Pengra Pass

SP Westbound at Cruzatte, Oregon

Geographically speaking this is Pengra Pass in the Oregon Cascade Range. It is much more well known to the public as Willamette Pass due to that being the name on Oregon Highway 58. After Oakridge, however, the railroad and the highway follow Salt Creek, a Willamette tributary. As far as the railroad is concerned, this is also the Natron Cutoff, named after a town near the junction point with the original mainline via Ashland.