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GN crossed the Rockies via Marias Pass and the Cascades via Stevens Pass. They also had Haskill's Pass over the Salish Range just west of Glacier. In the book Lines West, it is claimed that the GN was looking to cross the Divide at Cut Bank Pass at about 7500' before Marias Pass was *discovered* at 5200'. Why the GN chose to go over Stevens Pass rather than the already discovered Snoqualmie Pass (later used by the superior Milwaukee as the absolute best railroad crossing of the Cascades), or going down via the north bank of the Columbia River (later used by Hill's SP&S line) is not something I can answer. Yes, Hill did get the NP and it's land assets at a fire sale, and used the NP to help pay for the SP&S. Again, why would the NP help finance the building of the SP&S between Spokane and Pasco when the NP already had a line betwixt those towns, other than Hill made 'em? Should've been the PP&S instead, not the SP&S. (Isn't it ironic that after the BN merger it was the SP&S line between Spokane and Pasco that was torn out in favor of the inferior NP line?) The GN's predecessor, the St Paul and Pacific, did have land grants which helped finance Hill's ambitions. But you gotta admit, the Billy Goat symbol was pretty cool!
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