Golden Spike - The Promontory Mountains

The Promontory Mountains consist of mostly undeveloped rangeland (grasslands and sagebrush desert) surrounded by saltwater bays and wetlands of the Great Salt Lake. Mount Tarpey - the highest point in the Promontory Mountains - has an elevation of 7,156 feet. The elevation of the Great Salt Lake is about 4,200 feet. The Transcontinental Railroad crossed the Promontory Summit, climbing up steep rail grades from both the east and the west.