▁of ▁two ▁passes ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁travers ed ▁by ▁State ▁Route ▁ 4 . ▁The ▁western ▁pass ▁is ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Gra de ▁Sum mit ▁( el ▁). ▁The ▁pass ▁is ▁registered ▁as ▁a ▁California ▁Historical ▁Land mark . ▁The ▁Pacific ▁C rest ▁Tra il , ▁a ▁ ▁long ▁National ▁Sc en ic ▁Tra il ▁cross es ▁State ▁Route ▁ 4 ▁at ▁E bb et ts ▁Pass . ▁ ▁History ▁Native ▁Americans ▁were ▁und ou bt ably ▁the ▁first ▁humans ▁to ▁traverse ▁the ▁Sierra ▁Nev ada ▁Mountains , ▁but ▁it ▁is ▁unknown ▁if ▁they ▁regularly ▁used ▁E bb et ts ▁Pass ▁since ▁any ▁trail ▁they ▁would ▁have ▁used ▁is ▁no ▁longer ▁trace able . ▁ ▁It ▁is ▁tradition ally ▁held ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁pass ▁used ▁by ▁Jed edia h ▁Smith ▁in ▁late ▁spring ▁of ▁ 1 8 2 7 ▁when ▁leaving ▁California ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁his ▁first ▁expl or atory ▁journey , ▁the ▁first ▁crossing ▁ever ▁of ▁the ▁Sierra ▁Nev ada ▁by ▁a ▁non - native , ▁but ▁snow ▁would ▁have ▁obsc ured ▁any ▁trail ▁so ▁he ▁was ▁bla zing ▁his ▁own ▁path . ▁It ▁may ▁also ▁have ▁been ▁used ▁by ▁the ▁Bart les on – B id well ▁Party ▁on ▁their ▁em igration ▁to ▁California . ▁ ▁John ▁E bb ets , ▁a ▁fur ▁tr ader ▁turned ▁guide ▁for ▁California ▁Gold ▁R ush ▁" F ort y - n in ers " ▁claimed ▁to ▁have ▁led ▁a ▁string ▁of ▁pack ▁m ules ▁e aster ly ▁over ▁the ▁S ier ras ▁in ▁the