Existing comment:
Bridging the Golden Gate:
To reach Yellowstone Plateau from Mammoth Hot Springs, the Corps of Engineers in 1885 built a wooden trestle along the sheer wall of the "Golden Gate" (named for the light-colored volcanic rock). The alternative was the direct route through Snow Pass, scene of many carriage breakdowns.
"So steep is the climb that if the tailboard of a wagon falls out... the whole load is promptly dumped out in the road."
The route through Golden Gate saved a half-day's travel up the plateau. Since 1900, two different concrete trestles have replaced the rickety wooden structure. |