ||
| Woodfords | 19.22 |   SR 89 south to SR 4 – Markleeville | Eastern end of SR 89 overlap | ||
| | 25.28 |  SR 88 north – Minden | Continuation into Nevada; eastern end of SR 88 | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
| |||||
See also
California Roads portal- Eldorado National Forest, Amador Ranger Station, Pioneer
- Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park, Pine Grove
- Mount Zion State Park, Pine Grove
- Sorensen's Resort, Hope Valley
References
- ^ a b California Department of Transportation (July 2007). "Log of Bridges on State Highways" (PDF). Sacramento: California Department of Transportation. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
- ^ a b Federal Highway Administration (n.d.). "Carson Pass Highway (Route 88)". America's Byways. Federal Highway Administration. Archived from the original on October 11, 2011. Retrieved October 11, 2011.
- ^ "Carson Pass Highway (Route 88)". America's Scenic Byways. Retrieved October 16, 2017.
- Caltrans. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
- ^ ISBN 978-0899333830.
- ^ "Highway 50 closure: How to get to Tahoe, when will road reopen?". San Jose Mercury News. August 21, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
- ^ "Update: Highway 50 open in both directions, Caltrans says". Tahoe Daily Tribune. March 4, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
- ^ "Farms & Farmers' Markets". Stockton Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
- ^ "Amador Central Railroad". Amador County Historical Society. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
- ^ "Amador Central Railroad". Recreational Railroad Coalition Historical Society. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
- ^ ISSN 0008-1159. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
- ISSN 0008-1159. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
- ^ "Jackson, California". Western Mining History. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
- ^ "Jackson Rancheria Cares About The Community". Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
- ^ Current road conditions at "Road Information". Caltrans. Retrieved March 2, 2023.
IS CLOSED FROM HAM'S STATION TO 3.5 MI EAST OF SILVER LAKE (AMADOR CO) - DUE TO SNOW - MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO USE AN ALTERNATE ROUTE.
- ^ a b Belli, Anthony M. (September 2001). "Traveling the Mormon Emigrant Trail". County of El Dorado. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
- ^ a b c Thomas Brothers (2008). California Road Atlas. Thomas Brothers.
- Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
- ^ "Current Conditions along Carson Pass". Up and Over Carson Pass. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
- ^ "The Colors of Fall in California State Parks". California State Parks. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
- ^ Medina, Rachel (October 8, 2020). "Where to See California's Fall Foliage in Every Region". California.com. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
- ^ "Article 2 of Chapter 2 of Division 1". California Streets and Highways Code. Sacramento: California Office of Legislative Counsel. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
- ^ Federal Highway Administration (March 25, 2015). National Highway System: California (North) (PDF) (Map). Scale not given. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved October 8, 2017.
- ^ Natzke, Stefan; Neathery, Mike & Adderly, Kevin (June 20, 2012). "What is the National Highway System?". National Highway System. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
- ^ "Article 2.5 of Chapter 2 of Division 1". California Streets & Highways Code. Sacramento: California Office of Legislative Counsel. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
- ^ California Department of Transportation (August 2019). "Officially Designated State Scenic Highways and Historic Parkways" (XLSX). Sacramento: California Department of Transportation. Retrieved October 8, 2017.
- ^ California Department of Transportation (2012). Scenic Highway Guidelines (PDF). Sacramento: California Department of Transportation. p. 5. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
- ^ a b California Department of Transportation (2020). "All Traffic Volumes on CSHS". Sacramento: California Department of Transportation. Retrieved February 21, 2023.
- ^ ISSN 0008-1159. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
- ^ "Amador Wagon Road Survey". Sacramento Daily Union. June 22, 1857. p. 1. Retrieved January 14, 2013 – via California Digital Newspaper Collection.
- ^ a b "Old Emigrant Road". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
- ^ Thomas, George C. (c. 1930). Map of Amador County (Map). [c. 1:380,160]. Geo C Thomas – via Wikimedia Commons.
- ^ United States Geological Survey (1941). Sutter Creek, California (Topographic map). 1:250,000. Reston, Virginia: United States Geological Survey.
- ^ United States Geological Survey (1944). Sutter Creek, California (Topographic map). 1:250,000. Reston, Virginia: United States Geological Survey.
- ISSN 0008-1159. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
- ^ Evans, Jeremy (December 31, 2007). "Kirkwood: A story of raw adventure and perseverance". Tahoe Daily Tribune. Retrieved January 13, 2019.
- ^ "Trail of the John C. Frémont 1844 Expedition". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
- ^ "Clinton". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
- ^ "Irishtown". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
- ^ "Maiden's Grave". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
- ^ "Cooks Station". Amador Council of Tourism. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
- ^ "Ham's Station". Amador Council of Tourism. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 1879. p. 2110.
- ^ "Ham's Station". Archives: History Center. Amador County, California. Archived from the original on April 8, 2008. Retrieved August 5, 2010.
- ^ "Kit Carson Marker". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
- ^ "Memorial To Pioneer Odd Fellows". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
- ^ a b California Department of Transportation. "State Truck Route List". Sacramento: California Department of Transportation. Archived from the original (XLS file) on June 30, 2015. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
- ^ a b "Elevation and Location of Summits and Passes in California". California Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on March 1, 2017.
External links
