California · United States
Sonora Pass
CA 108SR 108Strawberry to Sonora Junction
A Sierra crossing that never got tamed, climbing past 9,600 ft with narrow, barrier-free stretches and pitches near the summit that bite at 24 per cent.
CA 108 over Sonora Pass is one of the steepest and least-tamed Sierra crossings, climbing past 9,600 ft on a narrow, twisting ribbon with pitches that bite hard at the summit. Open only in the warmer months; mind the abrupt gradients, the narrow sections without barriers, and the high-altitude weather.
Where it runs49.0 mi · point to point
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Character
Steeper than 9 in 10 roads here · higher than 9 in 10 roads in the catalogue.
Corners
busiest around mile 27Elevation
under 4%4–8%over 8%1,672.5 – 2,942.1 mFrom the road
Points of interest3 stops
- Donnell VistaViewpoint15 mi in
- Leavitt FallsViewpoint40 mi in
- Sonora PassViewpoint34 mi in
Hazards
- Very steep gradients near the summit
- Narrow with sheer sections
- Snow and ice outside summer
Sources
“The highway over the pass is extremely steep (exceeding 8% for most of the traverse, and up to 26% grades in some locations), narrow and winding between Kennedy Meadows on the west side and Leavitt Meadows on the east.”
Verified route: mapped from real road geometry and fact-checked by a human editor. How roads get checked
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