Lewiston Hill

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Lewiston Hill
Lewiston ID and Clarkston WA city and rivers view 2006.jpg
Looking south from the top in 2006
Elevation 2,756 ft (840 m)
Length5.3 miles (8.5 km)
Traversed byUS 95.svg US 95
Max gradient7 %
Location Nez Perce County,
Idaho, U.S.
Coordinates 46°27′37″N117°00′58″W / 46.4602°N 117.0162°W / 46.4602; -117.0162
Usa edcp relief location map.png
Red pog.svg
Lewiston Hill
Location in the United States
USA Idaho relief location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Lewiston Hill
Location in Idaho

Lewiston Hill (also known as the "Clearwater Escarpment" [1] ) is a large sloping escarpment in the northwest United States, located immediately north of the confluence of the Clearwater and Snake rivers in north central Idaho.

Contents

Residents of the nearby cities of Lewiston, Idaho, and Clarkston, Washington, typically refer to "Lewiston Hill" as the mostly unfarmed land north of the city limits of the respective cities, but still remaining visible from the cities. At the top of the escarpment is a notable agricultural region known as the Palouse.

The border between Lewiston Hill and the Palouse is at an approximate elevation of 2,756 feet (840 m) above sea level, as measured at a rest area at the junction of U.S. Routes 95 and 195. At the foot of the hill is the eastern end of Lower Granite Lake, at the confluence of the Clearwater and Snake rivers; its typical surface elevation is 741 feet (226 m), [2] yielding a vertical drop of 2,015 feet (614 m) to the water.

Just below the summit of the escarpment and north of both city centers, there are corresponding initials for Lewiston (L) and Clarkston (C), painted white.

Highways

Lewiston Hill Highway circa 1920 Section of the Lewiston Hill Highway known as The Loop near Lewiston, Idaho, circa 1920 (AL+CA 1531).jpg
Lewiston Hill Highway circa 1920
Sign at top of Lewiston Hill. LewistonHillSignSept2010.jpg
Sign at top of Lewiston Hill.

Old Spiral Highway

The Old Spiral Highway, near Lewiston, Idaho, circa 1920. Lewiston Hill Highway grade, near Lewiston, Idaho, circa 1920 (AL+CA 1526).jpg
The Old Spiral Highway, near Lewiston, Idaho, circa 1920.

Branching off of State Highway 128 (just east of the Washington-Idaho transition from Washington State Route 128), the "Old Spiral Highway" and former ten-mile (16 km) segment of U.S. Route 95 climbs two thousand vertical feet (610 m) above the riverbank north of the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater rivers. The summit is at 2,756 ft (840 m), following a very twisty road (64 curves) that was opened in 1917. It was the primary route north for sixty years, and received an award as one of the best-engineered stretches of mountain highway at the time. Studies for a replacement route were begun in the mid-1960s; [3] it was decommissioned in 1977, when the current alignment of U.S. Route 95 was opened.

The 1950s rock and roll hit by singer-songwriter Charlie Ryan titled "Hot Rod Lincoln" tells of an actual race on that hill. The lyrics of the song were changed variously to say San Pedro or The Grapevine in later versions, but the Ryan claimed at later performances that he was inspired by Lewiston Hill. [4]

In 1990, the fifth stage of the Ore-Ida Women's Challenge cycling race went through Lewiston and ended with a climb up the Old Spiral Highway. [5]

The north end of the Old Spiral Highway joins with U.S. Routes 95 and 195 on the Washington-Idaho border.

Lewiston Hill
the Old Spiral Highway

U.S. Route 95 up Lewiston Hill

The newer multi-lane grade of U.S. Route 95 ascending the slope to the north of Lewiston is often simply referred to as "Lewiston Hill" by local residents. [6] Constructed from 1975 to 1977, it yields a straighter and steeper sweeping "Z" descent to the east, then back to the southwest, and is approximately seven miles (11 km) in length. [7] [8]

Scenery

1917 View from Clearwater Escarpment, showing Lewiston Plateau and the lower-lying bench upon which the City of Lewiston is located ClearwaterEscarpment-Lewiston-USDA-1917.png
1917 View from Clearwater Escarpment, showing Lewiston Plateau and the lower-lying bench upon which the City of Lewiston is located

Both grades provide excellent views of the Lewiston-Clarkston area and beyond.

Panorama shot of Lewiston Hill from the top of the hill. Lewiston, Clarkston, Snake River, Clearwater River pano 01.jpg
Panorama shot of Lewiston Hill from the top of the hill.

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U.S. Bicycle Route 81 (USBR 81) is a United States Bicycle Route in the state of Washington. It is planned to travel north–south along the eastern edge of the state from Asotin to the Canadian border near Metaline Falls. The section from Asotin to Clarkston and Tekoa, spanning 103.5 miles (166.6 km), was designated in 2021. USBR 81 also has a child route, USBR 281, that was designated in 2021 and follows U.S. Route 195.

References

  1. Parsons, Donna L. (1968-09-30). Idaho, An Outdoor Classroom. Caldwell School District 132, ID.
  2. "File:LewistonHillSignSept2010.jpg", Wikipedia, 2011-12-30, retrieved 2020-12-12
  3. Harrell, Sylvia (December 26, 1965). "Study started to eliminate Spiral". Lewiston Morning Tribune. p. 26.
  4. Johnson, David (June 27, 2003). "That hot rod Lincoln". Lewiston Morning Tribune . Retrieved 2020-12-11.
  5. Sahlberg, Bert (June 27, 1990). "Thompson likes view from above". Lewiston Morning Tribune. p. 1D.
  6. Stovall, Scott (2014-12-04). "Lewiston Hill resurfacing project begins this spring". KLEW-TV . Retrieved 2020-12-12.
  7. "First dirt moved for new highway up Lewiston Hill". Lewiston Morning Tribune. August 1, 1975. p. 7A.
  8. Harrell, Sylvia (October 27, 1977). "What a way to go!". Lewiston Morning Tribune. p. 1D. Archived from the original on November 23, 2015. Retrieved November 22, 2015.